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YouTube videos freezing after going fullscreen - Mac OS High Sierra

  • 3 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 13 views
  • Last reply by WestEnd

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As far as I've been able to tell, this problem is only affecting YouTube, for me. Haven't had the same issue with video anywhere else. The scenario is:

1. Go to a YouTube video in Firefox. 2. Click fullscreen button. 3. Video will play OK in fullscreen for 5-15 seconds, then the video portion stops. A second or two later, the audio also stops. Trying to pause and resume will not unfreeze it, I have to reload the page.

It's not occasional, it's an absolute guarantee. It WILL freeze if I go fullscreen (but only once per video - see next line).

If I refresh the page and start the video playing again, I can go fullscreen after that. Not sure why it only happens the first time, but that's the pattern. However, if I go to another video and try fullscreen, it happens again.

The problem still exists in safe mode, and after clearing browsing data.

This is a 2010 Mac Mini running High Sierra. Firefox 60.0.2. I run Firefox in largely the same state (add-ons, synced data, version, etc.) on Linux Mint and a couple of Windows machines, and the problem only exists on the Mac. Not saying it's necessarily Mac specific, but that's where I'm at.

I'm perfectly happy to remove/reinstall or "refresh" firefox if needed. Thought I'd check for more targeted fixes first. I appreciate any ideas you might have.

As far as I've been able to tell, this problem is only affecting YouTube, for me. Haven't had the same issue with video anywhere else. The scenario is: 1. Go to a YouTube video in Firefox. 2. Click fullscreen button. 3. Video will play OK in fullscreen for 5-15 seconds, then the video portion stops. A second or two later, the audio also stops. Trying to pause and resume will not unfreeze it, I have to reload the page. It's not occasional, it's an absolute guarantee. It WILL freeze if I go fullscreen (but only once per video - see next line). If I refresh the page and start the video playing again, I can go fullscreen after that. Not sure why it only happens the first time, but that's the pattern. However, if I go to another video and try fullscreen, it happens again. The problem still exists in safe mode, and after clearing browsing data. This is a 2010 Mac Mini running High Sierra. Firefox 60.0.2. I run Firefox in largely the same state (add-ons, synced data, version, etc.) on Linux Mint and a couple of Windows machines, and the problem only exists on the Mac. Not saying it's necessarily Mac specific, but that's where I'm at. I'm perfectly happy to remove/reinstall or "refresh" firefox if needed. Thought I'd check for more targeted fixes first. I appreciate any ideas you might have.

All Replies (3)

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Sorry, please check if this is a Mac Bug in the Mac forum you use and check another to be sure as there have been a few Bugs for Youtube specific to Linux and Mac.

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I guess I should have mentioned that this ONLY occurs in Firefox. Not any other browser.

TBH there are no Mac forums I use. I own a Mac, but it's really not my main machine. If no one here has further ideas, I'll more likely troubleshoot on my own than futz around signing up for a Mac forum.

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stabbim said

As far as I've been able to tell, this problem is only affecting YouTube, for me. Haven't had the same issue with video anywhere else. The scenario is: 1. Go to a YouTube video in Firefox. 2. Click fullscreen button. 3. Video will play OK in fullscreen for 5-15 seconds, then the video portion stops. A second or two later, the audio also stops. Trying to pause and resume will not unfreeze it, I have to reload the page. It's not occasional, it's an absolute guarantee. It WILL freeze if I go fullscreen (but only once per video - see next line).

It could be video driver related as well. What is your default hardware acc set at?

stabbim said

If I refresh the page and start the video playing again, I can go fullscreen after that. Not sure why it only happens the first time, but that's the pattern. However, if I go to another video and try fullscreen, it happens again.

I think this could be related to a install issue.

stabbim said

The problem still exists in safe mode, and after clearing browsing data.

This tells me the software had issues when it installed.

stabbim said

This is a 2010 Mac Mini running High Sierra. Firefox 60.0.2. I run Firefox in largely the same state (add-ons, synced data, version, etc.) on Linux Mint and a couple of Windows machines, and the problem only exists on the Mac. Not saying it's necessarily Mac specific, but that's where I'm at.

It could be since the problem show up on the mac here. But you should find and also post to a Mac forum to see what others user had and what if anything they did as well.

stabbim said

I'm perfectly happy to remove/reinstall or "refresh" firefox if needed. Thought I'd check for more targeted fixes first. I appreciate any ideas you might have.

In this case that's what I would also try but remember to delete the Mozilla folder when doing that as well.