Files with dvr-ms suffix can be found as TV video recordings in Microsoft Digital Video format saved using the Windows Media Center.
Software that open dvr-ms file
DVR-MS file extension - Microsoft Digital Video Recording
What is dvr-ms file? How to open dvr-ms files?
File extension dvr-ms is best known for use for one of the default video formats in the Microsoft Windows Media Center.
The DVR-MS file format, designed mainly for storing recorded TV content, was first introduced in the Windows XP and remained in use until it was replaced by the WTV format in Windows 7. However, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10 also support playback of dvr-ms files.
Similar to ASF format, DVR-MS format uses Personal Video Recorder (PVR) functionality, including time-shifting, live pause, and simultaneous record and playback. Video data are stored in the MPEG-2 video stream and audio data are in the MPEG-1 Layer 2 audio stream.
Updated: March 16, 2025
The default software associated to open dvr-ms file:
Microsoft Windows Media Player 
Company or developer:
Microsoft Corporation
Microsoft Windows Media Player is the default multimedia player/manager pre-installed in Microsoft Windows. WMP can manage music, videos, and pictures on a computer, play or view them, sync them with portable devices, or burn them on CD/DVD media. It also supports home media sharing with other computers. In Windows 11, you can still find it under the name Windows Media Player Legacy.
Company or developer:
VideoLAN Project Team
Very popular multimedia player developed for Windows, Apple Mac, Linux, Unix, and various other operating systems and platforms.
VLC can playback many of the video formats (AVI, MKV, OGV, WMV, ASF, MOV...) and audio formats (MP3, AAC, M4A, OGG, FLAC...) as well as support of subtitles for video. It can also be used as a streaming server and multimedia transcoder.
Windows Media Center
(obsolete software)
Company or developer:
Microsoft Corporation
Windows Media Center was a media player and digital video recorder for Microsoft Windows. It also managed most of the digital TV tuners for computers. Windows Media Center supports playback of popular video and audio formats, including 3GP, AAC, AVCHD, MPEG-4, WMV, WMA, AVI, DivX, MOV, and Xvid files.
List of software applications associated to the .dvr-ms file extension
Recommended software programs are sorted by OS platform (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android etc.)
and possible program actions that can be done with the file: like open dvr-ms file, edit dvr-ms file, convert dvr-ms file, view dvr-ms file, play dvr-ms file etc. (if exist software for corresponding action in File-Extensions.org's database).
Hint:
Click on the tab below to simply browse between the application actions, to quickly get a list of recommended software, which is able to perform the specified software action, such as opening, editing or converting dvr-ms files.
Software that open dvr-ms file - Microsoft Digital Video Recording
Programs supporting the exension dvr-ms on the main platforms Windows, Mac, Linux or mobile. Click on the link to get more information about listed programs for open dvr-ms file action.
