The error you're seeing is related to the Silverlight plugin, which Netflix uses to play movies and TV shows on your computer. This error is usually caused by one of three things: A computer setting preventing Silverlight from storing files it needs to play your movie or TV show An issue with the Silverlight plugin itself An issue with the content you're trying to play To fix this error, follow the steps below for your Windows or Mac computer. Steps for Windows The Netflix.com player runs on the Microsoft Silverlight platform. Microsoft provides a free Fix It tool that you can download and run to resolve many Silverlight issues on computers running Windows 7 or later. Netflix recommends using the Microsoft Fix It Tool to resolve this error. Fix it If the Fix it Tool didn't clear the error, or if you're running Windows XP or Vista, try the troubleshooting steps below. Use an alternate browser We recommend updating to a browser that supports HTML5 to ensure your computer is optimized for our web player. Please download the latest version of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Opera and try Netflix again. Our web player works best on: Google Chrome on Windows XP Service Pack 2 or later. Mozilla Firefox on Windows Vista or later. Opera on Windows Vista Service Pack 2 or later. Clear your browser cache Open your Internet browser and follow the steps below, Internet Explorer (9 and Newer): Select the Gear icon . Select Internet Options. Under Browsing History, select Delete. Uncheck all except Temporary Internet Files. Select Delete. Firefox (10 and Newer): Click the Menu button. Select the history drop-down menu. Select the History button for newer versions. Select Clear Recent History. Under Details, uncheck everything except Cache. In the Time Range to Clear dropdown, select Everything. Then select Clear Now. Chrome (version 23 and newer): Click the Menu button . Select History. Select Clear Browsing Data and uncheck everything except Cached images and files. In the Obliterate the following items from dropdown, select the beginning of time. Select Clear Browsing Data. Troubleshoot your browser Clear browser cookies Your browser may be referencing an outdated or corrupted setting in the cookie file. Go to netflix.com/clearcookies to clear the Netflix cookie. This will sign you out of Netflix.com. Select Netflix Home, then Member Sign In to log back in and play your movie or TV show again. Restart your browser Sometimes restarting your browser can clear this issue. Quit your browser, restart it, and play your movie or TV show again. Try another browser We recommend updating to a browser that supports HTML5 to ensure your computer is optimized for our web player. Please download the latest version of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Opera and try Netflix again. Our web player works best on: Google Chrome on Windows XP Service Pack 2 or later. Mozilla Firefox on Windows Vista or later. Opera on Windows Vista Service Pack 2 or later. Uninstall and Reinstall the Silverlight Plug-in You may be running an outdated version of the Silverlight plug-in, or the plug-in may have become corrupted. To uninstall the Silverlight plug-in: Windows 8 Quit all open browsers - including this window! You may want to print the following steps. Swipe from the right edge of the screen, then tap Settings. (If you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, then click Settings.) Select Control Panel Underneath Programs, select Uninstall a program. Locate and select Microsoft Silverlight Select Uninstall Windows 7/Vista Quit all open browsers - including this window! You may want to print the following steps Click on the Start Button Select Control Panel Set the View by in the top right to Category Under Programs select Uninstall a program Locate and select Microsoft Silverlight Select Uninstall Windows XP Quit all open browsers - including this window! You may want to print the following steps. Click on the Start Button Select Control Panel Select Add or Remove Programs Locate and select Microsoft Silverlight Click Remove To install the latest version of the Silverlight plug-in: Navigate to the Watch Instantly home page and click play on any title. Follow the prompts to download and Install Silverlight on Your Windows PC. See our Netflix system requirements for HTML5 Player and Silverlight to make sure Silverlight is compatible with your computer. Do you have anti-virus software installed? Sometimes anti-virus software can interfere with the player Netflix uses to play movies and TV shows. Quit your anti-virus software and play your TV show or movie again. If a TV show or movie resumes after you've quit your anti-virus software, this may indicate that the software is outdated or unintentionally preventing the Netflix service from playing. Please reach out to your anti-virus software manufacturer to address these issues. Steps for Mac Use an alternate browser We recommend updating to a browser that supports HTML5 to ensure your computer is optimized for our web player. Please download the latest version of Google Chrome or Opera and try Netflix again. Our web player works best on: Google Chrome on OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) or later. Opera on OS X 10.9 (Mavericks) or later. Troubleshoot your browser Clear browser cookies Your browser may be referencing an outdated or corrupted setting in the cookie file. Go to netflix.com/clearcookies to clear the Netflix cookie. This will sign you out of Netflix.com. Select Netflix Home, then Member Sign In to log back in and play your movie or TV show again. Restart your browser Sometimes restarting your browser can clear this issue. Quit your browser, restart it, and play your movie or TV show again. Try another browser We recommend updating to a browser that supports HTML5 to ensure your computer is optimized for our web player. Please download the latest version of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Opera and try Netflix again. Our web player works best on: Google Chrome on Windows XP Service Pack 2 or later. Mozilla Firefox on Windows Vista or later. Opera on Windows Vista Service Pack 2 or later. Uninstall and Reinstall the Silverlight Plug-in You may be running an outdated version of the Silverlight plug-in, or the plug-in may have become corrupted. To uninstall the Silverlight plug-in: Quit all open browsers - including this window! You may want to print the following steps. Click the Finder icon from the Dock at the bottom of the screen. In the menu bar at the top of the screen, select Go then Computer. Click the Macintosh HD icon. Select Library. Select Internet Plugins. Drag Silverlight.plugin to your trash. Once you have emptied your trash, Microsoft Silverlight un-installation is complete. To install the latest version of the Silverlight plug-in: Navigate to the Watch Instantly home page and click play on any title. Follow the prompts to download and Install Silverlight on Your Mac. See our Netflix system requirements for HTML5 Player and Silverlight to make sure Silverlight is compatible with your computer. Some members may encounter the message "Silverlight.dmg cannot be opened because it is from an unidentified developer" when attempting to install Silverlight. This is fairly common for applications that are not downloaded from the Mac App store. If you encounter this message, continue with the following steps to complete your Silverlight installation. Right-click or hold Control on your keyboard and click on Silverlight.pkg. Click Open on the pop-up menu. Click Open on the prompt that says "Silverlight.pkg" is not from the Mac App Store. Are you sure you want to open it? Opening "Silverlight.pkg" will always allow it to run on this Mac. Follow the prompts to complete installation. Do you have anti-virus software installed? Sometimes anti-virus software can interfere with the player Netflix uses to play movies and TV shows. Quit your anti-virus software and play your TV show or movie again. If a TV show or movie resumes after you've quit your anti-virus software, this may indicate that the software is outdated or unintentionally preventing the Netflix service from playing. Please reach out to your anti-virus software manufacturer to address these issues.
