Walmart MP3 Music Downloads

Support for WMA Format Music Downloads


Walmart Mp3 Music Downloads No Longer Sells WMA Format Files
We now offer all our songs and albums in MP3 format because they are compatible with more players, portable devices and operating systems than any other format. The other sections of our Help site refer to MP3 files and general information, but this section is specifically for managing and troubleshooting any WMA files you purchased.

Please Note: We strongly recommend you back up all your WMA format files by burning them to an audio CD. If you have a copy of the songs on audio CD, you will always have them and always be able to rip them back onto your computer.


Backup Your Music
The easiest way to back up your music is to create an audio CD or CDs using Windows Media Player 9 or greater. This way, you always have your music and can easily rip them back onto your computer.


About Windows Media Audio (WMA) Files
They play on compatible devices such as Creative Zen, SanDisk Sansa, Nextar, ilo, and Samsung models. Restricted WMA files do not play on the Apple iPod or Microsoft Zune devices. Also:

Please Note: As of February, 2008, Walmart MP3 Music Downloads no longer offers downloads in the WMA format. Our song files are now in MP3 format without hardware restrictions. For customers who purchased WMA format songs in the past, please refer to this section for support for those files.


How to Tell the Difference Between WMA and MP3 Files
As of February 2008, Walmart MP3 Music Downloads offers downloads in the license-free MP3 format only. For customers who purchased WMA format songs in the past, follow these steps to tell the difference between the two formats:

  1. On your computer, go to the folder where your music is stored to see the file names (usually this will be the "My Music" folder). WMA files will end with a .wma extension. MP3 files will end with an ".mp3" extension.
  2. If you can't see the extension on a file name, put your mouse pointer on the file name and click it with your right mouse button. Select "Properties" and read the information shown in the "Type of File" field.

In Windows Media Player:

  1. Click the Library tab, click the Layout Options button , and then click Choose Columns.
  2. Check the box "Type"
  3. The "Type" column will now be added to the library and they can sort the files by the file type.


Portable Devices Compatible With WMA Format Files
Read your player's user guide or specifications to see if it is compatible with WMA (Windows Media Audio) format and DRM (Digital Rights Management) encryption software (also called "secure WMA" files). If it is compatible with both WMA and DRM, it will play the WMA files you bought from Walmart MP3 Music Downloads.

Important: Apple iPodŽ and Microsoft Zune™ digital media players currently do not play encrypted WMA files. We recommend reading the user guide that came with your player to learn which formats it will play.


Transfer WMA Format Files to a Portable Player
Use these steps to transfer your music using Windows Media Player 10:

  1. Open Windows Media Player.
  2. Connect your portable player to your computer.
  3. Click the Library tab and chose the music you want to add to your device. Click All Music to add everything, or look in the folders under All Music to select songs. If songs are in different folders, click Sync List at the upper-right corner to create a new playlist, or drag songs out of the right pane to an existing playlist on the left side.
  4. If you want to see what's already on the portable device, click Explore Device at the bottom-right corner of the screen.
  5. When you have everything organized the way you want it, click Start Sync at the bottom right to transfer the music to your device.
  6. You can stop the transfer at any time by clicking Stop Sync.
Use these steps to transfer your music using Windows Media Player 11:
  1. Open Windows Media Player.
  2. Connect your portable player to your computer.
  3. Click the Sync tab and chose the music you want to add to your device by dragging the music files to the right pane
  4. When you have everything organized the way you want it, click Start Sync at the bottom right to transfer the music to your device.
  5. You can stop the transfer at any time by clicking Stop Sync.


Converting Previously Purchased WMA Files to MP3
At this time, Walmart.com can not support returning/upgrading your previously purchased library. Please back up your music by creating an audio CD or CDs using Windows Media Player 9 or greater, to ensure that you can continue to enjoy your existing library.

Copyright 2008