Can't select videos for upload. All files are grayed out.

Question

Level 1

11 points

Can't select videos for upload. All files are grayed out.

Ever since Safari 8, I am no longer able to upload videos to places like Amazon (for submitting video reviews.)

When I write a review on Amazon and choose Video Review as the review type, then click on the "Choose file" button, the files listied in the file selection window that opens are all grayed out. None can be selected. This only happens in Safari. I can use Chrome and Firefox with no problems.

Anyone else seen this?

Any ideas how to get this working?

I've reported it as a bug to Apple a month ago and was hoping the recent 10.10.2 Yosemite update would fix it but it didn't.

MacBook Pro (15-inch Mid 2012), OS X Yosemite (10.10.2), 2.7GHz Intel Core i7, 8GB 1600MHz

Posted on Jan 31, 2015 9:35 AM

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Answer 1

Michael Erb1 Author

Level 1

11 points

Feb 1, 2015 7:47 PM in response to Michael Erb1

Since no-one has replied to this, I'm wondering if someone could at least confirm that this problem exists by following these steps.

Ensure you are testing using Safari 8 and Yosemite

1. Go to an Amazon Product page

2. Click the Write a Customer Review button underneath the last review on the product page

3. Click the Video Review tab

4. Click the choose file button

5. Navigate to a movie file (avi, flv, mov, mpg, wmv)

6. Is the file(s) grayed out?

Thank you for your help.

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Answer 2

Feb 1, 2015 8:21 PM in response to Michael Erb1

I see what you mean Michael ..

Might be a cookies, cache, extensions, or plug-ins issue.

From your Safari menu bar click Safari > Preferences then select the Privacy tab.

Click: Remove All Website Data

Then delete the cache.

Open a Finder window. From the Finder menu bar click Go > Go to Folder

Type or copy paste the following

~/Library/Caches/com.apple.Safari/Cache.db

Click Go then move the Cache.db file to the Trash.

Quit and relaunch Safari to test.

If that didn't help, from the Safari menu bar click Safari > Preferences then select the Extensions tab. Turn that OFF, quit and relaunch Safari to test.

If that helped, turn one extension on then quit and relaunch Safari to test until you find the incompatible extension then click uninstall.

If it's not an extensions issue, try troubleshooting third party plug-ins.

Back to Safari > Preferences. This time select the Security tab. Deselect: Allow plug-ins. Quit and relaunch Safari to test.

If that made a difference, instructions for troubleshooting plugins here.

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Answer 3

Michael Erb1 Author

Level 1

11 points

Feb 2, 2015 5:42 PM in response to Carolyn Samit

Thanks for the suggestions.

The result is that I see that MOV and AVI files are selectable. But MP4 files are not... MP4 files are grayed out.

To be honest, I'm not sure if MOV and AVI files were always selectable or not prior to following our suggestions.

The take away is that MP4 files remain grayed out in Safari so my original problem remains. I do not produce MOV or AVI files... I produce MP4 files and that is what I really need Safari to allow me to upload.

Any further ideas? I feel this must be a bug in Safari.

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Answer 4

Michael Erb1 Author

Level 1

11 points

Feb 2, 2015 5:45 PM in response to Michael Erb1

I've gone back and turned Extensions and Plug-ins on. MOV and AVI files are still selectable, but MP4 files are not.

The problem persists.

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Answer 5

Michael Erb1 Author

Level 1

11 points

Oct 29, 2015 8:35 AM in response to Michael Erb1

This problem persists in Safari v9.0.1 with OSX 10.11.1

I have been told that Safari will not upload mp4 files as it is not an accepted format for movie uploads. Does this make any sense? MP4 files are grayed out in file selection window when I try to upload them as an Amazon Video Review.

I can upload my mp4 movies to Amazon reviews using Chrome and Firefox... why not Safari?

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Answer 6

Dec 12, 2015 7:50 PM in response to Michael Erb1

I know it is quite late, but I have a sort of workaround for this issue. It's annoying but it works for me. Here is the link to that post:

Re: Yosemite and Safari, when attempting an upload all files are grayed out & can't be selected

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Answer 7

Michael Erb1 Author

Level 1

11 points

Dec 12, 2015 7:53 PM in response to guitarman710

Thats awesome. A workaround yes, but at least it offers a way to upload MP4 files. Thanks. This issue has been around quite a while. Don't understand why Apple hasn't fixed it.

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Answer 8

Dec 12, 2015 8:58 PM in response to Michael Erb1

Glad it helped! I am with you though, this certainly is a terrible bug that has been left alone for too long. I mean if another browser on the same OS can do this properly, why can't Apple's own Safari?

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Answer 9

Eric Root

Level 10

684,063 points

Dec 13, 2015 6:29 AM in response to guitarman710

Send Apple feedback. They won't answer, but at least will know there is a problem. If enough people send feedback, it may get the problem solved sooner.

Feedback

Or you can use your Apple ID to register with this site and go the Apple BugReporter. Supposedly you will get an answer if you submit feedback.

Feedback via Apple Developer

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Answer 10

Dec 13, 2015 9:07 AM in response to Eric Root

Thanks Eric! I submitted the problem via the Apple Dev link you provided.

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Answer 11

Michael Erb1 Author

Level 1

11 points

Dec 13, 2015 7:42 PM in response to Eric Root

Eric, I submitted this bug to Apple Developer in January 2015. And have done so again today.

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