How do I enable Windows AutoPlay?

Fix AutoPlay not working for CDs and DVDs in Windows 10

How do I enable Windows AutoPlay?
by Ivan Jenic
Troubleshooting Expert
Passionate about all elements related to Windows and combined with his innate curiosity, Ivan has delved deep into understanding this operating system, with a specialization in drivers and driver troubleshooting. When he's not tackling... Read more
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  • Some Windows 10 users complained that AutoPlay does not work for CDs and DVDs on their PCs.
  • Sometimes the antivirus you use can block this feature, so check your security solution.
  • You have to change one value in the Registry by following our step-by-step guide below.
  • Also, make sure that the Shell Hardware Detection service is running properly.
How do I enable Windows AutoPlay?
How do I enable Windows AutoPlay?

AutoPlay is the menu that pops up when you insert a CD/DVD into the optical drive of your machine, when you connect a USB drive or any other device that has some sort of accessible storage space, be it writable or read-only.

The AutoPlay menu asks when you connect a device or insert a storage media how you want Windows to treat it. It will then remember your selected option and apply it the next time it detects the same device or media type.

Because the AutoPlay menu is somewhat intrusive, appearing on top of everything youre doing just like any other notification, we sometimes tend to select an action just to make the pop-up go away. This can lead to choosing the wrong action for that device or media type.

Some applications can also disable the AutoPlay feature. For example, VMWare Workstation will completely disable AutoPlay functions when a virtual machine is running and enable them back when the guest machine is stopped. The problem is that most application that alter these settings leave them like that after usage or even after uninstalling them.

CD and DVD AutoPlay isnt working on Windows 10, how to fix it?

AutoPlay problems can appear on any PC, and speaking of AutoPlay issues, here are some common problems that users reported:

  • CD wont autorun Windows 10 This issue can occur due to your antivirus, but you can fix it simply by disabling the antivirus software or by switching to a different antivirus.
  • AutoPlay not working windows 10, 8, 7 If your AutoPlay feature isnt working at all, you can check our AutoPlay not working article for more in-depth solutions.
  • DVD AutoPlay not working Windows 10 This issue can affect DVDs as well, and if this happens, be sure to check AutoPlay settings on your PC.
  • AutoPlay not working CD Asus, Acer laptop This problem can appear on any laptop brand, and if you encounter it, be sure to try all of our solutions.

Solution 1 Check your antivirus

How do I enable Windows AutoPlay?

The most common cause for AutoPlay issues on your PC is your antivirus software. In order to protect your device from malware, some antivirus tools will prevent the AutoPlay feature from working. However, if the disc your using doesnt have any malware on it, you can disable AutoPlay protection feature in your antivirus.

If that doesnt help, you might have to temporarily disable your antivirus and see if that solves the problem with AutoPlay. If the issue is still there, perhaps the only way to fix this issue is to uninstall your antivirus. Even if you remove a third-party antivirus from your PC, youll still be protected by Windows Defender, so you wont have to worry too much about your safety.

If removing the antivirus solves your problem, this might be a perfect time to consider switching to a different antivirus software. If youre looking for a reliable antivirus that wont interfere with your system, we strongly recommend to try out Bitdefender.

Bitdefender is the best antivirus on the market with a wide range of security features. 2019 version has an extra-protection layer that will immediately encrypt the files that will be threatened. The auto-pilot feature has improved and will assist you daily in order to keep your PC safe from any cyber-attacks.

Get Bitdefender Antivirus now

  • READ ALSO: Fix: My CD/DVD Drive Cant Read any DVDs, But it Reads CDs

Solution 2 Check AutoPlay settings in the Settings app

If AutoPlay is not working for CDs and DVDs, you might be able to solve this issue by checking its settings in the Settings app. Its possible that you dont have AutoPlay option configured, and that can lead to this issue. To check AutoPlay settings, you just need to do the following:

  1. Open the Settings app. You can do that quickly by using Windows Key + I shortcut.
  2. Go to the Devices section when the Settings app opens.
    How do I enable Windows AutoPlay?
  3. Now pick AutoPlay from the menu on the left. In the right pane, pick set Removable drive to Ask me every time or choose any other option.
    How do I enable Windows AutoPlay?

After making these changes, check if the problem with AutoPlay is completely resolved.


