YouTube no longer buffers videos in Chromium 133, but updates haven't improved the situation.
YouTube no longer buffers videos in Chromium 133, but updates haven't improved the situation.
Hello! I hope you find some suggestions. I’m usually comfortable with technical stuff, having spent many years as a hobbyist and 5-10 years in IT. I’m feeling a bit stuck right now.
Problem Overview
On my Win10 Pro 22H2 laptop, I usually stream YouTube videos using a fairly basic, non-search-focused Chrome browser. (Note: I’ve installed the fully built Chromium binary and configuration files from https://chromium.woolyss.com/ – it’s a really impressive project.) I used the “Installer” version by Marmaduke for Chromium on 64-bit Windows. It looks and feels like the standard Google Chrome but doesn’t pull too heavily on Google’s services.
Current Status
As of 18 Feb 2025, I’m running version 133.0.6943.130 (build 1402768). When I start my PC and watch a few videos, the first ~20 seconds usually load, but after that the next clips freeze. This happens no matter the screen size. Ads still play without issues, but videos keep buffering completely.
What I’ve Tried
- Checked internet speed – it’s solid (>100 Mbps).
- Ran troubleshooting steps – ruled out network problems.
- Verified in Firefox (not signed into Google) – videos play fully.
- Tried Chromium in Incognito – only first 10-20 seconds load.
- Cleared cache, cookies, history – nothing changed.
- Restarted PC – still no improvement.
- Disabled EFF Privacy Badger – videos worked.
- Used DNS-over-HTTPS to Quad9 and internal TLS on router – no difference.
- Ran scans by Microsoft Defender, Malwarebytes, Emsisoft – all clean.
What Else Could Be Checked
- Could it be a recent update or patch in YouTube affecting performance?
- Is there a known issue with the Chromium version I’m using?
- Have I accidentally changed any browser settings recently?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Performed additional troubleshooting steps. On another machine using Google Chrome 133.x, YouTube functioned smoothly with no glitches. No login was required. This provides some insight despite the differing hardware — identical Chrome settings were present on both devices, though one ran Google Chrome and the other used untested Chromium. I powered off the problematic machine and performed a cold restart. The problem continued, but everything remained consistent with no changes made. I reverted cache, history, and cookies, as well as enabled third-party cookies, yet the issue persisted. YouTube would only buffer the initial 10–20 seconds of a video before stopping, then refused further loading. Edit: YouTube Shorts operated without interruption, showing a smooth buffer of 17, 16, 15 seconds before jumping to around 25 seconds. This indicates normal download behavior for regular videos. Edit 2: After extensive research (no changes applied), I discovered a GitHub discussion: https://github.com/ungoogled-software/un...2657568407. The thread referenced a reported issue with Chrome 133.x and noted many users experienced similar problems. A comment highlighted the odd behavior and suggested possible retaliation from YouTube, though I don’t use any ad blocker and still receive ads occasionally. Sometimes skipping ads leads to different ad placements. I’ve noticed my comments are routinely flagged for review since early 2024, and only a handful of positive interactions have been made—well under 50. My Google account dates back to around 2004, obtained during Gmail’s beta phase with exclusive invites from a Google employee. It’s a reliable account. Despite this, I’ve felt targeted—my posts are consistently held for review without explanation, and I’ve never been warned about violating community rules. The core GitHub issue remains unresolved, but it’s still being discussed here: https://github.com/ungoogled-software/un...ssues/3012. I’m considering reading the thread more carefully, as it might explain the pattern. For now, I’ll keep an eye on it.
Ha, jokers. I never rest. The fix came from a WebGL fix. From the GitHub issue at the end https://github.com/ungoogled-software/un...ssues/3012, many discussed YouTube’s backend interactions with FedCm. A patch at https://github.com/ungoogled-software/un.../pull/3209 is coming soon. For me, the real solution was WebGL-related. 1. Open chrome://flags, find "Disable WebGL" and switch it to Enabled. 2. Restart the browser. YouTube now runs perfectly, buffering new segments and letting you navigate timelines normally. Note: This works only for privacy-focused WebGL changes in the ungoogled-chromium project, not standard Chrome or other Chromium browsers. But it’s a relief to finally track it down. Hope this assists anyone facing the same problem. By the way, I’m currently using "Marmaduke's" build "Version 133.0.6943.130 (Official Build, ungoogled-chromium) (64-bit)" Important Update: This isn’t a long-term fix—it’s just a temporary workaround. WebGL fingerprinting issues remain. Pull Request 3217 may resolve it, then you might need to turn WebGL back on again.