Question Youtube videos not playing on Firefox

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Metalrocks

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Hi,

for over a week now, Youtube doesn't seem to play random videos on Firefox. It just keeps loading. I have refreshed the page, restarted Firefox, even reset Firefox but to no avail. When I use Chrome, the videos play there without any issues.
I've looked on various sites about this issue and none of them have helped. What is going on that Firefox has issues playing videos?

Thanks.
 

Aeacus

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I don't have any solution, but i certainly admire the problem.

I've had the very same issue with my FF. Out of the blue, at random, some videos just fail to start, with infinite loading. While a day or two ago, it played fine.
Now, i have several extensions (for ease of use and customizability), and my NoScript, sometimes, interferes with YT. So, i know what my issue is but me not using NoScript will never happen. I'll be without watching/listening that video instead.

As for you, i also suggest disabling extensions and then trying again.

IMO, far annoying is YT automatically pausing the playlist of songs, that i put on for background music, forcing me to click on a pop-up to continue listening. But that is YT issue.
 

Metalrocks

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I don't have any solution, but i certainly admire the problem.

I've had the very same issue with my FF. Out of the blue, at random, some videos just fail to start, with infinite loading. While a day or two ago, it played fine.
Now, i have several extensions (for ease of use and customizability), and my NoScript, sometimes, interferes with YT. So, i know what my issue is but me not using NoScript will never happen. I'll be without watching/listening that video instead.

As for you, i also suggest disabling extensions and then trying again.

IMO, far annoying is YT automatically pausing the playlist of songs, that i put on for background music, forcing me to click on a pop-up to continue listening. But that is YT issue.
All I have is ad blocker for Firefox. But I have been using it for years. Otherwise there is nothing else.
Although after I reset Firefox, this add on was removed. The issue still persisted. Unless you mean any other extensions I'm not aware of.
 

Aeacus

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All I have is ad blocker for Firefox. But I have been using it for years.

Yeah, i used to use AdBlock Plus too, for years, until sites catched up and started to block the plugin. So, i ditched it and now, i'm using uBlock Origin and Decentraleyes. Oh, HTTPS Everywhere too. And of course MalwareBytes Premium browser guard. <- Latter doesn't cause any issues but will block loads of suspicious scripts/sites.

The issue still persisted.

It is possible that the issue is with FF itself, rather than it's extensions. Here, looking/asking help from Mozilla forums would be the best place.

Another thing what i suspect, is webpage browser optimization/restriction. :unsure: Now, FF is owned by Mozilla, while YT is owned by Google. Google has their own browser, Chrome, and i'm quite sure Google has optimized YT to work on Chrome flawlessly, while giving out limited optimizations for other browsers (FF, Edge, Safari etc). <- This would cause errors/issues from time to time, followed by people switching over to Chrome. <- Latter is what Google would like everyone to do, using Chrome, rather than other browsers.

In the past, i've had several webpages (non-Google owned), that flat-out won't load at all on FF (no matter what i do/try) but load and work fine on Chrome. <- This doesn't make sense, other than the webpage owner probably restricting FF while allowing Chrome to access, whereby clearly favoring one browser over another. A shady tactic still used even today.
 

Metalrocks

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Yeah, i used to use AdBlock Plus too, for years, until sites catched up and started to block the plugin. So, i ditched it and now, i'm using uBlock Origin and Decentraleyes. Oh, HTTPS Everywhere too. And of course MalwareBytes Premium browser guard. <- Latter doesn't cause any issues but will block loads of suspicious scripts/sites.



It is possible that the issue is with FF itself, rather than it's extensions. Here, looking/asking help from Mozilla forums would be the best place.

Another thing what i suspect, is webpage browser optimization/restriction. :unsure: Now, FF is owned by Mozilla, while YT is owned by Google. Google has their own browser, Chrome, and i'm quite sure Google has optimized YT to work on Chrome flawlessly, while giving out limited optimizations for other browsers (FF, Edge, Safari etc). <- This would cause errors/issues from time to time, followed by people switching over to Chrome. <- Latter is what Google would like everyone to do, using Chrome, rather than other browsers.

In the past, i've had several webpages (non-Google owned), that flat-out won't load at all on FF (no matter what i do/try) but load and work fine on Chrome. <- This doesn't make sense, other than the webpage owner probably restricting FF while allowing Chrome to access, whereby clearly favoring one browser over another. A shady tactic still used even today.
This does suck. Have been using FF for over a decade. I guess I have to switch.
 

Aeacus

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This does suck. Have been using FF for over a decade. I guess I have to switch.

Or you can use Chrome as a backup, as i do.
In Chrome, i have almost the same add-ons as in FF, except for NoScript and GUI add-ons.

Now, on the rare instances FF has issues, i open the specific link/site with Chrome, to get the info i need from the site, while after i'm done, i close Chrome and use FF again. I've also used FF for a decade (probably more, i don't count it) and i'm very settled with FF and their add-ons, including customization (GUI).
 

Metalrocks

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try ghostery ad blocker
this seems to work.

Or you can use Chrome as a backup, as i do.
In Chrome, i have almost the same add-ons as in FF, except for NoScript and GUI add-ons.

Now, on the rare instances FF has issues, i open the specific link/site with Chrome, to get the info i need from the site, while after i'm done, i close Chrome and use FF again. I've also used FF for a decade (probably more, i don't count it) and i'm very settled with FF and their add-ons, including customization (GUI).

i think i will. FF is more user friendly. But what rgd1101 suggested, seems to work for now.
 
Hi,

for over a week now, Youtube doesn't seem to play random videos on Firefox. It just keeps loading. I have refreshed the page, restarted Firefox, even reset Firefox but to no avail. When I use Chrome, the videos play there without any issues.
I've looked on various sites about this issue and none of them have helped. What is going on that Firefox has issues playing videos?

Thanks.
Got a link to one of these video's?
 

Aeacus

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but here is one that doesn't want to play at all.

Localized issue. Example video plays fine for me, both in embedded (here in TH) and in YT as well.
But yes, vids that don't want to play are random. E.g plays for me and not for you, or vice-versa, making troubleshooting it very hard, since it can't be reproduced.

Oh, i have FF 103.2 (64-bit) version.
Speaking of it, do you have FF updated?
 
Update from my end;

At this very moment, my FF fails to play this YT vid,

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6viIXaFYJw


So, the issue is there, but since it being random, i guess i'll skip the vid.

Edit: After giving it some time (~5mins, looking around elsewhere), refresh the vid/page and it now started playing. Go figure. :unsure:
Works fine.

I then waited a few mins and ran it again......worked fine.
 
I use Adblocker for Youtube on Firefox to remove Youtube ads, and it is nothing new for Youtube to try to make using adblockers as painful as possible to maximize ad revenue.

As with some of you, I've sometimes encountered a video will simply not play no matter how many times it is refreshed, instead only ever showing the buffering spinning circle. Instead of disabling the adblocker, I simply change the resolution under Settings-->Quality and it plays.
 
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