SOYATOOLS / GUIDES
How to convert a WLMP file to MP4 (Windows Live Movie Maker project)
A .wlmp file is a Windows Live Movie Maker project: a list of the photos, videos and music you used, in order, with the transitions and effects you chose. It is not a finished video, so media players can’t play it, and Movie Maker is no longer available from Microsoft. To get a video back, you need the project, the original media files, and a program that can read the project and render it.
Why the .wlmp file won’t play
When you saved a project in Movie Maker, it did not copy your pictures, clips and songs into the .wlmp file. The project only records where those files were on the PC and how to arrange them. Two problems usually follow:
- No program opens it. Movie Maker was the program that read .wlmp projects. Double-clicking the file on a newer PC usually leads nowhere, and video players don’t treat it as a video.
- The media has moved. If the photos were copied to an external drive, a new PC or a different folder, the project still points to the old locations. Any program that reads the project has to find those files again before it can rebuild the movie.
If you only have the .wlmp file and none of the original photos, videos or music, no tool can recreate the movie from it.
What happened to Movie Maker
Movie Maker was part of Microsoft’s Windows Essentials 2012 suite. According to Microsoft Support, as of January 10, 2017 Windows Essentials 2012 is no longer supported on Windows 10 and is unavailable for download; copies that were already installed keep working. The same page warns that websites offering free downloads of Windows Movie Maker are not offering sanctioned Microsoft products and may include viruses or hidden costs.
Free and official options first
- An old PC that still has Movie Maker. If one is still around and the media is still in place, open the project there and save the movie as a video file. This is the most faithful result, because it is the original program.
- Rebuild the movie in Clipchamp. Microsoft says Clipchamp comes pre-downloaded on Windows 11 and is available for Windows 10 from Microsoft Store, and that its free version exports up to 1080p. Its list of supported input files covers video, audio and image formats (for example MP4, WMV, MP3, WAV, JPG and PNG) but does not mention .wlmp or other project files, so you would add the original media and arrange it again by hand.
- Neither option helps if you can’t tell which files the project used or where they went. That is the part the app below is built for.
Steps with WLMP Project Converter
- Install WLMP Project Converter from Microsoft Store and open your .wlmp project.
- Look at the media list. The app shows the photos, videos and music the project refers to, so you can see what the movie was made from.
- Find missing files. If some media no longer sits where the project expects it, ask the app to find the files whose paths have changed. If you know where you copied the photos (an external drive, a backup folder), connect that drive first.
- Save a fixed .wlmp copy. The copy points to the files that were found, so you don’t have to overwrite the project you started from.
- Watch the free preview. It plays at 640px with a watermark, which is enough to check that the right pictures, clips and music are in place.
- Export the MP4 with Pro. Pro is a $9.99 one-time purchase in Microsoft Store (no subscription) and exports the project as a 720p or 1080p MP4.
Free and Pro, in short:
| Feature | Free | Pro ($9.99 once) |
|---|---|---|
| Open .wlmp and see the media list | Yes | Yes |
| Find missing media, save a fixed .wlmp copy | Yes | Yes |
| 640px preview with watermark | Yes | Yes |
| Export MP4 | No | 720p or 1080p |
Limits to know before you start
- The original photos, videos and music are required. Finding a changed path can’t bring back media that no longer exists anywhere.
- Transitions, effects and their timing can differ from what Movie Maker produced. Watch the preview and the exported MP4 before you share it or delete anything.
- The project and its media are processed on your PC and are not uploaded to SoyaTools. Purchases and license checks go through Microsoft Store. The Privacy Policy explains where the file search looks and how cloud files are handled.
FAQ
Can I just rename .wlmp to .mp4?
No. The .wlmp file is a project, not video data, so renaming it gives you a file no player can open. The movie has to be rendered from the original media.
Does Clipchamp or the Photos app open .wlmp files?
Microsoft’s Clipchamp input file list includes media formats only and does not list .wlmp. You can still add the original photos, clips and music to Clipchamp and rebuild the movie yourself.
I only have the .wlmp file. Can I get the video back?
Not from the project alone. Look for the original photos and videos on old drives, backups or cloud storage first. Once the files are available, the app can find them and point the project to them.
Will the MP4 look exactly like it did in Movie Maker?
Not always. Transitions, effects and timing can differ from the original project, so check the free preview first and the exported MP4 afterwards.
Is Pro a subscription?
No. Pro is a $9.99 one-time purchase in Microsoft Store. It adds 720p and 1080p MP4 export; opening, fixing paths and the watermarked preview are free.