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Source: MacHow2

Netflix Not Working on Mac? How to Fix Netflix Problems on macOS (2026)

Nick Mead
How To
140
Last updated:

There’s nothing more frustrating than settling down to watch a movie or TV series only to find that Netflix isn’t working properly on your Mac.

Unlike iPhones and iPads, there’s no official Netflix app for macOS for offline use, so all Netflix playback on a Mac happens through a web browser. That makes Macs more prone to browser-related issues such as black screens, DRM errors, external display problems, and mysterious Netflix error codes.

Netflix also no longer allows downloads on Macs, so offline viewing is officially limited to mobile devices.

The good news? Most Netflix problems on macOS in 2026 are easy to fix once you know where to look.

Before You Start: Check Netflix’s Service Status

Before you start tearing your hair out trying to work out why Netflix isn’t working on your Mac, we strongly advise checking the Netflix Service Status Page.

Very often when Netflix isn’t working it’s because there’s been a serious server outage or technical issue which will be displayed on the service status page with a message like “We are having technical issues on netflix.com right now. Please try again later.”

is netflix down
Source: Netflix

If this is the case, then none of the solutions we cover here will help. You’ll just have to wait until Netflix has restored the service – which doesn’t usually take long.

Common Reasons Netflix Stops Working on a Mac (2026)

In 2026, Netflix problems on macOS are almost always caused by:

  • Corrupted browser cookies or cache
  • Outdated macOS or browser versions
  • DRM / HDCP issues with external monitors
  • Content blockers, ad blockers, or VPN interference
  • Using unsupported hardware or macOS versions

Older causes such as Silverlight, plugins, Flash, or Safari extensions are no longer relevant and can be ignored.

With this in mind then, here are the most common ways to fix Netflix streaming problems on a Mac.

1. Clear Your Netflix Browser Cookies

If your cookies are outdated or corrupted then Netflix won’t play on your Mac. It’s easy to fix this however.

Simply go to netflix.com/clearcookies and Netflix will automatically clear your cookie cache and sign you out of Netflix.

Then just sign-in again to Netflix to start watching a movie or TV show.

2. Update macOS and Your Browser

Netflix now requires modern HTML5 DRM, which only works reliably on up-to-date systems.

Minimum requirements in 2026:

  • macOS Ventura (13) or later recommended
  • Safari 17+, Chrome, or Firefox (latest versions)

To check your macOS version:

  1. Click the Apple menu
  2. Select About This Mac and it must say macOS Ventura or later.

If your Mac can’t run at least macOS Ventura, Netflix compatibility will be limited and unreliable. For the latest version of macOS, check here.

More help on updating a Mac is here.

3. Safari Not Working? Switch Browsers

Safari is the best browser for Netflix on Apple Silicon Macs, but it’s not perfect.

If Netflix won’t play in Safari try one of these browsers instead such as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.

This often fixes:

  • Error codes like N8151, N8010, S7361
  • Black screens with no controls
  • Playback that starts then immediately stops

4. Disable Content Blockers & Ad Blockers

Many Safari and Chrome content blockers interfere with Netflix’s DRM. You should temporarily disable:

  • Ad blockers
  • Privacy tools
  • Script blockers

In Safari:

  1. Go to Settings > Websites
  2. Check Content Blockers
  3. Disable blockers for netflix.com

Reload Netflix and try again.

5. External Monitor Problems (HDCP Errors)

safari hmtl5 error

If Netflix works on your MacBook screen but fails on an external display, this is almost always an HDCP issue.

A common error message for this is:

“Please ensure your monitor is HDCP compliant”

Fixes that usually work:

  • Use a direct HDMI or USB-C → DisplayPort cable
  • Avoid VGA or cheap HDMI adapters
  • Make sure your monitor supports HDCP 2.2
  • Disconnect all external displays, start playback, then reconnect

If the issue persists, use Chrome instead of Safari – Chrome is often more forgiving with HDCP.

6. Netflix Is Slow or Buffering

If Netflix buffers constantly:

  • Restart your router
  • Try a wired Ethernet connection
  • Avoid streaming on multiple devices at once

In some cases, a VPN for Mac can improve Netflix speeds by routing traffic around ISP throttling – but VPNs can also cause Netflix to block playback, so results vary.

If Netflix stops working with a VPN enabled, disable it and try again.

7. Force Netflix to Play in HD or HDR

Netflix does not always select the highest quality automatically. To manually open the Netflix bitrate menu:

  1. Start a video
  2. Press: Control + Shift + Option + S
  3. Select a higher bitrate

HDR Requirements (2026):

  • Apple Silicon Mac
  • Compatible HDR display
  • Safari
  • Netflix Premium plan

8. Can You Watch Netflix in 4K on a Mac?

Yes – but only under specific conditions.

