WTV File Extension

What is the .WTV file type?

The .wtv filename extension stands for the Windows Recorded TV Show (.wtv) file type and Microsoft's newer proprietary multimedia container format, specially designed for Windows Media Center (WMC) with DRM (Digital Rights Management) and extended metadata support. Having replaced the previous DVR-MS format, WTV uses the MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 (H.264) codecs for video and Dolby Digital AC-3 or AAC for audio. WTV is not compatible with DVR-MS.

The .wtv file is a recording of a TV program made in WMC and saved in its WTV format. WMC saves its .wtv recordings in the "C:\Users\Public\Recorded TV" folder by default. In Microsoft Windows Vista and later, the .wtv file type is pre-associated with WMC, and such files can be opened and viewed with a double-click. On non-Windows OS'es, WTV recordings can be played back by all ffmpeg-based players. Also, several paid and free tools allow to directly edit such files (e.g., to remove commercials).

WTV files cannot be natively opened in previous Windows releases such as Windows XP, yet Windows 7 provides a WTV-to-DVR-MS converter, accessible through the right-click menu of the .wtv file type.

Software to open or convert WTV files

CyberLink Power Media Player by CyberLink Corp.

 

MPC-HC

 

CyberLink PowerDVD by CyberLink Corp.

 

PotPlayer by Kakao Corp.

 

Nero MediaHub by Nero AG

 

Free File Viewer Pro

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