The VideoLAN Forums

A new youtube.luac file has been released today, Saturday, 4 September 2021 which should resolve all the problems experienced with youtube just lately.

As usual, the code can be downloaded from here: https://github.com/videolan/vlc/blob/ma ... outube.lua

Instructions on how to create the file here: https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.ph ... 26#p483226
The post is date 01 December 2018, but the link will take you to the latest version. Otherwise instructions remain the same.

Hello. I try all exactly how it's discribed. It does not work to stream a playlist from youtube.
I delete (incl. delete cache) the VLC and reinstalled, i copied the newest file (https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/ ... quests/804) , renamed it, replaced the old youtube.lua, tried to uncheck the HTTPS button in the settings

I run Windows 10 Pro (64bit) VLC Plus Player 3.0.16

The Playlist i want to Play in VLC is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp4Ub7P ... &index=281

I dont know what to do else. My search in this forum does not help. tried so many things. Can you help me?

(I am German and tried to write in english as good as i can)
If my post is not at the right place here, pls replace it to the right section)

It's only a 6 minute video so try it with just the video ID which is Hp4Ub7P6PiA. So the url will be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp4Ub7P6PiA

If that doesn't work you can download it using yt-dlp which is a command line tool which you can get from here:
https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releas ... 2021.10.10
If you need any help with that let me know.

EDIT One of the devs (unidan) has posted in another thread that a new youtube.luac file is expected to be released shortly to address youtube playback issues so you might want to hang on to see if that fixes your playback problem.

Tried the yt-dlp, and then to play the URL as you said. Doesnt work, get a error Window

The updated script is there: https://code.videolan.org/linkfanel/vlc ... line=false

That link is only for the October 2021 update. If you read this later, it won't work.

Sorry that does not either work. Get this error (it's particular in German)

https://share-your-photo.com/f3eb6afa6f

No matter which Video i will look in VLC

I tested it this morning and didn't encounter any problems with playback using this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn1egrjMoD8


(click to enlarge)

The updated youtube.luac code can be copied from Github at https://github.com/videolan/vlc/blob/ma ... outube.lua

For clarity, here is the same URL
Link to instructions create the youtube.luac file: https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.ph ... 26#p483226

Hello. I try all exactly how it's discribed. It does not work to stream a playlist from youtube.
I delete (incl. delete cache) the VLC and reinstalled, i copied the newest file (https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/ ... quests/804) , renamed it, replaced the old youtube.lua, tried to uncheck the HTTPS button in the settings

I run Windows 10 Pro (64bit) VLC Plus Player 3.0.16

The Playlist i want to Play in VLC is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp4Ub7P ... &index=281

Also tested using your link. Again no playback problems using your own URL.


(click to enlarge)

Thx for trying me to help. Nothing seems to work with my VLC. I look in future again at youtube. I give up.

I run Windows 10 Pro (64bit) VLC Plus Player 3.0.16

Where did you download vlc from? The reason I'm asking is because the official version is called "VLC media player" not VLC Plus Player.

I suggest you uninstall it choosing also to delete preferences and cache and then install the latest version from here: https://www.videolan.org/
You can change the menus language to German afterwards by opening Preferences (Ctrl + P) and change "Menu language" to "Deutsch". Save, exit and restart vlc.

Delete my old installation, clear cache and preferences, reinstalled from https://www.videolan.org/ , change the luac in my directory to the new. Same Error as usual.

Please do the following:

1. Start vlc without playing a video.
2. Hit Ctrl + M to open the Messages window and change Verbosity at the bottom to "2 (debug)". It will run in the background to create a log of what's happening.
3. Hit Ctrl + N to open the Network menu and add the link to your Tears For Fears video and click Play.
4. When it stops with the error you usually see, open the Messages window, place the cursor anywhere in the text and right click / Select All / right click / Copy. This will save the log to the Windows Clipboard.
5. Go to https://pastebin.com/ right click in the New Paste window on that site and click Paste. (No need to create an account there)
6. Scroll down to Paste Name/Title, give it a name and then click the Create New Paste button.
7. This will change the URL at the top of the page. Copy that and then come back here and paste the link into your next post.

Hopefully, the log file will provide a clue as to why you keep getting the error every time.

Ok have all done.

https://pastebin.com/7nGrujuU

HTTP 403 error:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTTP_403

I don't know why because it's playing fine for me.

I know what a 403 is.
Have worked in the 2000-2004 as a IT-Merchant. That's the cause, why i dont understand, why it's not working by me. Normaly i have no problems with my PC Stuff.

Basically, youtube is saying you don't have permission to view the video. These kind of problems are usually resolved by updating the youtube.luac file.

Here's an image of that file in its default location on my system.


(click to enlarge)

Does the same file on your machine look the same as mine? Change the View to Details if you can't see the date as shown in my picture. Also, does it have a generic icon?

The default path is C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\playlist

https://postimg.cc/67tm0JsG is at it seems on my PC.
And Path is the same

It would appear that this issue has cropped up once before albeit on a Linux box: https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/15889

On that occasion downloading the raw youtube.lua file and placing it in the default location and deleting the youtube.luac file seems to have resolved the issue for that user. I'm wondering if the same procedure would work for you.

If i do that, i don't get an error but no playing. In the playlist stands then the URL from the Video.

If i do that, i don't get an error but no playing. In the playlist stands then the URL from the Video.

Pity. Better restore the youtube.luac from the Recycle Bin in that case.

Have you always had this problem streaming youtube videos, or has it just started recently?

Do you have Windows System Restore enabled? If the problem only started recently you could run System Restore and wind back the clock to a time prior to the problem appearing.

Do you use a VPN? You could maybe try logging on to a server in another European country to see if it helps. I use Mullvad myself.

You could maybe try deleting vlc history (remove the checkmark from "Save recently played items" in Preferences ---> Interface menu).

Possibly remove the checkmark from "Cookies forwarding" in the Input/Codecs ---> Access modules ---> HTTPS input menu in vlc. Click "All" at the bottom to access the Advanced menu.

Also, go to https://browserleaks.com/ip and see if it identifies you as running a Tor Relay or not. Youtube blocks those types of connections.

I had never been streaming Youtubevideos before on VLC. Just want to try for continuing play.
No Windows System Restore enabled
No i did not Use a VPN at the Moment
Have already delete my VLC History
Tried both. Checked and uncheck coockies forwarding
browserleaks says no Tor Relay detected.

I thank for trying me to help. I have never streamed Youtube on VLC before, so i can live without that in the future. It was just a feature that i wanted to try, if it doesnt work, i can live with that.

Thx to all reposter for your support.

I'm out of ideas I'm afraid, but in your position I would be inclined to take revenge on Google. You can do that by deleting your youtube watch history and prevent the site from logging everything you do on there. There's a good article on the subject here: https://www.ghacks.net/2019/10/01/how-t ... h-history/

Thx, but i think, we can close this thread. Again thanks to all supporters