Fix: Hulu not Working on Chrome

Hulu may not work in Chrome due to an outdated version of Chrome or outdated OS of your system. Moreover, wrong or outdated configuration of the Chrome browser (like hardware acceleration, hardware media key handling, Widevine Content Decryption Module, etc.) may also cause the error under discussion.

The issue occurs when a user attempts to open the Hulu website in the Chrome browser. Some users were able to log in to the site but could not play any of the content. For some of the users, if they were able to play the videos, either the video stutters or pauses/un-pauses automatically; ending in a black screen.

Before moving on with the solutions, restart your system and networking equipment. Moreover, make sure the OS of your system is supported by Google for the Chrome updates.

Solution 1: Update the Chrome Browser to the Latest Build

Google updates Chrome regularly to add new features and patch the known bugs. This issue might occur you are using an outdated version of the Chrome browser because of which the latest features needed by Hulu will not be available. In this context, updating Chrome to the latest build may solve the problem.

1. Launch the Chrome browser and click on 3 vertical ellipses (3 vertical dots near the top right of the screen).
2. Now, in the menu shown, click on Settings and then in the left pane of the window, click on About Chrome.

   

3. Now, check if an update is available, then update the browser (if you are using a very old version of the browser, it will be better to leave it overnight to update) and relaunch it.

   

4. Upon relaunch, check if Chrome is working fine for Hulu.

Solution 2: Update the OS of Your System to the Latest Build

The OS of your system is updated regularly to add new features and patch known bugs. You may encounter the error under discussion if the OS of your system is outdated. In this context, updating the OS of your system (any incompatibility between the OS components will be ruled out) to the latest build may solve the problem. For illustration, we will guide you through the process of a Windows PC.

1. Press the Windows key and then in the Windows Search box, type Updates. Then, in the list of results, select Check for Updates.

   

2. Now, in the Windows Update Settings window, click on Check for Updates. If there are updates available, install the updates (do not forget to check the optional updates) and restart your system.

   

3. Upon restart, check if Hulu is working fine in the Chrome browser.

Solution 3: Create a New Chrome Profile for the User

On a single machine, you can use multi-Chrome profiles. However, multiple Chrome profiles are known to conflict with operations of Hulu when it runs in the browser. In this context, creating a new Chrome profile may solve the problem and will help single out the corrupt profile.

1. Launch the Chrome browser and click on the user profile icon (near the top right of the screen).
2. Now click on Add (in other people section) and then fill up details as per your requirement.

   

3. Also, do not forget to check the option of Create a Desktop Shortcut of This User.

   

4. Now exit Chrome and then click on the shortcut of Chrome of the newly created profile on your desktop to check if the Hulu issue for Chrome is resolved.

Solution 4: Disable Extensions of the Chrome Browser

Extensions are used to add additional functionality to a browser. However, poorly developed extensions are know to cause several issues. In this context, disabling the browser extensions may solve the problem (dark mode and ad-blocking extensions are reported to create the issue). You can also try the incognito mode of Chrome to rule out any interference from the extensions (if no extension is given access to the incognito mode).

1. Launch the Chrome browser and click on the Extensions icon (near the top right of the screen).
2. Now, in the menu shown, click on Manage Extensions.

   

3. Then, in the extensions’ menu, disable all the extensions by toggling their respective switches to the off position.

   

4. Now, relaunch the browser and check if Hulu is working fine in chrome.
5. If so, then enable the extensions one by one, until the problematic extension is found. Then keep the problematic extensions disabled until the issue is resolved.

Solution 5: Disable Hardware Acceleration in the Browser’s Settings

Hardware acceleration (when enabled) of the browser helps it in achieving faster process execution time and improves the user experience quite a lot. However, this feature may break the operation of the browser or site and thus cause Hulu not to work (in some cases also reported the opposite). Thus, in this scenario, enabling (or disabling) the hardware acceleration of the browser may solve the problem.

1. Launch the Chrome browser and open its menu by clicking on 3 vertical ellipses (near the top right of the window).
2. Then click on Settings and expand Advanced (in the left pane of the window).
3. Now open System and then disable (or enable) Hardware Acceleration by toggling its switch to the off position.

   

4. Now relaunch the browser and then check if the Hulu issue is resolved.

Solution 6: Disable Hardware Media Key Handling Flag

You can use the media keys of your keyboard to control the active media session in Chrome if the Hardware Media Key Handling flag is enabled. But this flag can break the operation of the browser or Hulu website and thus cause the issue at hand. In this scenario, disabling the said flag may solve the problem.

