Firefox does not play videos - it can be because of that

Firefox no longer plays videos in the browser. Instead you see a black box or the information that a plugin is missing. This practical tip shows you how to fix the error.

Firefox does not play videos: update and test Pugins

To be able to play videos, Firefox requires different plugins for the different formats such as HTML5 or Flash. If you haven't updated the extensions for a long time, videos are often deactivated for security reasons. If you have installed new plugins, a conflict with other extensions can prevent videos from playing. Sometimes the add-on for a specific video type is completely missing.

• If you see the message "A plugin is required to display this content" instead of the video, follow the link shown in the same window to install the extension. Then close the browser and restart it. The plugin should now be activated and you can play videos.
• If you are shown a link to activate the plugin, confirm this by clicking on it. Alternatively, navigate to the Firefox menu, click on "Add-Ons", select the installed plugin and set the entry to "Always activate".
• Check the Firefox plugin check page to see if your extensions are up to date. Install the latest versions if necessary.
• If you have installed several plugins that work with the same video type, this can lead to conflicts. Select duplicate plugins in the add-on management and deactivate them.
• Test if this resolves the problem. If necessary, deactivate further plugins to find the blocking extension.

Firefox does not play videos: set browser correctly

Plugins are not always the source of errors. Also try the following settings:

• Clear Firefox's cache.
• Check in the Firefox settings whether cookies are accepted.
• Check if the website where the video is not running has been blocked in the exception list. If necessary, release this page again.
• The pop-up blocker integrated in Firefox can also block videos. You can allow pop-ups in the settings for the page in question.

The latest version of Firefox is available for download here.