Over the years, YouTube has grown to be the leading social platform for video content.
With the vast array of video creators on thousands of different topics, there is something for everyone to watch on YouTube.
But sometimes, you can have problems playing YouTube videos on web browsers like Firefox.
In this article, we will discuss all the possible solutions to fix the issue.
So, keep reading till you find the solution that solves your problem.
Why Firefox Won’t Play YouTube Videos?
Firefox won’t play the YouTube video content due to the following reasons:
- Poor Internet connection
- Unsupported video format
- Outdated browser
- Corrupted browser cache and cookies
- Firefox add-ons
Now, here are the solutions to fix the issue when Firefox is not playing your desired video content.
What To Do If YouTube Videos Are Not Playing In Firefox?
Follow the methods given below when you cannot play video content on Firefox and fix the issue.
1) Check Your Internet Connection
If the YouTube videos are not playing in Firefox, check your internet connection.
You should have a stable internet connection to play videos on Firefox.
You can test the internet speed from speedtest.net. If the internet speed is unstable, contact your service provider.
You can also restart your router and modem and see if that helps fix this type of problem.
2) Try Playing Another Video
Sometimes, there can be issues with the videos themselves, due to which YouTube videos are not playing in Firefox.
Patents restrict some video file types, which will need third-party applications to run them on Firefox.
HTML5 standard of video playback, WAV container format (.wav, .wav file types), FLAC (.flac file type), and MP3 playback (.mp3 file type) can be played in Firefox. To check if Firefox supports your file format, you can visit support.moxilla.org.
3) Update Firefox
YouTube videos won’t play in Firefox if your web browser is outdated.
So, update Firefox and then try playing the video.
Here is how to update Firefox:
- Open Mozilla Firefox and go to the Hamburger menu from the upper right corner of the page.
- Click on Help.
- Select About Firefox.
- Firefox will update itself to the latest version automatically.
- After updating Firefox, try to play the video again. If the video does not play, clear the browser cache.
4) Clear Browser Cache
When you visit a website for the first time, all the data required to complete the request is created. Then only you can see the content available on the website.
If you visit the site on a regular basis, creating a new request every time can be time-consuming.
So, the web pages store the requested data locally. So that when you open the site next time, it opens faster.
This stored data is called the browser cache.
Sometimes, this browser cache can get corrupted and prevent from playing a video in Firefox.
So, delete the browser cache and cookies to solve the problem. Here is how to clear the cache in Firefox:
- Open the Firefox menu.
- Scroll down to the History panel and tap on the Clear Recent History button.
- Set the time range to Everything to delete all the history saved.
- Check all the boxes under the History option and click on the Clear Now button.
5) Remove Firefox Add-ons
Add-ons in Firefox are similar to the extensions in Chrome. We often use these services to get a better online experience.
But these add-ons can create problems sometimes and can be the reason why YouTube videos are not playing in Firefox.
So, remove the add-ons following the steps given below:
- Open the Firefox menu and click on Add-ons and Themes.
- Select Extensions and then remove the extensions one by one. To do that, click on the three dots beside the extension and select the Remove button.
- Try to play the video after you remove each extension. This way, you will be able to identify exactly which extension was causing the problem.
6) Open Firefox in the Troubleshooting Mode
You can also open Firefox in troubleshooting mode if you do not want to remove the add-ons manually.
The add-ons are temporarily disabled when you open Firefox in the Troubleshooting mode.
Follow the steps to open Firefox in troubleshooting Mode:
- Open the Firefox menu and click on the Help option.
- Next, choose Troubleshoot Mode, as shown below.
- Click on the Restart button, and Firefox will open in Troubleshoot Mode.
- Now try to play the video content. If you again get the same problem, enable autoplay in Firefox.
7) Disable Hardware Acceleration
Hardware acceleration utilizes the system’s GPU to tackle the graphics-intensive work like playing videos, games, etc.
But sometimes, hardware acceleration can cause Firefox to freeze or crash.
So, if you are having issues while playing videos on Firefox, disable hardware acceleration in Firefox.
Here is how you can do it:
- Open the Firefox menu and click on Settings.
- Go to the General tab and scroll down to Performance.
- Uncheck the box for “Use Hardware acceleration available”.
- Check the box for Use recommended performance settings.
- Once done, restart Firefox and try to play the video. If you still cannot play the video, disable Firewall.
8) Reinstall Firefox
If no other solution works for you to play the YouTube videos on Firefox, you will need to reinstall Firefox.
The web browser may have become corrupted, and so you are getting an error.
To reinstall Firefox, follow these steps:
- Open the Run utility (Windows + R keys).
- Enter appwiz.cpl in the Run command box and press the Enter key.
- From all your installed apps, locate Firefox. Click on the Uninstall button and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
After uninstalling Firefox, download Firefox from the official website.
Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs]
Here are some frequently asked questions by users who found errors while playing a video on Firefox:
- How do I fix the ‘No video with supported format and MIME type found an error’ on Firefox?
To fix the No video with supported format and MIME type found error, clear browser cache, and cookies and remove the add-ons.
- How do I keep YouTube videos playing in the background?
To keep YouTube videos playing in the background in Firefox, open Firefox and navigate to YouTube’s website. Hit the play button for your desired video and leave the app.
- Why does Firefox not autoplay on YouTube?
To autoplay YouTube audio and videos on Firefox, Open Firefox settings and search for Autoplay in the Search in Settings box.
Click on the ‘Settings…’ button next to Autoplay. Expand the drop-down menu for the ” Use the Default for all websites option. Select the Allow Audio and Video option.
Wrapping Up
Don’t be blue if Firefox does not play the YouTube videos. Just follow the above methods and fix the problem.
Write to us on which method helped to solve your problem. Stay connected, and keep sending us your queries.