1. Launch the Chrome browser and enter the following in the address bar:

   chrome://flags/#hardware-media-key-handling

2. Now, click on the drop-down menu located in front of Hardware Media Key Handling and then select Disabled.

   

3. Then click on the Relaunch button (located at the bottom of the window).
4. Upon relaunch, check if the Hulu website is working fine in Chrome.

Solution 7: Update the Adobe Flash Player to the Latest Build

Adobe flash player is used to play multimedia files in the Chrome browser. However, using an outdated Flash player may cause issues with Hulu. In this context, updating the flash player to the latest build may solve the problem. This solution applies to the users who have enabled the flash player in the browser’s settings.

1. Launch the Chrome browser and enter the following in the address bar:

   chrome://components/

2. Now scroll down till you find the option of Adobe Flash Player and then click on the Check for Update button.

   

3. Now refresh the page and then relaunch Chrome to check if the Hulu issue is resolved.

Solution 8: Clear Cookies, Cache, and Data of the Chrome Browser

Like many other browsers, Chrome uses cookies (to store client/server communication) and a cache (to boost up performance and improve the user experience). Despite their utility, corrupt cookies can hinder operation of a website instead of facilitating it.

In this context, clearing the cookies and cache/ data of the browser (you may have to re-login the sites) may solve the problem. You can also try incognito mode of the Chrome browser if the issue is related to cookies.

1. Launch the Chrome browser and open the Hulu website in it.
2. Now, click on the lock icon (located on the left of the address bar of Chrome) and then click on Cookies.

   

3. Now, select any of the cookies and then click on the Remove button. Repeat the processes for every cookie and then click on Done.

   

4. Then relaunch the browser and check if Hulu is working fine in Chrome.
5. If not, open the Chrome’s menu by clicking on 3 vertical ellipses (3 vertical dots near the top left of the screen).
6. Now hover your mouse over More Tools and then in the sub-menu, click on Clear Browsing Data.

   

7. Then, click on the sign out button near the bottom of the screen.
8. Now select the time range of All Time and then select all the categories.

   

9. Now click on the Clear Data button and then relaunch the browser.
10. Then open the Hulu site and check if it is working fine in Chrome.

Solution 9: Update the Widevine Content Decryption Module to the Latest Build

Widevine Content Decryption Module is used by content owners to distribute video content securely by deploying different encryption schemes and hardware security. But an outdated Widevine component can create hindrance in the operation of the Chrome browser or the Hulu website and thus cause the issue at hand. In this scenario, updating the said component may solve the problem.

1. Exit Chrome and make sure no Chrome-related process is running in the Task Manager of your system.
2. Then open the File Explorer of your system and navigate to the following path (where C is your system drive):

   C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\

3. Now open the folder having only numbers as its name (the same number as your Chrome version number, currently 85.0.4183.102).

   

4. Now, delete the folder named  WidevineCdm (you may rename the folder if you want to play safe).

   

5. Then launch the Chrome and enter the following in its address bar:

   chrome://components

6. Now scroll down until you find the component of the Widevine Content Decryption Module and then click on Check for Update button (if it is not updating, then try to disable protected content in the Site Settings of Chrome).

   

7. Now refresh the page and note down the version of the module.
8. Then exit the Chrome browser and make sure no Chrome-related process is running in the Task Manager of your system.
9. Now open the File Explorer of your system and navigate to the following path:

   %userprofile%\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\WidevineCdm

10. Now check if the folder name here matches the updated version of the Widevine component, if not, then rename the folder to match the version of the said component. Then check if Chrome is working fine for Hulu.

    

Solution 10: Reinstall the Chrome Browser

If nothing has worked for you far, then the Hulu issue could be a result of a corrupt Chrome installation. In this scenario, reinstalling the Chrome browser may solve the problem. For elucidation, we will guide you through the process for a Windows PC.

1. Backup the essential information like bookmarks, login information, etc and exit the Chrome browser.
2. Click on the Windows button and then click on the gear icon to open the Settings of your system.

   

3. Then open Apps and expand Google Chrome.
4. Now click on the Uninstall button and then confirm to uninstall Chrome.

   

5. Now, follow the prompts on your screen to complete the uninstallation of Chrome.
6. Then restart your system and upon restart, reinstall Chrome and hopefully, the Hulu issue is resolved.

If nothing has worked for you, then try another browser or another device to play the Hulu content. You can also try to roll back the Chrome update (if supported by your version of Chrome).