PlayReady

PlayReady is a digital rights management (DRM) technology developed by Microsoft to protect and manage access to licensed digital media. It provides encryption of content, secure license delivery, and runtime enforcement of usage rules to support streaming and offline playback across devices.

Content is encrypted and delivered to a client, which requests a license from a PlayReady license server before or during playback. The license contains the cryptographic keys and the rights that govern use, such as how long the content may be played, whether offline viewing is allowed, and on how many devices. The PlayReady client enforces these rules during playback and can leverage hardware-backed security on devices that provide secure keystores or trusted execution environments.

The technology is designed to work with multiple delivery formats and streaming protocols, including MPEG-DASH, Windows Smooth Streaming, and, with appropriate packaging (such as CMAF), HLS. PlayReady is integrated into Microsoft platforms such as Windows and Xbox, and is licensed to device manufacturers and content providers for implementation on other platforms, including Android. Availability on iOS varies due to competing DRM ecosystems.

In practice, PlayReady is used by content providers and streaming services to enable protected content delivery, licensing compliance, and cross-device playback. Microsoft maintains certification and licensing programs for developers and service operators, with ongoing updates reflected in newer profiles and security enhancements, such as support for offline licenses and improved cryptographic methods.