YouTube Videos Won't Play on Mac? Here's How You Do

When YouTube videos won't play on Mac, it might ruin your online experience. Whether the problem is caused by browser settings, extensions, or other technological issues, addressing the root cause is critical for resuming smooth playback of YouTube videos on your Mac. 

💡Here is a quick recap of our findings:

Users may overcome problems such as faulty HTML5 settings, browser extension interference, or JavaScript issues by following the given fixes. Explore the troubleshooting solutions to fix YouTube videos in this article to ensure smoother and more pleasurable video entertainment on your Mac.

Solution 1. Check HTML 5 YouTube Settings

YouTube has shifted to HTML5 from the Adobe Flash player to stream videos on the browser, and corrupted HTML5 settings can be a reason for YouTube videos not playing on Mac. To fix the YouTube video streaming issue, ensure your browser supports HTML5. Here's how to check for and activate HTML5 support:

Step 1. Navigate to YouTube's official HTML5 video player page in your browser.

Step 2. The website will provide information about your browser's HTML5 compatibility.

Step 3. If your browser supports HTML5, check for a button on the same page to enable it.

Following these steps guarantees that your browser can handle YouTube videos using HTML5, perhaps alleviating playback difficulties.

Solution 2. Check Browser Extensions

Another possible cause of YouTube videos not playing on your Mac is the role of browser extensions. Extensions may occasionally cause delays in video playing. You may temporarily deactivate extensions to troubleshoot YouTube videos won't play on Mac:

Mozilla Firefox

Follow the steps below to deactivate extensions in Mozilla Firefox on Mac (also workable when videos are not playing in Firefox):

Step 1. Open Mozilla Firefox and go to the menu bar.

Step 2. Navigate to the "Preferences" tab.

Step 3. Go to the "Extensions" menu from the left-side pane within Preferences.

Step 4. Examine the list of extensions and deactivate them all at once. Refresh your browser to see whether YouTube videos are playing properly.

If the problem remains, re-enable the extensions. If not, continue to find the issue extension by reactivating each one at a time.

Google Chrome

Browser extensions may also be to blame for Google Chrome users experiencing playback issues. Disabling extensions may assist in identifying the problematic ones that are preventing YouTube videos from playing. Follow the steps below:

Step 1. Navigate to the settings in Chrome by clicking on the Three-line button from the top-right corner.

Step 2. Select "Extensions" from the "More Tools" menu.

Step 3. Remove all extensions from the list.

Step 4. Refresh your browser and see whether YouTube videos play normally. Revert the extensions to their original state if the issue continues.

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Solution 3. Open Video in A Private Window

If you're still having trouble with YouTube videos not playing on your Mac, it's time to look into other solutions. One efficient method is to open the video in a separate window. Open your YouTube video in a private or incognito window when traditional troubleshooting techniques fail. This step helps rule out any difficulties with cookies or cache in your usual browser session.

Step 1. Open your Safari browser and select the "File" option from the menu toolbar.

Step 2. Select "New Private Window" from the menu.

Step 3. Paste the YouTube video URL in the search tab and see whether it plays smoothly.

Solution 4. Enable JavaScript

If YouTube videos refuse to play on your Mac, it's conceivable that JavaScript, a necessary component for interactive websites, is turned off. This may interfere with the smooth playing of videos. To resolve this, make sure JavaScript is enabled in your browser.

Follow the steps below to Enable Javascript in your Safari browser on Mac:

Step 1. Go to "Settings" in Safari and choose the "Security" settings.

Step 2. Locate the "Web Content" checkbox under the fraudulent sites settings.

Step 3. Select the "Enable JavaScript" checkbox.

Step 4. Refresh your Safari browser once you confirm the changes by clicking OK.

Try this method when your videos don't play on Mac.

Solution 5. Clear Browser Cache

If you're having trouble playing YouTube videos on your Mac, a cluttered c might be to blame. This issue is often resolved by clearing the Cache. For Firefox and Chrome, follow the steps below to clear the cache and solve YouTube videos won't play on Mac:

Clear Cacah On Mozilla Firefox:

Here are the steps to clear browser cache on Mozilla Firefox:

Step 1. Launch Mozilla Firefox and navigate to the menu button (three lines).

Step 2. Click on Settings and then the Privacy and Security tab from the left pane.

Step 3. In the Cookies and Site Data section, click on "Clear Data". Check-mark the Cached Web Content and click on "Clear".

Clear Cache On Google Chrome:

Step 1. Launch Chrome and navigate to settings from the three-line button in the top-right corner.

Step 2. Click on "More Tools" and choose "Clear Browsing Data" from the extended menu.

Step 3. Select the period and make sure the Cached images and files are checked.

Step 4. To clear the Cache, click Clear Data.

Solution 6. Scan Mac for Malware

Malware can stop your Mac from doing many things. You may not play online videos, or your Mac shuts down randomly. A comprehensive malware scan may help discover and eradicate any possible risks. Follow these steps:

Step 1. Ensure you have a trustworthy antivirus product installed on your Mac. Options include Avast, AVG, or Norton.

Step 2. Keep your antivirus software current to guarantee it can spot the newest malware threats.

Step 3. Initiate a full system scan to look for any harmful malware. Allow the antivirus application to quarantine or eliminate any discovered threats.

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Pro Tips: How to Fix Corrupted Videos Downloaded from YouTube

EaseUS Fixo Video Repair is a powerful tool for restoring damaged videos obtained from YouTube. This software becomes helpful when downloaded movies have playback faults or fail to open. Thanks to its user-friendly UI, even those with low technical knowledge may track and repair corrupted videos on Mac.

Key Features of EaseUS Fixo Video Repair:

• 🧹EaseUS Fixo Video Repair supports various video formats, including MP4, MOV, M2TS, MKV, MTS, 3GP, AVI, FLV, M4V, and others.
• 🪄It repair damaged films from cameras, drones, CCTV DRV, dashcams, cellphones, NAS servers, and other monitors, not only YouTube downloads.
• 💡This reliable video repair tool for Mac provides step-by-step directions, making repair easy for all users.

If you have problems with downloaded YouTube videos, such as playing difficulties, EaseUS Fixo Video Repair will help restore them to a healthy condition. You can also utilize this software when VLC is not playing YouTube videos.

YouTube Videos Won't Play on Mac FAQs

Following are some common user queries that are searched when YouTube Videos Won't Play on Mac; let's have a look:

1. Why are YouTube videos not playing on MacBook Pro?

When videos from YouTube or other websites do not play on the MacBook Pro, there can be several reasons: an outdated web browser (with no HTML5), cluttered cache, or a poor internet connection.

2. How to solve YouTube video not playing?

If YouTube videos stop playing, there might be a variety of causes. Try one of the following remedies in this case: Refresh the page later, view the video in a different browser/tab, check your internet connection, or use a VPN client.

Sum up

Resolving YouTube video playing difficulties on Mac entails several simple workarounds. Users have a variety of alternatives for restoring smooth video experiences, ranging from checking browser settings to using specialist applications like EaseUS Fixo Video Repair.

When YouTube videos won't play on mac, Mac users may improve their YouTube watching experience without hassles by addressing probable issues such as browser setups, addons, and system settings. EaseUS Fixo Video Repair is a user-friendly and powerful solution for individuals coping with damaged downloaded videos. Implement these techniques to improve your YouTube experience on Mac and ensure trouble-free video playing.