Netflix 4K requirements:

  • Apple Silicon Mac or Intel Mac with T2 chip
  • macOS Big Sur or later
  • Safari
  • Netflix Premium plan
  • 15 Mbps+ internet connection
  • HDCP 2.2-compliant display & cable

Most external monitor issues come down to HDCP compatibility, not your Mac.

9. Ads or Pop-Ups While Watching Netflix?

Netflix itself does not show pop-ups in the browser.

If you’re seeing ads, your Mac is almost certainly infected with adware.

Use a reputable Mac malware scanner (such as Malwarebytes for Mac) and remove anything suspicious.

10. Can You Download Netflix on a Mac in 2026?

No.

Netflix has completely disabled downloads on macOS and Windows.

Offline viewing is officially supported only on:

  • iPhone
  • iPad
  • Android devices
  • Amazon Fire tablets

There are no reliable workarounds to this such as by using screen recording or virtual machines, and they come with legal and quality limitations.

11. Use a Streaming Device Instead

If Netflix issues persist, the most reliable solution is not using a Mac at all.

Consider:

  • Apple TV
  • Smart TV Netflix app
  • Amazon Fire TV Stick

These devices:

  • Support offline downloads (on mobile)
  • Avoid browser DRM issues
  • Deliver consistent 4K HDR playback

What No Longer Applies in 2026 (Important)

The following are completely obsolete and should be ignored:

  • Silverlight
  • Browser plugins
  • Safari 11 or earlier
  • PPC Macs
  • Chrome plugin settings
  • Firefox Silverlight fixes

Netflix has not used plugins on Mac for over a decade

Summary

In 2026, Netflix problems on a Mac are almost always caused by:

  • Outdated software
  • Browser interference
  • External display DRM issues

If Netflix still doesn’t work after following this guide:

  • Confirm your subscription is active
  • Try another browser
  • Test playback without external displays

If you’re fed up with browser issues entirely, a dedicated streaming device remains the most reliable way to watch Netflix.

Avatar photo
Nick Mead
Nick founded MacHow2 in 2013 and has a bachelor's degree in Journalism. Nick started life as a tech journalist and created MacHow2 mainly to help users like himself that had switched from Windows to macOS (and never looked back). Since then the site has evolved into one of the biggest independent online resources for Mac users new and old. You can follow him on X or get in touch via email below or the contact form at the top of the site.

140 Responses

  1. I have Safari 14 and still suffers from this problem. So I downloaded the latest version of Opera browser and Netflix works.

    Reply

  2. Hi, none of these solutions have worked. I’m not sure if I have the problem that these solutions fix however. Not sure. Anyway, when I try to go into netflix on my MacBook Pro (pretty new, newest software updates and stuff), it either won’t load because netflix “closed the connection”, “didn’t send a signal”, or it loads but it the homepage looks like none of the art was added, I can’t see the shows, and there are a ton of countries listed. However, this only happens when I’m at home, so I thought it was a problem with the wifi at home. However, my brother has no problem accessing the site on his computer. I have no proxies installed, I’ve cleared my history twice, and I can’t clear my netflix cookies because any netflix-run sites are showing those error messages. Thoughts?

    Reply

  4. The Netflix site won’t load at all in safari. Like, when I click the Netflix button on favorites, or type in the link or whatever it just won’t load. The blue loading bar under the link just stops in the middle, no error codes, no black screen, no nothing it just does not load. This has been going on for like a week and I’m beginning to lose my mind.

    Reply

  5. Since I upgraded to High Sierra, Netflix won’t stream on various browsers. I tried the Develop trick to no avail and have done everything suggested by Netflix. Other people on the Apple support forum are having the same problem. there may not be a solution yet.

    Reply

  6. Hi! Thanks for your help in this post. I appreciate that you took and take the time to help! I ended up downloading Chrome and the only thing I had to do to get Netflix to work from there was to follow an error prompt on Netflix to go to chrome://components and to click “update” under the component called “Widevinecdm”. Once I did that I could finally access Netflix movies again on my Mac desktop (OS X Yosemite 10.10.5)

    Reply

  7. Thank you for the article. Silverlight didn’t work on my iMac, but Google chrome did. At first chrome didn’t work either, but I just had to update some components and it’s working. Your article helped me to fix this problem. Thank you again.

    Reply

    1. This sounds like a security issue rather than a problem with Silverlight and Netflix. Try clearing out your browser’s SSL security certificates and try again.

      Reply

  10. I’ve installed the silverlight program multiple times and tried deleting it. It still does not allow me to watch netflix.

    Reply

  11. Thanks for the article. I’ve tried everything in the post as well as everything netflix’s help page and tech team has advised me to do. But I still am having audio/video sync issues on my macbook pro as well as stuttering video. Any recommendations?

    I’m using 10.9.4 on macbook pro.

