This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Freezing without mouse activity, especially flash videos

more options

Firefox freezes while playing flash videos. or mostly the video freezes. It is happening to my Firefox for quite a few weeks/months. I did not report it (not having time) and tried to find some already existing thread in support. Failed (similar topics miss the point with cursor moving or flashes importance)

There are several possible combinations of the trouble.

1) First degree of the problems manifests themselves only in videos (such as YouTubes) and they are the short twitches and stopping of the video-picture move (the sound goes on without any trouble), that is - if I am not moving and waving by the cursor. Occurrence: always, whenever there is flash video and I want to watch it I have to be moving by the mouse and annoyingly keep attention to localize the pointer inside the video window, when I do not, the motion picture does not move until I move again..

2) When I scroll down, so that the flash video is bit up or down, so that part of it is not visible on the screen it sometimes happen that the scrolling or any other action on the page is locked away. (I can not scroll). Yet I am free to reach by the mouse pointer up (down) to the video and whenever I hover over it, the screen (video picture) picks up and the scrolling starts to work immediately again. Occurrence: Often

(2b) I scrolled too far from the flash video, so it is out of the visible screen .... so I can not reach it by the mouse pointer. Subsequently, when it freezes the scrolling (and tab switching) I can only wait.)

3) Firefox stops responding as whole. It me prevents to o anything, best to restart or wait undeterminated time period before it restores itself (it happens too), sometimes the alt+tab with onother program helps to revive it. Occurrence: In some cases of the 2b) case or 2) if untreated by the pointer hovering (less often, yet few times in a day)

By now, all add-ons are disabled (except flash) and it did not help. By now the flash might not be updated, but I am sure I was updating it already few times from the moment when it started to make trouble. Not sure it might be about three months now (or four?)

Firefox freezes while playing flash videos. or mostly the video freezes. It is happening to my Firefox for quite a few weeks/months. I did not report it (not having time) and tried to find some already existing thread in support. Failed (similar topics miss the point with cursor moving or flashes importance) There are several possible combinations of the trouble. 1) First degree of the problems manifests themselves only in videos (such as YouTubes) and they are the short twitches and stopping of the video-picture move (the sound goes on without any trouble), that is - if I am not moving and waving by the cursor. Occurrence: always, whenever there is flash video and I want to watch it I have to be moving by the mouse and annoyingly keep attention to localize the pointer inside the video window, when I do not, the motion picture does not move until I move again.. 2) When I scroll down, so that the flash video is bit up or down, so that part of it is not visible on the screen it sometimes happen that the scrolling or any other action on the page is locked away. (I can not scroll). Yet I am free to reach by the mouse pointer up (down) to the video and whenever I hover over it, the screen (video picture) picks up and the scrolling starts to work immediately again. Occurrence: Often (2b) I scrolled too far from the flash video, so it is out of the visible screen .... so I can not reach it by the mouse pointer. Subsequently, when it freezes the scrolling (and tab switching) I can only wait.) 3) Firefox stops responding as whole. It me prevents to o anything, best to restart or wait undeterminated time period before it restores itself (it happens too), sometimes the alt+tab with onother program helps to revive it. Occurrence: In some cases of the 2b) case or 2) if untreated by the pointer hovering (less often, yet few times in a day) By now, all add-ons are disabled (except flash) and it did not help. By now the flash might not be updated, but I am sure I was updating it already few times from the moment when it started to make trouble. Not sure it might be about three months now (or four?)

All Replies (13)

more options

Hello,

Consider updating your Flash Player. Another option is to reinstall it. Also keep in mind to updating your Computer mostly fixes lot's of problems.

Let me know if that fixes the problem.

more options

Thank You. It might have helped, it seems fine so far (but I am on slow net for now). I will see with time and I will let know :).

I thought that my flash player was updated .. is there difference between Shockwave flash and Adobe Flash? Which one has what role? I think I had been updating Adobe Flash before, without success, now I updated ShockWave so it might be the think.

more options

Updating usually fixes some of the problems. I had that issue too.

After a quick search, I found this: Flash Player delivers fast loading front-end web applications, high-impact web site user interaction, interactive online advertising, and short to medium form animation.

Shockwave Player displays destination web content such as interactive multimedia product demos and training, e-merchandising applications, and rich-media multi-user games. Through Xtras, Shockwave Player is also extendable to playback custom-built applications. here

I just realized I have Shockwave Player on my Firefox Extras, although I always install Flash Player. Thats odd. :)

more options

Updating has glitch if it is automatic. If one is on a slow net, it consumes lot of traffic in the most unsuitable moments. So I do prefer semi-automatic approach.

For some reason I do not remember that ShockWave flash would be asking me for allowance to update.

more options

Well, I do stay without updating Flash Player for a long time, as I also do not like having automatic updates...

more options

I have the exact same problem as the OP. This is what I have tried so far: Updating Flash, uninstalling flash, reinstalling it, uninstalling/reinstalling Firefox, updating my GPU drivers, defraging my system, erasing history/cache/cookies, scan for malware, swapping the UAC, restarting windows in safe mode, starting FF in safe mode...nothing works at all! I have the same problem with Chrome now too. I'm sure it will only be a matter of time before it happens on IE as well.

Does anyone have a solution to this?

more options

Hello,

Maybe that's either a computer problem or a bug in flash version...

more options

A "computer problem." lol...too cute :)

Curious, were you able to fix yours?

Here's my PC: i7 920 CPU 6G DDR3 7950 GPU Windows Vista 64bt. latest drivers on everything including Flash.

more options

Well, the only thing I see you haven't tried yet is reseting Firefox. You can check how to do it clicking here.

  • EDIT* link was broken

Modified by Diogo

more options

I have the same issue...

Removed Firefox and all plugins..

re installed Firefox and latest version of flash ran a video and had the same issue..no plugins..no problem on any other browser.

more options

Hi tjstevens48, the original post contained a long list of symptoms. Which one(s) are you having?

This is some standard guidance that addresses the most common issues with the Flash player. I'm sure you've seen some of it before, but just in case:

(1) Make sure all recorders/downloaders that interact with Flash media are as up-to-date as possible, or disable them.

(2) Disable hardware graphics acceleration in Firefox and in Flash

(A) In Firefox, un-check the box here and restart:

orange Firefox button (or Tools menu) > Options > Advanced > General > "Use hardware acceleration when available"

(B) In Flash, see this support article from Adobe: http://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/video-playback-issues.html#main_Solve_video_playback_issues

(3) Disable protected mode (Windows Vista/7/8)

See this support article from Adobe under the heading "Last Resort": Adobe Forums: How do I troubleshoot Flash Player's protected mode for Firefox?

Any luck?

more options

jscher2000:

Thank you !!!!!

your tip 2A seems to have fixed my issue.......GREATLY APPRECIATED....

more options

I have the problem of the video freezing when i stop moving my mouse. I have windows 7. The solution for me was to go to this site http://www.adobe.com/support/flashplayer/downloads.html and download the first two downloads witch were the Active X control content debugger, and the Plugin content debugger. No more freezing for me.

Enjoy