How To Fix YouTube Not Working On Firefox

The Firefox browser has several privacy and security advantages, among other features. But when YouTube stops working on Firefox, it can ruin the overall browsing experience. You may encounter an ‘Error occurred please try again‘ message or random crashing issues while playing YouTube videos. 

It may occur when your computer’s internet connection is slow. Likewise, an outdated Firefox browser may also hinder the working of YouTube. 

So, without further delay, let’s check out the detailed explanation of fixes to resolve the issue at hand. 

Why is Youtube Not Working on Firefox Only?

How to Fix YouTube Not Working on Firefox?

If YouTube is not working on Firefox, you may start by refreshing the YouTube page. Likely, closing down the browser and re-launching can also help. 

After trying some general methods, you can check the internet connection and use another Wi-Fi network if you still face the issue. Also, restarting the networking device can also be fruitful. 

You can check out the guide below for a detailed description of the fixes. 

Recheck Your Internet

Since you are using YouTube on the Firefox browser, one of the key components that should work well is the internet connection. 

So, you need a stable internet connection for the proper working of YouTube. If your current Wi-Fi network is giving you trouble, try switching to another Wi-Fi connection. You can also use an ethernet cable for better connectivity. 

Restart the Wi-Fi Router

Sometimes the network issue with your networking device can also cause the problem. In such a case restarting the Wi-Fi router and executing a power cycle can be the ideal solution. For that, unplug the power adapter from the router and wait for some time. Then, plug the adapter in and start the router. Check if this solves your problem or not. 

Power-cycle the Computer

In case of minor glitches, restarting the computer actually helps. But, in the case of Firefox, you may consider power-cycling your computer. 

1. Press the Windows logo key on the keyboard to launch the Start screen.
2. Then, select the Power icon.
3. Now, choose the Shut down option.
4. Now, wait for some time and press the Power button to start the PC. 

Try New Private Window Mode

If you are having issues playing YouTube on a normal Firefox window, you may try using it on a new private window.

Here’s how you can open Firefox in an incognito mode: 

1. Go to the Firebox browser homepage and select the Hamburger icon. It should be on the top-right corner of your computer screen. 
2. Then, choose the New Private Window option. 
   
3. A Private Browsing window will open. 
4. Here, open the YouTube page and check whether it is working or not. 

Verify the YouTube Services

There is a very slim probability that YouTube’s servers may not be working. To make sure that nothing is wrong from Google’s end, you can go to the DownDetector site and see if the site is facing an official problem or not. If you see some problem with YouTube, you will need to wait for the site to resolve the issue.

Clear Cookies and Site Data

When you use Firefox for a longer period, it is sure to store temporary files for future use. But, it is possible that the cache file can be corrupted. Also, you cannot rule out the probability of the cache memory getting overloaded. Thus, you can try clearing the cookies and cache files to solve the issue. 

1. On the Firefox browser, select the hamburger icon on the upper-right screen.
2. Then, click Settings. 
3. Choose the Privacy & Security option from the left panel.
4. Next, scroll to the Cookies and Site Data section.
5. Now, click the Clear Data option. 
   
6. Check the Cookies and Site Data and Cached Web Content options. 
7. Press the Clear button.
8. A new window will appear. Finally, select Clear Now. 

Clear the YouTube’s Cookies

Outdated cookies may sometimes create conflict with the site and obstruct the loading period of YouTube. So, deleting the YouTube cookies once in a while can help you stay out of trouble.  

1. Go to YouTube on the Firefox browser.
2. Click the Lock icon in front of the URL on the address bar. 
3. Now, select the Connection secure option.
   
4. Next, choose More information.
5. It will display the Page Info. The page also automatically switches to the Security tab.
6. You will then need to click on the Clear Cookies and Site Data option. 
7. A confirmation window will display on the screen. Hit the Remove option. 
   

Update the Plugins

An outdated plugin can also result in YouTube videos not playing on Firefox. Follow the steps below to check and update the plugins on Firefox.  

1. Select the three horizontal lines from the top-right on the Firefox browser.
2. Click Add-ons and themes.
3. The Add-ons Manager settings will open. 
4. Next to the Personalize Your Firefox option, select the Gear icon.
5. Now, choose the Check for Updates option. 
   

Disable or Remove the Add-ons Extensions

It’s worth noting that the add-on extension on Firefox can be the likely troublemaker for the issue. In such a scenario, you can disable or even remove the extensions. 

1. First, on Firefox, select the three horizontal bars. 
2. Click on the Add-ons and themes option.
3. On the left panel, choose the Extensions option.
4. Under ‘Manage Your Extensions,’ you will see a list of extensions installed on your browser.
5. Toggle off the button next to the extension. It will appear grey, and you will also see Disabled at the end of the extension name. Do this for other extensions as well.  
   
6. Likely, to remove the extension, you need to click the three vertical dots and choose Remove. 
7. A confirmation message will appear, and you need to select Remove again.

Deactivate Hardware Acceleration

Hardware acceleration features can be helpful in many cases. But it may also obstruct some functioning in several instances. The issue we are talking about might also arise due to some glitches in the GPU(Graphics Processing Unit). So, turning off the hardware acceleration can help resolve the issue.

1. After clicking the hamburger icon, choose the Settings option. 
2. It will open the General settings menu. 
3. Now, navigate to the Performance section.
4. Here, unselect the Use recommended performance settings option. 
5. Doing so will display the Use hardware acceleration when available option. You will need to uncheck that option as well. 
   

Allow Audio and Video 

To solve the issue, allowing the Autoplay feature for YouTube can help. To do so,

1. Open the YouTube page on your computer’s Firefox.
2. Click on the Lock icon. 
3. Then, choose the More information option.
4. Hit the Permissions tab.
5. Under the Autoplay section, unselect the Use Default section.
6. After that, select the Allow Audio and Video option. 

Refresh Firefox

If you have tried various other methods and have no success, it may be time to utilize the Refresh Firefox option. Doing so will factory reset the browser and set everything to default. 

1. From the Firefox browser, select the three horizontal lines.
2. Then, click Help.
3. Now, you need to select the More troubleshooting information option. 
4. A new window with Troubleshooting Information will open.  
5. On the right side, choose the Refresh Firefox option. 
6. A dialog box asking ‘Refresh Firefox to its default settings?’ will display. Click Refresh Firefox.
   
7. A new dialog box of Import Wizard will display. It will automatically finish the refreshing process. After that, a Success message with a new Firefox window showing the restoration option will appear. 

Update Firefox

An outdated Firefox can also be the culprit causing the issue. So, updating Firefox can clear the bugs and other technical issues. You can follow the steps below to update the Firefox browser on your computer. 

1. First, launch Firefox.
2. Then, click the hamburger icon. 
3. From the list of options, click Help.
4. Now, select the About Firefox option.
   
5. Firefox will check for the available update. If there is an update pending, it will take some time to finish the update.