    Reply

    1. It seems the audio syncing issue is a bit of a random problem on Netflix for Mac. Have you cleared your Silverlight temp files as per the instructions on the Netflix website? Also, a temporary solution is simply to skip backwards a little bit during playback and the syncing usually corrects itself for a while although it is quite annoying to have to keep doing that.

      Reply

  12. Hi, well i can not get netflix on firefox or safari and i have uninstalled silverlight reinstalled it and made sure it was enabled on firefox and nothing is working. It just says “Safari can’t connect to the server” every single time i try, and it only says that for netflix. What do i do?

    Reply

    1. It sounds more like a general problem with your internet connection rather than Netflix. Try turning your router off and on and again and restart your Mac. You may need some help reconfiguring your router or have a problem with your Internet Service Provider. Does the internet wifi work on other devices such as your phone for example? Alternatively, you could try connecting to the internet with a network cable to your router instead of WiFi.

      Reply

      1. thats the thing, the internet works fine and i can get on other websites and everything but as soon as i try to go to netflix it ways that it cant connect to the server even tho the internet is working and every other website is working

        Reply

        1. It’s possible that your DNS settings are messed up. Try going into System Prefs > Network > Advanced > DNS tab > and then delete any numbers in the DNS box.

          Reply

  13. I’ve been having the same problem being prompt to install silverlight every time I opened netflix with Safari and not being able to watch anything. I called apple support and they had me do these simple steps: Preferences-security-check the “allow-plug-ins” box. This solved the problem immediately. I hope this will help other people.

    Reply

  14. i cant use it -.- it says: Silverlight Installation Problem
    Error Code: 2103
    You have encountered an issue specific to Microsoft Silverlight, the software used to watch movies on the Netflix website. This issue is often resolved by uninstalling and then reinstalling Microsoft Silverlight on your computer.

    To uninstall Microsoft Silverlight on your Macintosh computer, please follow these steps:

    Completely close any currently open internet browser windows.
    Navigate to your Hard Drive.
    Select Library.
    Select Internet Plugins.
    Drag Silverlight.plugin to your trash.
    Once you have emptied your trash, Microsoft Silverlight uninstallation will be complete.
    After completing the above steps, attempting to Watch Instantly on http://www.netflix.com will prompt you to reinstall Microsoft Silverlight.

    when i try to use silverlight on netflix…

    Reply

    1. To fix this problem:

      – Log out of Netflix.
      – Clear the Cache, History and Temp files in your browser and close it.
      – Reopen your browser and log into Netflix and your should be able to watch Netflix on your Mac again.

      Reply

  15. Here is what I found on macbook pro 2009. When I ran Netflix, it was very slow choppy and the CPU was pegged. Once I took the back off, the problem was obvious. The machine was clogged with dust and this was causing the CPU to throttle down so it would not thermally overload. A can of Air from radio shack solved the problem I used the Compress Air blow out the dust out of the notebook, and a pair of tweezers to pull other dust bunnies out.

    Once the cpu and case were cleaned, the Mac Book is working like new.

    From my experience, the laptops probably should be blown out once a year.

    IMHO

    Chip

    Reply

  16. Hello, about a month ago I purchased a Chromecast to watch Netflix on my tv and still do work on my MacBook Pro (Mac OS X Version 10.6.8). It worked great until a few days ago when Silverlight kept crashing for Chrome (Version 35.0.1916.27 beta). Since then, I’ve deleted and re-installed Silverlight several times as listed above. Netflix is working for Safari, but not for Chrome (which defeats the purpose of my Chromecast’s initial purchase). I’ve used the AppCleaner, cleared cache and cookies, etc. Any other ideas would be appreciated. Thank you.

    Reply

    1. Jonathon, If it’s a Chrome specific problem, try logging out of Netflix in Chrome. Then clear the Cache, History and Temp files by going to the settings bar in the top right corner of Chrome. Close Chrome, then re-open it and log back into Netflix and it should work. If this doesn’t work, do you use Time Machine to backup your Mac? You could try rolling back to a backup of your Mac when everything was working fine.

      Reply

    1. Madeline, What exactly are you afraid will give your Mac a virus? It’s worth remembering that viruses are very rare on Mac so whatever you’re trying, shouldn’t pose any risk.

      Reply

  19. My netflix was working fine on my computer this morning and now I am having the 2103 error.
    I am using Chrome and OS X 10.8.3.
    I completely uninstalled Silverlight and emptied the Trash numerous times but I continue to get the error. I used both AppCleaner and digging into the library to ensure there was no trace of Silverlight.
    All that said Netflix is working on Firefox, any idea why or how to get it working on Chrome as that is my default browser and it was working 12 hours ago and I’ve done nothing on my laptop since.

