How can I force YouTube to not use HTML5 player because it is not working on the latest version of Firefox and now I can't see any video?

flash-player html5 youtube

96,647

Solution 1

Check if the latest version of Flash is properly installed on your browser. If not, download the latest version and install it.

Then, install the YouTube Flash Player extension:

This add-on forces YouTube to play videos using Flash Player instead of the HTML5 player.

Solution 2

You can force YouTube to play a video with flash player by adding &nohtml5=1 or &nohtml5=True to the URL.

Found this after I had uploaded a video to YouTube and there was "&nohtml5=False" automatically added by any reason.

Solution 3

Firefox has release MSE support for HTML5 playback. This uses the system hardware decoders unless the driver is blacklisted. Setting media.windows-media-foundation.use-dxva=false in about:config will use software decoding.

96,647

jsguy

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

jsguy almost 2 years

This is really annoying. Yesterday everything was working fine, now I wake up only to realize that all the videos on YouTube are using the HTML5 player.

Here is what I see when I try to play a video on YouTube:

I tried what was suggested by the accepted answer in this question, but it didn't work, even after restarting Firefox.

Also I would like to note that YouTube works fine in Chrome (HTML5 player) and Internet Explorer (flash player).
- Ramhound over 9 years
  
  I assume you have Flash installed for Firefox?
- jsguy over 9 years
  
  Yes, shockwave flash 17.0.0.134 addon and the flash player from get2.adobe.com/flashplayer
- Ramhound over 9 years
  
  Firefox sees this plugin as being installed?
- jsguy over 9 years
  
  Yes, here are all the plugins. s12.postimg.org/3o2do8ni4/Untitled.jpg
- Tomáš Zato - Reinstate Monica about 9 years
  
  The greatest thing about this is that it doesn't even work in google chrome.
jsguy over 9 years

this worked like a charm, thank you. Still kind of makes me wonder what went wrong with this HTML5 player,but I will accept your answer.
galacticninja over 9 years

@jsguy Was the HTML5 player working in Firefox (for YouTube or other sites) before you encountered this issue?
jsguy over 9 years

I am not sure, I never made a check since I was thinking that I was using flash all the time. The first time I heard the term "HTML5 player" was today.
Anthony Jones about 9 years

Going to about:preferences#advanced on the General tab and unchecking "use hardware acceleration when available" should do the same thing. It may require a restart. If that does not work then try Firefox Nightly from nightly.mozilla.org to check if it is bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1136484
Criggie about 8 years

In May 2016, this suggestions does not work.
MA-Maddin about 8 years

Thanks for note. If True does not work use 1 instead. Have updated my answer. You may take back "-1" ;)
Admin about 8 years

This worked for me! When i installed firefox i nearly threw the laptop out of the window when youtube didn't work. So i just reinstalled latest version. WORKING :D
Admin about 8 years

I can say that &nohtml5=1 works, but true does not. This is an answer and should be treaded like it @Criggie ... +1 from me
insaner over 7 years

I can confirm that &nohtml5=1 still works. +1, saved me a bit of frustration.
Mike -- No longer here about 7 years

This is may 2017 and the nohtml5=1 no longer works neither does nohtml5=true work
MA-Maddin about 7 years

Seems like that youtube has dropped their flash player after all. Since also Google has disabled flash from Chrome 56 on by default.
Xan-Kun Clark-Davis about 7 years

I can confirm: nohtml5=1 does not work anymore.