Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

How to play videos (for example .mp4 file) in browser instead of having a dialog asking me where to download it ?

  • 5 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by G-LUX

more options

When I'm trying to play a video on a site (file is .mp4), it will ask me what to do with the file i.e. Save it or Open it with VLC instead of just playing it in the browser. I can see thumbnail of the video so I don't think it's a plugin problem (like with the Flash plugin on this page https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/fix-common-audio-and-video-issues#w_flash-plugin). I just did a clean install of Windows 10 Pro N, updated to 1909 and installed everything fresh (even the Media Feature Pack for Windows 10 N (November 2019). Was previously on Windows 7 with FF and never had this happen to me in 10 years... How to simply play videos in the browser without having to "download" them first and then play them with VLC ? I've searched online for more than 1 hour and even had to register here just to ask this... PLEASE HELP !!!

When I'm trying to play a video on a site (file is .mp4), it will ask me what to do with the file i.e. Save it or Open it with VLC instead of just playing it in the browser. I can see thumbnail of the video so I don't think it's a plugin problem (like with the Flash plugin on this page https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/fix-common-audio-and-video-issues#w_flash-plugin). I just did a clean install of Windows 10 Pro N, updated to 1909 and installed everything fresh (even the Media Feature Pack for Windows 10 N (November 2019). Was previously on Windows 7 with FF and never had this happen to me in 10 years... How to simply play videos in the browser without having to "download" them first and then play them with VLC ? I've searched online for more than 1 hour and even had to register here just to ask this... PLEASE HELP !!!

All Replies (5)

more options

Hi, can you paste the URL of this video on this page https://fabianstiehle.com/mimetype/ and check its MIME type?

more options

If I copy the link location on the page and paste it into your site, it gives me

Results Content-Type: text/plain

so i think something is not working with your field

How to simply read a video in the browser like it always have ? Why does it give me the dialog box to download the .mp4 file ?

more options

You can try out this page: https://download.blender.org/peach/bigbuckbunny_movies/

It contains mp4 files with video/mp4 content type. Does this video open in the browser?

more options

Nope, It appears as a FTP listing the files, and if i click on it, i can download the link. Same problem on Edge browser, what is wrong ?? Install is 2 days fresh, everything new ... How to play the damn files in the browser...

more options

I HAVE FOUND THE WORKAROUND : Problem was that i was on Windows 10 PRO N Version, and apparently it was lacking some features...

Solution : go to settings > apps > Optional features > add a feature > Media feature pack and download it.

Thank you Microsoft i guess...