    Reply

      1. Emily, To fix the Netflix 2103 error in Chrome on your Mac try this:

        – Open Chrome then logout of Netflix. Clear the Cache, History and Temp files in Chrome (you can do this by going to the top right of Chrome, clicking on the three bars and then selecting “Settings”).
        – Close Chrome. Then reopen it and log back into Netflix. Netflix should now be working in Chrome on your Mac. If it doesn’t, let us know.

        Reply

  20. Hello,
    I am in the middle of trying to install it and it asks for a password to allow it. It won’t accept my apple ID and password so what password is it asking for?
    Thank You

    Reply

    1. Tara, I presume your Mac is asking you for your Mac admin password which you would have created when you first setup your Mac. If you don’t have one, try just pressing Enter without a password to continue installation.

      Reply

      1. is the Mac admin password different from your apple ID/password? if so, I don’t remember my admin password…what, if anything, can I do about that?

        Reply

        1. figured I should also mention that I did already try your previous suggestion to Tara (not using a password at all) and that didn’t work.

          Reply

          1. Penny, If you are using OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard you can use the startup DVD to rescue the password. But if you are using OS X 10.7 Lion or above follow these instructions to reset your Mac admin password:

            1. Shutdown your Mac. Restart it and immediately hold down the CMD key (the squiggle key next to the spacebar) and “S” at the same time.
            2. You should see a black screen with white writing. Type “mount -uw” and hit Enter
            3. Type “aunchctl load /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.opendirectoryd.plist” and hit Enter.
            4. Type “/Users” and hit Return. A list of authorised users on the Mac will appear. Type “dscl . passwd /Users/username password” but replace the word “username” with one of the usernames in the list and replace “password” with a new password that you want to use. Hit Enter.
            5. Restart your Mac normally and use the new password to login. If you see a prompt after this, type “reboot” and the Mac will restart with the new password saved.

  21. i am having netflix freezing problems i am running a late model 2009 macbook air with newly formatted HD with Snow Lep installed 10.6.8. My machine has 2GB of Ram but continues to freeze after about 30 min of watching a movie. I have tried reinstalling Silver Light and installing it to point where i formatted my HD and reinstalled SL. I have cannot find the issue and i am considering buying another machine maybe back to PC. Do i not have enough Ram becuase i would think 2GB would suffice. Please help

    Reply

      1. tried Google and i have tried Firefox problem still occurs. First sign is the video starts to look like its going into slow motion then the video and audio become out of sync, within seconds it becomes unwatchable. I was convinced it was a corrupt file either in the OS or Silverlight but you would think after doing a full format and reinstall that would have fixed it. i appreciate any suggestions.

        Reply

        1. It’s probably a Silverlight issue rather than a problem with your Mac because even users with new Macs running the latest OS X have reported similar problems. I’d suggest following the post above closely to make sure you completely uninstall Silverlight. Once you’ve done that, double check that the following files are definitely deleted and emptied from your Trash: Root Library: /Library/Internet Plug-Ins/Silverlight.plugin and /Library/Receipts/Silverlight*.pkg and in the User Library:
          ~/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Silverlight. Then reinstall Silverlight and it should work properly on your Mac.

          Reply

        2. I was having the same problem until yesterday. I went into the playback settings in Netflix an change the option to use HTML 5 instead of Silverlight. After unchecking the check box, I restarted Safari. The problem went away. I kept removing and reinstalling Silverlight, which may have been needed anyway and is a good idea to do it, but since Netflix wasn’t using Silverlight for playback it never fixe the problem. I hope this helps somebody out there because it has been very frustrating for me.

          Reply

  22. When I try to go to the microsoft webpage to download silverlight it just says no data received. In fact no microsoft pages will open. Can you please help me? Thank you!

    Reply

    1. It sounds like something is configured badly with your internet connection. Go to System Preferences>Network>Configure>Proxies Tab and make sure that no proxies are set. If this doesn’t work, create an entirely new WiFi connection in your WiFi preferences.

      Reply

  24. I’ve tried with Safari, Firefox, and Chrome and in all of them the movie just shows a black screen with the blue dots circling on it. I’ve uninstalled and reinstalled Silverlight 10 times and tried all the instructions on this page. It still won’t work. Help?

    Reply

    1. Marissa, If it’s happening on all browsers, it’s extremely important you follow these instructions to ensure Silverlight is fully removed from your Internet Plugins folder.

      Click on your Macintosh HD and select Library and then Internet Plugins and delete the Silverlight file. Then go back to Macintosh HD and select System and then Library, Internet Plugins and make sure any Silverlight files are deleted. Finally, go to back to Macintosh HD and select Library, Application Support, Microsoft and delete the entire Silverlight folder. Empty Trash and reinstall Silverlight. Let us know if it helps.

      Reply

  26. Hi, so I’ve tried with three different browsers. Firefox, Safari, and Chrome. On all of them i get a black screen that says i need to turn off private browsing which i have done and it still will not work. I followed all the steps above and still no luck. On Firefox i have enabled silverlight, On safari and chrome silverlight won’t even show up in the plug-ins list. I’m running on Mac OS X 10.6.8. I’m about ready just to give up on ever trying to use netflix. Please help.

