Play DRM-Protected Videos on BrowserStack

Learn how to configure Playwright tests on BrowserStack to play DRM-protected videos.

BrowserStack now supports the --disable-component-update flag, enabling Playwright tests to play DRM-protected videos. This ensures compatibility with streaming-related scenarios where DRM playback is critical, aligning with the configurations used in local test environments.

Why Use the –disable-component-update Flag?

Playwright 1.27.1 and earlier versions automatically load the required components to play DRM-protected videos, making the flag unnecessary for those versions. Starting from Playwright 1.28, DRM-protected video playback requires the --disable-component-update flag to be passed in the browser configuration. Without this flag, the necessary components fail to load, causing playback issues.

Using the --disable-component-update Flag on BrowserStack

To ensure successful DRM-protected video playback on BrowserStack, you must configure the ignoreDefaultArgs capability along with the required flag. Modify your test script to include the --disable-component-update flag using the ignoreDefaultArgs option as shown in the following example:

In the above code snippet:

• setIgnoreDefaultArgs: Configures the browser to exclude the –disable-component-update argument, which is required for DRM playback.
• setChannel("chrome"): Ensures the Chrome browser is used for tests.
• setHeadless(false): Runs the browser in a visible mode for easier debugging.