What is widevinecdm.dll?
widevinecdm.dll is digitally signed by Google Inc.
widevinecdm.dll is usually located in the 'c:\documents and settings\%USERNAME%\local settings\application data\google\chrome\user data\widevinecdm\1.4.1.376\_platform_specific\win_x86\' folder.
If you have additional information about the file, please share it with the FreeFixer users by posting a comment at the bottom of this page.
Digital signatures [?]
widevinecdm.dll has a valid digital signature.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Signer name | Google Inc |
| Certificate issuer name | VeriSign Class 3 Code Signing 2010 CA |
| Certificate serial number | 09e28b26db593ec4e73286b66499c370 |
Folder name variants
widevinecdm.dll may also be located in other folders than c:\documents and settings\%USERNAME%\local settings\application data\google\chrome\user data\widevinecdm\1.4.1.376\_platform_specific\win_x86\. The most common variants are listed below:
- c:\sandbox\%USERNAME%\defaultbox\user\current\local settings\application data\google\chrome\user data\widevinecdm\1.4.1.376\_platform_specific\win_x86\
- c:\users\%USERNAME%\appdata\local\google\chrome\user data\widevinecdm\1.4.1.376\_platform_specific\win_x86\
Hashes [?]
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| MD5 | 6947e52b634d50d428eb4815daff5805 |
| SHA256 | 24baf2865c5c7fcb3ea47ce5e489027391a14a2ff643c35090ed7f04129fefea |
What will you do with the file?
To help other users, please let us know what you will do with the file:
What did other users do?
The poll result listed below shows what users chose to do with the file. 66% have voted for removal. Based on votes from 379 users.
NOTE: Please do not use this poll as the only source of input to determine what you will do with the file.
Malware or legitimate?
If you feel that you need more information to determine if your should keep this file or remove it, please read this guide.
And now some shameless self promotion ;)
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Comments
Please share with the other users what you think about this file. What does this file do? Is it legitimate or something that your computer is better without? Do you know how it was installed on your system? Did you install it yourself or did it come bundled with some other software? Is it running smoothly or do you get some error message? Any information that will help to document this file is welcome. Thank you for your contributions.
I'm reading all new comments so don't hesitate to post a question about the file. If I don't have the answer perhaps another user can help you.
I am at present the head feline in the household and I was updating google and ended up with this WidevineCDM from Google Chrome update. so this is a freefixer, right? and will run on windows 7 ultimate sp1 64-bit am I correct?
I have been told to be leary of a 'free' fix.
is this true?
this would be a first then?
a thank you would then be in order.
;)
Kat
# 22 Jan 2015, 23:58
= Rick = writes
Update: I came to one of your pages a couple days ago warning about trouble with a widevinecdm update that disabled Chrome on my computer and modified my links. Norton said less than five users... I thought 'but somebody has to be first.'and OK'd it causing me grief as above. Doing a Restore to an earlier date undid the update and fixed the links.
# 22 Mar 2015, 5:04
Nofree Lunch writes
I've been using a PC almost since they were first invented. But I'm by no means an expert in the field. As far as Chrome is concerned I only learned a little about it in a very short time, so:
All I want to know is, What the f*** does widevinecdm do?
# 23 May 2015, 18:47
Michelle F writes
Should i Un-Install widevinecdm.dll ? I just turned on my Computer ran updates on my Malware Bytes, & Norton Internet Security, and this Popped up.. Please!! Advise T.y Kindly, >>>> " Have A Wonderful, Safe, & Blessed Christmas Season "
# 3 Dec 2015, 12:11
Fred Baer writes
New information. On my computer, this file has been installed in the following two folders:
C:\Users\Owner\AppData\Local\CEF\User Data\WidevineCDM\1.4.8.903\_platform_specific\win_x86
C:\Users\Owner\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\k9qntsko.default\gmp-widevinecdm\1.4.8.903.
Note that neither folder is for Chrome, because I do not have Chrome installed on my computer.
Per a question and answers on the Norton (as in Security) community website, Firefox gets support from widevinecdm.dll. The answer made reference to Firefox 47. It is still true for Firefox 49.
# 24 Sep 2016, 23:46
thevirginiarose@yahoo.com writes
https://blog.mozilla.org/futurereleases/2016/04/08/mozilla-to-test-widevine-cdm-in-firefox-nightly/
Update, June 7, 2016: Support for Widevine video CDM is now available in the general Firefox browser release.
Update, April 27, 2016: Today, we will expand support of Widevine to our general release channel beginning in Firefox 47.
As we previously announced, Mozilla has been working to enable playback of HTML5 video content that requires DRM. Last year, we launched with Adobe’s Primetime CDM and now we will soon be testing Firefox support for Google’s Widevine CDM on Windows and Mac OS X. Firefox will download the CDM shortly after users first run Firefox after installing or upgrading. The CDM will be activated when users first interact with a site that uses Widevine.
Widevine support is an alternative solution for streaming services that currently rely on Silverlight for playback of DRM-protected video content. It will allow websites to show DRM-protected video content in Firefox without the use of NPAPI plugins. This is an important step on Mozilla’s roadmap to remove NPAPI plugin support.
The Widevine CDM runs in an open-source CDM sandbox in Firefox, providing better user security than NPAPI plugins.
For more information:
Mozilla’s Support website has more information about watching DRM content in Firefox.
Click here to install a DRM-free version of Firefox 45 in your locale.
# 9 Sep 2018, 3:18
Large Testies writes
So the question asked was `should he uninstall, yes or no?`
3+ years pass and still no definitive answer.
Nice job everyone!
# 19 Feb 2019, 10:17
at writes
Widevine is a leading encryption scheme for securely licensing distributing, and protecting playback on video on any consumer device. Content creators, MSOs, and other enterprise media companies can use Widevine to ensure the monetization of content across every device. Google purchased Widevine in 2010 in an attempt to deepen their support for media and entertainment enterprises, speed up the YouTube video streams, and to assist with Android and adaptive streaming.
https://www.quora.com/What-is-Widevine-L1
# 24 May 2019, 0:58
Helen writes
Hi,
new here, I got an alert on my norton saying that I have widevinecdm.dll on my computer, as far as I am aware, there is conflicting advice on this.
and when I looked on my norton, I looked into it, and found that it was from google.llc, so I am assuming that it is safe to keep...
# 1 May 2020, 11:56
Helen writes
I looked into this file, and looked into the file in much more deeper context, and it says it is created by Google, signed by Google, and that it has also a Microsoft signature, as my internet is the new Microsoft edge that uses chrome and that this file is an extension of Microsoft edge, and it is said by a few people that it is needed
# 1 May 2020, 18:25
ok but? writes
soooo, is widevine necessary to keep using or can I uninstall it? If my web browsing experience will be the same without it then i'd rather not have it.
# 19 Aug 2020, 3:15
Ignatts writes
on my machine, it is located under AppData/Microsoft/Edge/User Data/WidevineCdm why would Microsoft be using a google product?
# 16 Nov 2021, 13:59
Geoffrey writes
Apparently Edge is now based on the Chrome engine, so I'm not surprised that pieces of Chrome show up or that things that used to work in I.E. or Edge sometimes don't work the same way anymore.
# 16 Nov 2021, 18:17
Kat Savage writes