    Reply

    1. You need to delete your PlayReady folder in your Microsoft folder. Go to Finder (the smiley icon on the far left corner of your Dock), click Go in the Menu at the top of your screen, hold down the Alt key and click on the Library option which appears. Then go to Application Support, Microsoft and delete the PlayReady folder to your Trash and empty Trash. Restart your browser and it should work.

      Reply

  28. Running Mac OS Lion 10.7.5

    Videos run on Netflix fine, but with very quiet audio even with both internal speakers and Silverlight controls turned up to max. Softer dialogue is almost inaudible.

    Problem is the same on Chrome, Firefox and Safari.

    Have tried uninstalling and reinstalling Silverlight.

    Netflix say “It’s a Silverlight or Apple problem.” and won’t help.

    Any thoughts?

    Reply

    1. Have you tried clearing your Silverlight cache? Try the following instructions:

      Quit all open browsers – including this window! You may want to print the following steps.
      Click the Finder icon in your Dock.
      In the menu bar at the top of the screen, select Go.
      Hold down the Option key on your keyboard and select Library.
      Note: If Library is not listed, select Home and open the Library folder.
      Open the Application Support folder.
      Open the Microsoft folder.
      Open the Silverlight folder.
      Drag the is folder to the Trash.
      Open a web browser and play your movie or TV show again.

      Reply

        1. If you’ve definitely got volume cranked up on both Silverlight and your Mac, then the only solution is to use an external application to boost your volume. AudioHijack Pro is one of the best tools for this. You can test it for free but you’ll have to purchase the full version if it helps solve the problem.

          BTW, If the problem is only with Netflix (not YouTube etc) then its definitely a Silverlight problem.

          Reply

  30. I was using the correct location, so I created a blank folder titled “PlayReady” in the HD\Library\Application Support\Microsoft location, then restarted the browser. Still not playing on Netflix.

    Reply

    1. Hi Phee, Close your browser, uninstall Silverlight and then make sure that the following files are definitely deleted:

      /Library/Internet Plug-Ins/Silverlight.plugin
      /Library/Receipts/Silverlight.pkg
      /Library/Receipts/Silverlight_W2_MIX.pkg
      /Library/Internet Plug-Ins/WPFe.plugin
      /Library/Receipts/WPFe.pkg

      Then reinstall Silverlight and see if Netflix works again.

      Reply

      1. You know, none of theses suggestions worked, and I was unable to use netflix at all until recently. I finally found a fix after realizing that with Lion, lots of folders as well as the HD are ‘hidden’ from view… so I found a tutorial to unhide my Library folder, and found two supporting files that were creating the problem! Check out this tutorial:

        http://osxdaily.com/2009/02/25/show-hidden-files-in-os-x/

        Then I deleted the offending folders, where the DRM hash is saved. It’s described here:

        http://chrissilich.com/blog/netflix-error-n8156-6013-or-n8151-on-mac-osx/

        The real trick was to delete the Playready folders in the Library in both my user folder, and the general HD. Then I didn’t even need to reinstall, or restart my Mac. BOOM. Netflix worked. Hopes this helps someone!!! I was at my wits end!

        Reply

  31. It was my ANTIVIRUS (Firewall?)!!!

    Kaspersky must have blocked Silverlight from working.

    I went to the top of the screen where the Kaspersky logo was and select to turn off protection.

    Refreshed Netflix…BAM! Movie!

    Now to turn Kaspersky back on and find a way to allow Silverlight to be used forever.

    😐

    Reply

    1. Hi Heath, Thanks for sharing your solution. If you can’t add Netflix to an exceptions list in Kaspersky, I’d recommend removing Kaspersky completely as it’s not worth the hassle. Generally, an antivirus isn’t needed on Macs.

      Reply

  32. Hello!
    I run mac os 10.5.8, which should support the new silverlight version, but isn’t- I am continually asked to reinstall. Silverlight is not recognized as an extension in my safari preferences, and I’m not sure how to fix this. I cannot run chrome or firefox on my os because they no longer have browsers supported by my os.
    I’ve tried all the suggestions up to this point. Any ideas on what to do?

    Reply

  33. Ok. so i’ve followed each and every step on this page, i’ve tried to load netflix on firefox, chrome and safari. Purged every reference to silverlight from my macbook and still it won’t load. Youtube et al work perfectly fine. And it’s not a router issue because it loads fine on my android tablet, my mother’s ipad and my sister’s windows laptop.

    Macbook running the latest version of OSX.

    Reply

    1. Ok, try this checklist:

      1. Have you definitely checked that the Silverlight for Mac plugin is “Enabled” in your browser add-ons?
      2. Have you got any ad-blocking add-ons installed on your browsers? If so, try disabling them.
      3. If all of the browsers you’ve tried so far have failed, try with Opera for Mac.

