WTV File

What are WTV files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a WTV file or are you simply curious about its contents? We're here to explain the properties of these files and provide you with software that can open or handle your WTV files.

What is a WTV file?

A .WTV file is a Windows Media Center Recorded Television Video file.

Windows Media Center Recorded Television Video files (extension .wtv) are video recordings created whenever Microsoft Windows Media Center captures a television broadcast. The format stores audio, video and metadata such as program title and station information, and may include DRM settings enforced by the broadcaster or content provider. The default location for these recordings is the Recorded TV folder accessible by all users.

The .wtv format was introduced in Windows Media Center in Windows Vista (with updates) and became standard in Windows 7, replacing the earlier .dvr-ms format. It can store video using MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 codecs and audio using either MPEG-1 Layer II or Dolby Digital AC-3 formats. When Media Center records, raw audio and video elementary streams are encrypted before being written to a .wtv file.

Technically .wtv files begin with a unique binary signature: the first bytes at offset zero are B7 D8 00 20 37 49 DA 11 A6 4E 00 07 E9 5E AD 8D 8C C3 D2 C2 7E 9A DA 11 8B F7 00 07 E9 5E AD 8D

How to open WTV files

We have identified two WTV openers that are compatible with this specific type of WTV file.

Programs that open Windows Media Center Recorded Television Video files

Last updated: August 5, 2026

Various apps that use files with this extension

These apps are known to open certain types of WTV files. Remember, different programs may use WTV files for different purposes, so you may need to try out a few of them to be able to open your specific file.

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