How To Fix: Widevine Content Decryption Module?

Widevine is a DRM ( Digital Rights Management) software and technology provider, it operates on chrome and firefox. In 2010 google purchased its technology, you can understand the purpose to buy this. An error occurs to the users, most commonly when they play a DRM protected HTML 5 Video as ” Widevine content decryption module error. You can fix this error in different ways which we are going to explain in this article. 

How To Fix Widevine Content Decryption Module Error?

Here is how you can fix Widevine Content Decryption Module error:

1. Check Your Antivirus

You have to disable the antivirus temporarily to update this widevine content module. Because antiviruses such as Firewall prevent this plugin to be updated, it’s for security purposes. Disable the antivirus and other security options, update the software, and then you can again enable them. Now try playing videos that were showing the error, it will solve the problem if it’s occurring because of your antivirus software. 

If you want to assure that this problem does not occur in the future again, you should change the software. Use antivirus software that will not restrict this plugin to be updated from interfering with your system while also serving its basic purpose. 

2. Update The Widevine Content Decryption Module

The process is simple, you can update this in the following steps;

First Step: Type chrome://components/ in the address bar of the chrome browser then press enter. It will redirect you to a page in the name of the component. 

Second Step: You can find the Widevine Content Module, then you have to click on the ” Search for update” option. 

Widevine Content Decryption Module

Third Step: After clicking that, refresh the page, it will show ” up to date”, if the plugin has been updated.

Fourth Step: Restart your computer, check whether or not you are still facing the same issue. 

Just like the case in antivirus, the problem occurs because of the plugin not being updated. This means that you have to first check this if the problem ever occurs in the future. 

3. Give Full Access To Widevine Content Decryption Module

This software needs permission to work properly, you have to grant this full access. It can be a little bit complex for you. If you follow some simple steps you can get the problem solved with this method. 

Step 1: Press Windows + R to open the application.

Step 2: Now You have to copy-paste %userprofile%/AppData/local” in the dialogue box and then press the enter key.

Widevine Content Decryption Module

Step 3: Open the user data page, follow the sequence of Google>Chrome>User Data.

Step 4: Right-click on the widevine and select properties. 

Step 5: See the permissions, check if there is a tick after the “Full Control” Option. 

Widevine Content Decryption Module

Step 6: Select edit and then uncheck every option under the deny column. 

Widevine Content Decryption Module

Step 7: Click on apply and then restart your computer. 

The process to grant full access is now complete, you can now follow the steps of the first method to update the plugin. Check whether your problem is solved or not. 

4. Reinstall The Plugin

After trying the above methods, if still, the problem exists then you have to try deleting this plugin folder and reinstall. You have to login as an administrator for all the administrative privileges you need to complete this process. 

First Step: Open the application by pressing Windows + R keys, type %userprofile%/AppData/local” just like before. 

Second Step: Now, follow Google>Chrome>User Data. 

Third Step: Find Widevine, Right-click on that, and then click on Delete. 

Widevine Content Decryption Module

Fourth Step: Open the application by pressing Windows+S, click on the dialogue box, and enter “task manager”. 

Fifth Step: Right-click on chrome and then select end task.

Widevine Content Decryption Module

Sixth Step: Retry method one after this, and restart your computer. 

Now the problem must be solved, if not then you can try one more way to solve this Widevine content decryption module error. When installing the plugin was not enough then the error may be with the browser. 

5. Reinstall Chrome

It is the last method you have to try, in case any of the above methods don’t work. Reinstalling this is not a complex process. As most of the time, it occurs for the chrome user so, you must try this. 

First Step: Launch the Run Application by pressing the window + R key. Enter ” appwiz.cpl” in the dialogue box. 

Second Step: You will see the list of the application, find chrome then select ” Uninstall”. 

Widevine Content Decryption Module

Third Step: Download and install Chrome from its official website.

Check whether or not the problem is solved, it must have been solved after this method if you have already tried the methods explained before. You must try the above-mentioned method first before trying this, as the problem should have been solved through those methods. It is just a thing that you can do in the end if nothing works. 

Conclusion

These were the methods to solve the error, it’s most commonly found by the chrome users. Most of the time it’s because the plugin is outdated so the first thing you should check is that your plugin is up to date, if not follow method one to solve the error. We have explained the steps you need to follow to solve the error so you should not face any extra issues. 

Widevine content decryption error is easy to solve, you can enjoy playing HTML5 DRM protected videos online. You can use any browser you want to choose for playing these videos, no error will bother you anymore. 

Read More: How To Password Protect USB Drive In Windows 10

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