┌─ FILE ANALYSIS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ┐
│ DEVELOPER : Microsoft
│ CATEGORY : Video
│ MIME TYPE : video/x-ms-wmv
│ MAGIC BYTES : 3026B2758E66CF11
└ ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ┘
What is a WMV file?
WMV (Windows Media Video) is a proprietary video compression format developed by Microsoft. It uses the ASF (Advanced Systems Format) container and was widely used for Windows-based video distribution, particularly for streaming and DRM-protected content.
How to open WMV files
- Windows Media Player (Windows) — Built-in, native support
- VLC Media Player (Windows, macOS, Linux) — Free
- MPV (Windows, macOS, Linux) — Lightweight
- PotPlayer (Windows) — Feature-rich
Technical specifications
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Container | ASF (Advanced Systems Format) |
| Video Codecs | WMV7, WMV8, WMV9, WVC1 |
| Audio Codecs | WMA |
| DRM | Windows Media DRM |
| Streaming | ASF streaming protocol |
Programs that open WMV files
- Windows Media Player — Native Microsoft player
- VLC Media Player — Cross-platform player
- HandBrake — Free video transcoder
- FFmpeg — Command-line conversion
Common use cases
- Windows video: Default Windows video format (legacy)
- DRM content: Protected video distribution
- Email video: Compact video for email attachments
- Presentations: Embedded video in PowerPoint