      Reply

      1. It tells me that opera isn’t supported.

        I’m getting error code N8156-6206 and in firefox has adblock disabled on netflix. It’s not a network issue as netflix works just fine on my sister’s laptop, my mother’s ipad and my tablet.

        Reply

        1. You need to delete your PlayReady folder in your Microsoft folder. Go to Finder (the smiley icon on the far left corner of your Dock), click Go in the Menu at the top of your screen, hold down the Alt key and click on the Library option which appears. Then go to Application Support, Microsoft and delete the PlayReady folder to your Trash and empty Trash. Restart your browser and it should work.

          Reply

          1. Hey there! I have been trying all day to get netflix to play, uninstalling and reinstalling Silverlight with AppCleaner, restarting browsers (Chrome, Firefox AND Safari) and my MBP (Lion 10.7.5) multiple times all day. I have tried running the DRM Test after reinstalling everything (plug-ins are enabled in Firefox, and Safari, and pop-ups are not blocked, and I have no other software or plug ins that block things) and the DRM Test will not play on either browser. I am so super frustrated and don’t know what to do! I keep getting error N8151- there is a problem playing DRM content on my machine. ??? I am at a breaking point! I just tried to follow the instructions above, but when I go to Application Support>Microsoft, there is no PlayReady folder. ?? What should I do? Helppppp!!!

          2. Hi Phee, It’s strange that your PlayReady folder is not there. Are you sure you are looking in the right folder i.e. Mac HD\Library\Application Support\Microsoft\PlayReady? If you are, try creating a blank folder called PlayReady and let us know if it works.

          3. Hi,

            I deleted all silverlight plug in files you listed. I used Apple Cleaner to do it. I also uninstalled Firefox and reinstalled and then installed Silverlight and still not working for Netflix streaming. I’ve tried all steps multiple times. Restarted browser, closed out browsers etc.

            One thing I find interesting is when just doing it now, I closed out all browsers and sent the silverlight plugin and firefox to trash and tried to empty them this time, I got these 2 error messages ” The operation can’t be completed because the item “Firefox 24.0.dmg” is in use.” AND The operation can’t be completed because the item “Silverlight.dmg” is in use. I restarted my computer and then I was able to empty the trash.

            I don’t have an anti-virus on my my Mac so I know it’s not that. Do I need turn off my “firewall” in order for it to work.

            Thank you!

          4. Hi Wendy, Sorry for the long delay but I missed this comment. If it’s still any help, the reason you’re receiving those error messages when you empty Trash is because you haven’t dragged Firefox or Silverlight to your Applications folder. You are running them directly from the DMG files that you originally downloaded which is like running them from their own separate mini hard drive. By dragging them to your Applications folder, you are fully installing them on your Mac’s hard drive and you will then be able to drag them to the Trash, and empty it no problem.

  35. My Friend Gave Me Her Info For Her Netflix So We Could Share It…
    And It Works Fine Watching Movies From My Phone [Galaxy S4]
    But It Doesn’t Work For My Tv -__- Which Makes Me Mad Lol

    This Morning iWent Onto Netflix On My Mac And It Says iHad To Install Microsoft SilverLight [No Problem) So iDid So, It Installed Successfully..
    But Every Time iTry And Go Back To Netflix To Watch A Movie It Keeps Telling Me iNeed To Install Silver Light But Its Already Installed.. Thats When iWas Using My Firefox Browser , iAlso Have Safari So iTried To Go On Netflix Using Safari , It Recognized The Application HOWEVER Its Now Telling Me iNeed To Upgrade It..

    iKeep Uninstalling And Re-Installing The Micrsoft SilverLight App But Still No Change … Help ??

    – Melanie

    Reply

    1. Have you tried all of the steps in the post above plus the advice given in the comments? If so, what version of Mac OS X are you using?

      Reply

  36. Hi, I’ve tried everything. (Chrome user, also tried fire fox, and safari) I’ve downloaded and redownloaded silver light like you’ve instructed and took off any extensions interrupting it, and everytime I will type in Netflix.com it just loads and then never actually goes to the page. It sits and is trying to load and then shows me an error. None of this helped.

    Reply

    1. Danielle, Sorry to hear that. It is very important that you make sure all Silverlight files are deleted from your Library and System folders before reinstalling Silverlight. Click on your Lion or Mountain Lion HD and select Library and then Internet Plugins and delete the Silverlight file. Then go back to your Lion or Mountain Lion HD and select System and then Library, Internet Plugins and make sure any Silverlight files are deleted. Finally, go to back to Lion or Mountain Macintosh HD and select Library, Application Support, Microsoft and delete the entire Silverlight folder. Empty Trash and reinstall Silverlight. Let us know if it helps.

