Troubleshoot video problems when using Internet Explorer

When playing online videos from websites like YouTube, Facebook and MSN using Internet Explorer, you may notice that the videos may not perform as expected. Playing or attempting to play videos may give the following results: 

• Videos may fail to download
• Videos may not start
• Some video functionality may not work
• You may be dropped from a video or video website
• The video window may go black when playing
• Videos may freeze during play

Note If you are having problems with Internet Explorer functionality other than just videos, click the links below to view the articles on the Microsoft website.

Windows 8 and Internet Explorer 10

If you're using Windows 8 and Internet Explorer 10, see the following Windows Help topic:

Problems playing videos can be caused by a number of different issues; most videos are based on Silverlight, Flash or Java which do require Internet Explorer add-ons to play. In most cases, ensuring that you have the latest updates for Windows, Internet Explorer and any Internet Explorer add-ons can help resolve most issues.

To troubleshoot video playing issues in Internet Explorer try the following steps and test the issue after each step untill the issue is resolved.

Update Internet Explorer
If you’re using a pre-released version of Internet Explorer 9, download and install the released version, and then apply any applicable updates offered by Windows Update.

Test the issue in Compatibility View
Some websites may have been designed for earlier versions of Internet Explorer. Try to view the website in Compatibility View. To learn how to switch to Compatibility view, click the link below to view the article on the Microsoft website:
How to use Compatibility View in Internet Explorer 9


If you are using ActiveX Filtering or Tracking Protection, some content like games or videos might be disabled. To find out if you are using ActiveX filtering or Tracking Protection, see this Help topic: How to use Tracking Protection and ActiveX Filtering in Internet Explorer 9.


Microsoft Silverlight
For videos that use Silverlight, issues can be resolved by updating to the latest version of Silverlight. The following troubleshooting steps may help to resolve the issue:

• Install the latest version of Silverlight
  (http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight)
  and then make sure Silverlight is enabled in Internet Explorer
• If you need to uninstall and then reinstall Silverlight visit the Get Microsoft Silverlight
  (http://www.microsoft.com/getsilverlight/Get-Started/Install/Default.aspx)
  website and click the Uninstall Silverlight tab
• For help with Silverlight issues, visit the Silverlight Community
  (http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight/community)
  website

Java

For videos that require Java add-ons, issues can be resolved by updating the add-ons to the latest version. The following troubleshooting steps may help to resolve the issue:

• Make sure you have the latest version of Java
  (http://www.java.com/)
  installed
• In some cases it may be necessary to uninstall Java from your installed programs list and then reinstall the latest version
• For help with Java issues, visit the Java Help Center
  (http://www.java.com/en/download/help/index.xml)
  website

Adobe Flash

For videos that require Java add-ons, issues can be resolved by updating the add-ons to the latest version. The following troubleshooting steps may help to resolve the issue:

• Update to the latest version of Adobe Flash
  (http://www.adobe.com/downloads)
• In some cases it may be necessary to uninstall Adobe Flash from your installed programs list and then reinstall the latest version
• For help with Adobe Flash issues, visit the Adobe Flash Help and Support
  (http://www.adobe.com/support/flash)
  website

Make sure the add-ons are installed and enabled

You will need to make sure that the necessary Add-ons are enabled in Internet Explorer, to do this follow the steps below:

1. Start Internet Explorer and click the Tools icon and then click Internet Options
2. Click the Programs Tab and click the Manage add-ons button
3. From the Show dropdown selection, select Run without Permissions

Look for the following add-ons in the displayed list and make sure the Status is listed as Enabled

Note When checking to see if the add-on is installed you can also verify the current version of the add-on.

The add-on for Microsoft Silverlight is listed as:

• Microsoft Silverlight

The add-ons for Adobe Flash is listed as:

• Shockwave Active X Control
• Shockwave Flash Object

The add-on for Java is listed as:

• Java Plug-in (May be multiple add-ons)

You should also check to make sure that the Windows Media Player add-on is enabled.

The add-on for Windows Media Player is listed as:

• Windows Media Player

Advanced Troubleshooting Steps

Test the online video using Internet Explorer Software rendering mode
Hardware acceleration is a new functionality of Internet Explorer 9 that allows Internet Explorer to move all graphics and text rendering from the Central Processing Unit (CPU) to the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). In some cases it’s necessary to enable or disable hardware acceleration to check for hardware or software compatibility issues with viewing certain internet websites. To disable hardware acceleration and use software rendering instead of hardware rendering to view the webpage, click the following link to view the article on the Microsoft website:
2528233 How to Enable or Disable Software Rendering in Internet Explorer 9

Get the newest device drivers
Because game performance can be affected by device drivers, it's a good idea to make sure that you have the latest drivers for all of your hardware. For more information about keeping your drivers up to date, see Update drivers: recommended links.

Note You might also log on to the computer manufacturer website and update the latest device driver updates for your computer, especially the graphics and the chipset drivers.

Using other Media applications to play videos
If you are using other media playing applications with Internet Explorer to play online videos, you may need to visit that manufacturer’s website and make sure that you have the latest version of that application and any necessary add-ons that needed for Internet Explorer 9.

Additional Resources

If the above steps did not resolve your issue, visit our Microsoft Community Community. There, you can search for answers or ask other users specific questions.

If you followed the steps in this article, and searching for answers on the Answers forums and your issue is still not resolved, or if you need additional help with your issue, you can Contact Support (https://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?&ln=en&gprid=15672&&st=1&wfxredirect=1&sd=gn) for available support options.

There are also some automatic solutions for fixing the video problems using Internet Explorer, visit the following Microsft Websites: