New MacBook is Crashing during YouTube 4K HDR Video Playback

Several MacBook users have reported encountering an issue “MacBook Pro crashing while playing 4K HDR videos on YouTube” on different discussion boards and forums. The issue occurred on the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips powered MacBook, when trying to scroll up or down the comments while playing the 4K HDR videos on YouTube. Due this error, the UI freezes, causing the system to reboot. As per some users, the Kernel panic error might be the reason behind this issue. However, there have been no official comments from Apple on this matter.

Courtesy: MacRumours

Courtesy: Apple Discussions

How to Resolve ‘MacBook Pro crashing while playing 4K HDR videos on YouTube’ Issue?

Here are some ways you can try to resolve the ‘MacBook Pro crashing while playing 4K HDR video’ issue.

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1. Fix the Kernel Panic Error

There are two scenarios:

• A faulty software is causing the Kernel Panic error. You can move the faulty software to trash to resolve the problem.
• The faulty software is not identified.

If you cannot identify the software or program causing Kernel panic error, the problem may lie somewhere else. Follow the steps below to resolve this issue:

Step 1: Restart your Mac in Safe Mode.

Step 2: Click on the Apple Menu, then click App Store, and select Updates.

Step 3: Check if any updates are available. If yes, install the updates.

If this has resolved the problem, then you can use your Mac normally. If not, then try the following methods one-by-one:

Method 1: Uninstall any third-party plug-ins or any other third-party software.

Method 2: Disconnect all the external devices, except the keyboard and mouse. Also, disconnect any hardware you have attached to upgrade the MacBook and restart it. Now, reconnect the external devices one-by-one and check which device is causing the problem.

Method 3: Diagnose your MacBook Pro by using Apple diagnostics. It will check if there is any issue with the inbuilt hardware, like processor chip, memory, etc.

For more information on Kernel Panic error, read: Fix Mac Kernel Panic and Recover Lost Data.

2. Disable AV1 Codec

The problem of crashing might be due to a compatibility issue with AV1 Codec. To fix this issue, you need to bypass the AV1 Codec, which could be done only on the Chrome browser. Follow the steps below to disable the AV1 Codec on your MacBook:

Step 1: Download and launch Google Chrome (Official Link).

Step 2: Open Chrome Webstore.

Step 3: Select the Extensions option from the sidebar on the left and search for the enhanced-h264ify extension.

Step 4: Select the enhanced-h264ify extension and click on the Add to Chrome tab on the right. Confirm by clicking the Add Extension option in the confirmation prompt.

Step 5: Close the Chrome and relaunch it. Now, click on the Extensions icon on the top right corner next to the address bar.

Step 6: Select the enhanced-h264ify extension. It allows you to select the video codec for YouTube.

Step 7: Block the AV1 Codec and all the other codecs from the list, except the VP9 Codec.

Once you have disabled all the codecs except VP9, open YouTube and try playing the video. If this does not work, try the next fix.

3. Update the macOS Monterey

The macOS Monterey was rolled out in October 2021 by Apple Inc. There will be some updates that Apple will provide to fix specific issues and enhance the performance of this all-new OS for Mac. So, you need to keep on checking for updates and install them as soon as they are available. To check for updates on your MacBook Pro, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Access the Apple menu by clicking on the Apple icon on the top left of your MacBook’s screen and select System Preferences.

Step 2: From the System Preferences window, select Software Updates and press Return.

Step 3: Check for updates and click the Update Now button in the Software Update window.

Step 4: Once the updates are downloaded and installed, restart your MacBook Pro and check if the issue is resolved.

If you haven’t been able to resolve the issue of crashing MacBook while playing 4K HDR video on YouTube using any of the above methods, it might be due to some bug issue. If the problem is due to any bug or glitch in the macOS Monterey, Apple will soon release an update to resolve it.

Conclusion

The frequent crashing of the system can cause severe data loss or damage the existing files by making them corrupt and inaccessible. If you have come across this situation, you don’t need to panic. You can install Stellar Data Recovery Free Edition for Mac and use it to securely recover your lost data. It is a DIY software with a highly simplified user interface and powerful recovery capacity.