Solution 3 Check AutoPlay settings in Control Panel

If AutoPlay is not working for CDs and DVDs on Windows 10, perhaps your AutoPlay settings arent correct. To fix this problem, its advised to check your AutoPlay settings in Control Panel. You can do that by following these steps:

  1. Press Windows Key + S and enter control panel in the search field. Now choose Control Panel from the list of results.
    How do I enable Windows AutoPlay?
  2. Navigate to the AutoPlay section in Control Panel.
    How do I enable Windows AutoPlay?
  3. Locate the DVDs section and choose the default action for each DVD type. You can also do that for Blu-ray discs and CDs. After doing that, click the Save button to save changes.
    How do I enable Windows AutoPlay?

This method is quite similar to the previous one, but it offers more options, so if you want better control over AutoPlay features, we suggest you try it out.

  • READ ALSO: Fix: Windows DVD Maker Fails to Burn on Windows 10, 8.1

After you made all the necessary changes just click the Save button at the bottom to save and apply these changes.

Solution 4 Check Group Policy settings

If AutoPlay is not working for CDs and DVDs, the issue might be group policy settings. In case you dont know, Local Group Policy Editor allows you to modify various settings, and sometimes these settings can prevent the AutoPlay feature from working properly.

However, you can enable AutoPlay in Group Policy by doing the following:

  1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog. Now enter gpedit.msc and press Enter or click OK.
    How do I enable Windows AutoPlay?
  2. In the left pane, navigate to the User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > AutoPlay Policies. In the right pane, double-click Turn off Autoplay.
    How do I enable Windows AutoPlay?
  3. Select Not Configured and click Apply and OK.
    How do I enable Windows AutoPlay?

After doing that, the AutoPlay feature should be enabled and it will start working again. If this policy is already set to Not Configured, this solution will not work for you, so you can just skip it.


Solution 5 Make sure that Shell Hardware Detection service is running properly

According to users, you might encounter AutoPlay issues if the Shell Hardware Detection service isnt running. If AutoPlay is not working with CDs and DVDs, the problem might be the Shell Hardware Detection service. To enable this service, just do the following:

  1. Press Windows Key + R and enter services.msc. Now press Enter or click OK.
    How do I enable Windows AutoPlay?
  2. When Services window opens, locate and double-click the Shell Hardware Detection service.
    How do I enable Windows AutoPlay?
  3. Set the Startup type to Automatic. If the service isnt running, click the Start button to start it. Now click Apply and OK to save changes.
    How do I enable Windows AutoPlay?

After doing that, this service should be enabled and the issue with AutoPlay will be permanently resolved.

  • READ ALSO: Fix: DVD drive missing in Windows 10

Solution 6 Modify the registry

If AutoPlay is not working for CDs and DVDs, the issue might be related to your registry. According to users, you just have to change a single value to fix the problem and you can do that by following these steps:

  1. Press Windows Key + R and enter regedit. Press Enter or click OK.
    How do I enable Windows AutoPlay?
  2. Navigate to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesExplorer in the left pane. In the right pane, locate NoDriveTypeAutoRun and rename it to xNoDriveTypeAutoRun.
    How do I enable Windows AutoPlay?

After doing that, check if the problem with Autorun is still there. If that doesnt work, you might want to try this:

  1. Go to the HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesExplorer key in the left pane. In the right pane, delete NoDriveTypeAutoRun value.
  2. Now go to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesExplorer value, right-click the empty space in the right pane and choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Set the name of the new DWORD to NoDriveTypeAutoRun and set its value data to 0×00000091.
    How do I enable Windows AutoPlay?

Some users are also suggesting to simply clear the NoDriveTypeAutoRun value data and save changes.

After doing that, close Registry Editor and check if the problem is still there. Since editing the registry isnt always risk-free, we advise you to make a backup of your registry just in case.


Solution 7 Reinstall your CD/DVD driver

If youre having issues with AutoPlay and CD or DVD discs, the problem might be related to your drivers. To fix the issue, you just have to reinstall your CD/DVD drivers. You can do so by following these steps:

  1. Open Device Manager. You can do so quickly by pressing Windows Key + X and choosing Device Manager from the list.
    How do I enable Windows AutoPlay?
  2. Now locate your optical drive, right-click it and choose Uninstall device.
    How do I enable Windows AutoPlay?
  3. When the confirmation dialog appears, click Uninstall.
    How do I enable Windows AutoPlay?

Once you remove the driver, restart your PC and the default driver should be installed automatically. After the default driver is installed, the problem should be permanently resolved.

AutoPlay problems can be somewhat annoying, but we hope you managed to solve them using one of our solutions.



READ ALSO:

  • How to Manage Windows 10, 8.1 Autoplay Settings
  • Select to choose what happens with: Disable/configure this AutoPlay feature
  • Fix: DVD Player not Working After Windows 8.1 Upgrade

This article covers:Topics:
  • windows 10
  • windows 10 fix
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