Are you facing an error while using Chrome and Netflix where the Widevine Content Decryption Module is mentioned? Well, Chrome plays DRM-protected HTMLS audios and videos with the help of Widevine Content Decryption Module (WidevineCdm) that decryption module is built into Chrome browsers.

It is so annoying when you are just about to watch a video or listen to a song and an error is preventing you to do so. You may find it difficult to fix it until you do not know the procedure to do so. But once you know the way to fix it, you will be easily able to fix it by yourself. Do not worry, it is not a tough job to fix a Widevine Content Decryption Module.

Widevine Content Decryption Module Fixing

We are going to let you know all the methods to fix the Widevine Content Decryption Module Chrome. So, go through the below sections to know the ways in which you will be able to fix the problem easily that you are dealing with.

Method 1: Update The Decryption Module

At the very beginning, you have to update the Widevine Content Decryption Module to check if this can fix the problem. You need to update the plugin by using Chrome itself. Here are the steps below, that you have to perform to do that. And before that, you must launch Chrome in administrator mode. Do that by right-clicking on Chrome and clicking on the “Run as administrator”.

• Go to the address bar of chrome after opening it. Type chrome://components/ and hit the Enter button.
• After going to the page, you need to find the “Widevine Content Decryption Module”. Then select “Check for update” that you are going to see underneath.
• Then refresh the page. Check if the update is successful. If it is successful, you will find “Up-to-date” under the plugin.
• After that, restart your device and check if this solution has fixed the issue you were dealing with.

Method 2: Check Your Security Software

It is possible that the security software like the antivirus is responsible for the error that is occurring. Or it is a common thing that the security software installed on your device is preventing your device from updating the plugin. So, if you could not update it, you must disable your firewalls or antivirus software and try to update it. Disable those temporarily and enable them again after updating successfully.

Method 3: Reinstall Your Chrome Browser

It is an effective method to fix the issue. The module will be deleted after you uninstall your Chrome browser. If some of the components are not working properly or are corrupted, this method is going to fix the issue. Here are the steps below that you have to perform to reinstall your chrome browser.

• Open the Run utility by pressing the Windows key and the R key on your keyboard. Then type “appwiz.cpl” there and hit the Enter button. This will take you to a window where you will see a list of all the applications of your device.
• After that, you have to right-click on the “Google Chrome” and choose Uninstall.
• Now go to the official website of Google after you uninstall the application. And download Chrome.
• You have to run the executable to install Chrome after downloading it. After completing the installation process, check if this fixed the problem.

Method 4: Change The Permission of WidevineCdm

You can try to fix the problem by changing the permission of WidevineCdm. You are not going to be able to update the plugin if you do not have sufficient privileges as Windows UAC will not allow you to do so. You have to go to the plugin folder and check if your account has full control before you update it again.

• Open the Run utility by pressing the Windows key and the R key together on your keyboard. After that, type “%userprofile%/appdata/local” there and hit the Enter button. This will take you to the folder.
• After that, you have to select Google and choose Chrome, then click on User Data.
• On the next step, find “WidevineCdm” from the folder’s list. Then choose Properties after right-clicking on “WidevineCdm”.
• Go to the Security tab and check if the login user has the full accessibility of the folder. You may find a tick beside the “Full control” in the properties.

In case you find you do not have full control, here are the steps below that you have to perform.

• Choose your profile and select Edit.
• You are going to find a tick under the column of Deny. you have to uncheck it to give your account full access. Save the changes by pressing Apply and get out from there.
• Now check if the problem is still there after restarting your device.

Method 5: Update The Plugin Folder After Deleting It

If the above methods did not fix the issue you are facing, you can try to fix the problem by reinstalling the plugin folder after deleting it. Check if you have logged n as an administrator because you will not be able to perform this method without administrative privileges. Here are the steps that you have to follow to perform the method.

• Press the Windows key and the R key on your keyboard to open the Run utility and type “%userprofile%/appdata/local” there. Then hit the Enter button and the plugin folder will appear on the screen.
• On the next step, you have to select Google and choose Chrome. Then click on User Data.
• Then right-click on the “WidevineCdm” that you are going to find in the folders’ list. Click on Delete then.
• After that, press the Windows key and the S key together and type “task manager” there. Then click on Run as administrator after right-clicking on the application.
• Now, right-click on Chrome entries and click on End task to end all Chrome tasks.
• Now you have to follow method 1 again to update the plugin. This time the module is going to update in a proper way and Chrome will restart automatically.
• Now try to play any audio or video after restarting your device. Hopefully, you are not going to be bothered by the problem anymore.

These were all the solutions, performing in which you can fix the issue of the Widevine Content Decryption Module. So, go through the above section and perform those solutions carefully to get rid of the problem. Hopefully, now you are able to fix the problem bothering you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the decryption module called Widevine Content Decryption Module?

Google Chrome, Android TV, Android MediaDRM, and some other electronic devices provide the Widevine which is a digital rights management (DRM) technology. A Content Decryption Module or CDM is provided by the Widevine. CDM is a client to Google and other devices.

Is Widevine used by YouTube?

Yes, YouTube uses Widevine. Most of the major content services use Widevine. Netflix, Google Play, Amazon, Hulu and many more content services use it like YouTube. Devices like Android OS, other OTT devices and web browsers like Firefox and Chrome embed Widevine.