      Reply

      1. Hi, I have the same problem. Any other page loads on my macbook pro besides Netflix. As soon as I type in the Netflix.com it begins to load but then always comes back to “Oops! Google Chrome could not connect to movies.netflix.com”
        I’ve tried using other browsers, deleted Silverlight following these instructions and reinstalled it. Netflix will load perfectly fine on my iPhone and my roommate’s macbook. What else can I do?

        Reply

        1. Hi Rachel, It may be a problem with the way Chrome connects to the net and fetches pages. Try going into settings in the top right corner of Chrome, click on Settings, then click Show Advanced Settings at the bottom of the page. In the Privacy tab, uncheck “Predict network actions to improve page load performance”. Close Chrome, restart and see if it works.

          Reply

          1. I tried it. All it did was make the loading of any pages very slow and Netflix.com still didn’t load. The page says the same thing, or sometimes “This webpage is not available” when I refresh it after a while of loading.

          2. I think it’s probably something to do with your DNS settings on your Mac. Go to your WiFi in the menu bar, select Open Network Preferences, click Advanced and try adjusting some of the settings. Try removing and re-adding your WiFi network for example and also try connecting with an Ethernet cable to your router.

          3. I have the exact same issue. I am not able to open Netflix on any browser. My other devices are able to connect with it. I have done every silverlight thing that you’ve mentioned. Netflix works on my Mac on different networks. It doesn’t work only at my home and this is only for the past two weeks. My ISP restarted the network from their side but still Netflix will not load. Everything else works fine.

  37. Hi,

    I am experiencing the same problem as Jesse on Netflix, i.e. every time after I clicked to play a movie or TV show, a black screen and a blue ring showed up. I am using a new MBP OS X 10.8.4. Have tried on Firefox, Safari and Chrome but nothing works.

    Please help! Many thanks!

    Reply

        1. Try going to Library and then Receipts (Search for it in Spotlight if you can’t find it). Delete any Silverlight files you see and Empty Trash. Also, delete any files you see in Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Silverlight. Close all web browsers and re-open them. Reinstall Silverlight and it should work.

          Reply

          1. I have followed all these steps many times. Will this have anything to do with the recent data migration from my old MBP (late 2009 version)? I am really puzzled at why Netflix works on my old Mac after upgrading to SL 5 but not the new Mac.

          2. It may be. What version of OS X have you got on the old MBP and which one on the new one? I’d recommend doing a clean install of OS X on your new Mac and installing Silverlight before doing the data migration again as it may well have caused a glitch somehow, especially if you used Time Machine.

          3. Old: Mid 2010, OS X 10.8.4, 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
            New: Early 2013, OS X 10.8.4, 3.0 GHz Intel Core i7
            How do I install a clean OS X?

          4. You’ll have to download Mountain Lion from the Mac app store, create a bootdisk on a USB drive and reinstall it that way. I’ll post full instructions shortly.

  39. Hi!

    I’ve been trying to watch netflix on my macbook pro for quite a while now, and all I’m getting out of it is immense frustration. I’ve downloaded, installed, uninstalled, redownloaded, and reinstalled silverlight a few times but to no avail. After clicking on a movie/show to watch all I seem to be getting is a black screen and a blue ring.

    Please help!!! Thanks!

    Reply

      1. At first I was using safari, then I switched over to firefox, but it still didn’t seem to work. any ideas?

        Reply

          1. I also have this problem, and have tried everything to fix it. I even spent 2 hours on the phone with Netflix customer support.

  40. Greetings to All!

    I was recently enjoying Netflix on my Macbook Air, 10.8.3, via Firefox. Suddenly, I started getting redirected to the Netflix “Compatibility” page. I’ve tried many suggested fixes, but one problem remains.
    Every time I try to reinstall Silverlight I’m directed to a “Moonlight” page. I’ve tried to dwnld that but get a message stating it’s not compatible with Firefox 21.0 I have no clue where to go at this point.
    Any thoughts?

    Reply

  41. I was able to access Netflix without a hitch on my MacBook, and just recently my browser won’t even go to the Netflix home screen. Is there something I should be aware of that took place within the last few days concerning Apple users? Any would be greatly appreciated!

    Reply

    1. Hi Jay, What exactly happens when you try to access Netflix? Do you see a black screen for example? Which browser are you using and are you sure that the Silverlight add-on needed to play Netflix is activated and up to date?

      Reply

      1. Hello,

        My status bar freezes for an extended amount of time before entering the Netflix home page. Once there, I log on…and nothing.

        I’m currently using Safari and running Mac OS X Software. According to my Plug-ins list I am up to date with Silverlight. I’m assuming the list is accurate considering I was able to watch several movies just last week.

        Reply

        1. I would suggest trying another browser before going any further. Try installing Firefox or Chrome and see if you have the same problem. Let us know what happens.

