Widevine Content Decryption Module is a built-in plugin in google chrome, and when it starts for the first time, the plug in is packed with it. It is not a third-party app. With WidevineCdm, you can view DRM-protected HTML5 audio and video on chrome.
This means any audio or video will only work if this is present in chrome else it will cause an error at the beginning. The error message will ask you to update or install the plug-in. There are different ways to fix the Widevine content decryption module error.
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How to Fix Widevine Content Decryption Module Error
1. Updating Widevine Content Decryption Module
The plug-in can be updated in the google chrome itself. Follow the steps: –
Step 1: Right-click the google chrome icon on the desktop or in the start menu, and from the list, click on ‘Run as administration’.
Step 2: Google chrome will get open in the administrator mode. Then in the address bar of the browser, type “chrome://components” and enter.
Step 3: As the new page opens, scroll down to the bottom, and in the end, there will be an entry named Widevine Content Decryption Module. Under this entry, click on the button beneath it ‘Check for Updates’.
Step 4: After the previous step, refresh the page. As the status shows Up-to-date, the module has been updated.
Step 5: Finally, restart your system. Check if you still get the error.
2. Disable Security Software
Many third-party apps are installed on Windows for security and privacy purposes, and also, Windows itself has a Windows defender security center. These apps prevent the modules from working not because it is malware but because the new security apps policy has been updated to not allow programs that install without permission.
So, this is compulsory to disable the security software until the time the module is getting updated. After the module is updated and does not show the error, you can again enable the security software.
3. Full Control To Edit WidevineCDM Folder
The folder’s permission can also be changed, but you need sufficient privileges for doing it else, Windows will not allow you to update the module. So now you need to go to the folder and follow the steps below:-
Step 1: Press Windows key + R together. This will open a Run dialog box.
Step 2: Then type in “%userprofile%/appdata/local” and enter.
Step 3: Afterwards, the required folder will show on the screen.
Step 4: After this, navigate to the path: Google > Chrome > User data.
Step 5: When the window opens, locate folder WidevineCdm on the list. After that, right-click on the folder and select properties.
Step 6: After clicking on properties, go to the security tab and check if the click is enabled on the full control box. If the tick is enabled, then you have full control; if not follow steps under:-
- Under the Security tab, select your profile, then click on the Edit button. Then there will be a tick enabled on the Deny list. Uncheck it and click on the OK button and then on APPLY.
- Then restart your system and try updating the module and check if it is error-free or not.
4. Delete WidevineCDM Folder
The module folder can also be deleted and re-installed using chrome, but this requires administrative rights. Before that, make sure you are logged in as an administrator. Follow the steps:
Step 1: Press Windows key + R together. A dialog box will open.
Step 2: Type “%userprofile%/appdata/local” and Enter.
Step 3: A folder will open. Then navigate to the path Google > Chrome > User data.
Step 4: When the new window opens, locate the WidevineCdm folder and right-click on it and then choose Delete.
Step 5: Now go to Recycle Bin and empty it. Make sure the Widevine folder gets deleted.
Step 6: After that, press Windows key + S together, a search box will open. Type in Task Manager and right-click the result, then select Run as administrator.
Step 7: end all the chrome related tasks. Right-click on each Chrome entry and select end task. Now update the plug-in, restart the system, and check for error.
5. Reinstalling Chrome
If no other method works, try reinstalling chrome. When a program is uninstalled, all its modules get removed and after installing a program, the components related to it are installed automatically. Follow the steps to do the same: –
Step 1: Press Windows key + R together. A run dialog box will appear, type in “appwiz.cpl”. The window that will open will list all the applications that are installed on your system.
Step 2: Find Google Chrome and uninstall it. Then open another browser and install google chrome from the official website.
Step 3: Run the setup.
These were the methods to resolve the errors for updating the plug-in.
How to Fix Widevine Content Decryption Module on Mozilla Firefox Browser
Here is how to solve the Widevine error in Firefox.
Step 1: Open the Firefox browser on your system. Go to the top-right corner and open the menu.
Step 2: click on add-ons from the list and select the plug-ins tab.
Step 3: choose the Widevine Content Decryption Module provided by Google Inc.
Step 4: Afterwards, from the right drop-down menu, select Always Active.
Step 5: it’s done, close the browser, and try to play any audio and video.
There may be a situation where you might not find the plug-in already installed with Firefox. In that case, follow the steps: –
Step 1: Open Firefox and open the menu of the browser situated at the top-right corner.
Step 2: Then, from the menu, open the preferences tab.
Step 3: After this, in the first option, select General and scroll down to navigate to Digital Rights Management.
Step 4: Now, to enable, play DRM-Controlled Content check on it.
Step 5: After this, Firefox will start to download the module.
Step 6: Now, you can easily play videos and audios.
How to Fix WidevineCDM Update Error in Mac OS
Here are the steps to fix the issue of WidevineCdm in Mac OS: –
Step 1: Hold the Option key and then click on Go. Afterward, select the Library.
Step 2: Now, go to application support, then Google, and then Chrome.
Step 3: From there, delete the WidevineCdm folder.
Step 4: After all this, go to chrome and type “chrome://components” in the address bar. After this, press enter.
Step 5: Click on the “check for update” button under the WidevineCdm.
Widevine content decryption module in Opera
The module does not support the HTML5 content. So, you cannot play any videos, or any platform like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hotstar, and other kinds of DRM protected streaming as they require an HTML5 player.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) by the users.
What are Encrypted Media Extensions?
Answer: W3C has released a new specification to bridge the gap between web browsers and DRM, i.e., Digital Rights Management software. The main purpose of Encrypted Media Encryption is to allow HTML5 to play DRM media content like Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube, and other DRM videos. There is no need to update or install extensions like adobe or flash player or Microsoft silver light.
What are the Different Types of Content Description Module?
Answer:
- Widevine by Google, used in Chrome, Firefox, Opera
- FairPlay used in Safari in Mac OS.
- Adobe Primetime CDM
- PlayReady used in Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer 11
Conclusion
This was the complete guide regarding the solutions to the error caused by the Widevine Content Decryption Module, provided by Google Incorporation. In this guide, I have listed all the possible solutions capable of solving the issues of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, that, too, on Windows and Mac OS.
Try the solutions if you face the problems and now enjoy any video on any platform like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hotstar, YouTube, etc. Also, enjoy DRM protected videos on your desired browser. If you liked the article, share it on different social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, etc. Keep visiting us for more solutions and other types of articles.