          Reply

          1. I am having the same problem and I tried it on Firefox and Chrome and the same things happen. I’ve tried everything you’ve listed above, but the netflix homepage won’t even load.

  42. Hello ,
    i have a an old mac book and i am unable to download silverlight because it says that i need the MACOS X 10.5 or higher. is there any way to go around this or fix it ? please help !!

    Reply

  43. Hi, I installed Silverlight using the method you’ve provided here, every time I go to use netflix, it either does not play in HD or the picture quality gets choppy when I go to full screen mode. I am currently using Mac OSX 10.7.5. Can you tell me what might be wrong?

    Reply

  44. I’ve done everything listed here and it still does not work. There are not extensions blocking Silverlight because the two I have were disabled. It was working fine yesterday morning before centurylink’s internet outage.

    Reply

    1. Hi Maya, Try following the instructions I’ve given to Inga above using Safari. If you’re using Firefox, to do the same thing go to Preferences, Advanced, Network and Settings.. Make sure that Auto-Detect is selected and click OK. Restart Firefox if necessary and let me know if it works.

      Reply

        1. Krystal, Can you give us a bit more information. What exactly are you seeing when you try to play Netflix films on your Mac? Which browser are you using?

          Reply

          1. I am using Safari browser on a Macbook Pro computer. I just recently installed updates and prior to that it had been working just fine. The message that I receive from Netflix is that I need to download silverlight (which I already have). I’ve tried uninstalling it by the ways indicated above and I have attempted to chance the settings that you suggested to Inga.

          3. Hi Krystal, Are you sure that the Silverlight plugin is activated in Safari? Go to Preferences, Extensions and check that Silverlight is enabled.

            If this doesn’t work, I highly recommend trying another browser such as Firefox or Google Chrome instead for playing Netflix movies.

  45. hi, we tried deleting and installing silverlight and still no luck on safari, we get blank screen, get stuck on movies.netflix.com. tried the option with firefox, did not work either. Any other ideas?

    Reply

    1. Hi Inga, It could be a proxy issue. Go to Preferences in Safari and select Advanced. Click on Change Settings next to Proxies. Make sure Auto Proxy Discovery is selected and click OK. Try again, and restart the browser if it doesn’t work first time and let me know what happens.

      Reply

      1. hi im having the same problem and i tried to do this but my macbook isnt allowing me to check the auto proxy discovery box..

        Reply

      2. Hi, there is no Auto Proxy Discovery option under my Proxies. I tried selecting ‘Automatic Proxy configuration’ but it appears it needs some sort of file.

        Reply

        1. Lilyanne, Try the solutions suggested in the comments below. It is important all traces of Silverlight are removed from your Mac before reinstalling. In particular, make sure that the following are definitely removed:

          /Library/Internet Plug-Ins/Silverlight.plugin
          /Library/Receipts/Silverlight.pkg
          /Library/Receipts/Silverlight_W2_MIX.pkg
          /Library/Internet Plug-Ins/WPFe.plugin
          /Library/Receipts/WPFe.pkg

          Reply

          1. I did as you said by searching for the above documents and extensions, and used App Cleaner to remove the app. Reinstalled, restarted the computer, and still get the same error. ??

          2. I’m having the same issue as Lilyanne: On my advanced settings for Proxies, I just have the option ‘Automatic Proxy configuration’ (not discovery) and it doesn’t allow me to select it. I mean, i does, but when I go back to the main menu it gets automatically deselected.
            I get black page, no control players. I’m using IMac with Mac OS 10.5.8, Safari version 5.0.6… Apparently, it should work…

          3. Flavia and Lilyanne, The reason you can’t seen the Auto Proxy Discovery option is because you are using OS X 10.5.8 Leopard. It is strongly advised that to help Netflix run properly on your Mac, you upgrade to at least OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard or preferably OS X 10.7 Lion. You may find this fixes the problems you are having anyway because OS X 10.5 is quite dated now and has issues with Silverlight and Netflix.

  46. Hello. I am having troulbe getting Silverlight to show up on my MacBook pro using Firefox, in order to stream Netflix movies. I tried all of the above. Any other suggestions? Thanks.

    Reply

    1. Hi Brett, I’ve updated the post with more detailed instructions about how to fix Netflix for Mac Silverlight problems in Firefox. If it still doesn’t help you, let me know exactly what happens when you try to watch Netflix in Firefox on your Mac and I’ll try to help.

      Reply

      1. Thanks, Mac How. Still having trouble- Silverlight does not show up in my Tools/Add Ons/Plugins, it’s as if Firefox cannot see it. Thus, I am unable to Enable it. Brett

        Reply

        1. Hi Brett, If you can’t see the Silverlight Add-On in Firefox then it’s a bug. Uninstall both Silverlight and Firefox. Reinstall them both and it should work. Let me know if not.

          Reply

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