The Zen Browser is finally preparing to fix a major limitation. The lack of DRM support has been a major complaint for a long time with this browser, and the company is finally addressing it.

So, Windows and macOS users can soon watch Netflix and listen to Spotify without installing the native apps or switching to other browsers.

The announcement comes directly from Zen; the confirmation was posted on both X and Reddit. The feature isn’t live in the browser yet, but it’s coming “very, very soon.”

Zen announcement.

It’s a significant addition for people who want to make Zen their primary browser, but aren’t because of this specific issue, which is that streaming services weren’t working.

So, what exactly is DRM? It stands for Digital Rights Management. Essentially, it’s a protection service that streaming platforms use, and it prevents unauthorized access to movies, shows, and music. Various popular services like Netflix, Spotify, Disney+, etc rely on DRM to verify whether a browser can securely play content. One of the most commonly used DRM systems is Google’s Widevine.

Until this announcement from Zen, the browser didn’t have the required Widevine license. As a result, content just would not play on Zen, even if you had the subscription. People would encounter playback errors, forcing them to use dedicated separate apps for these services, or switch to other browsers. This is the limitation that Zen is finally addressing, and it’s quite a big deal.

Once it rolls out, users should be able to access their streaming websites in Zen and play content normally. Sure, there were workarounds, such as using PWA extensions. Soon, users won’t have to do this anymore.

It’s worth noting that the announcement doesn’t mean that DRM support is immediately available. In my personal test, I kept getting random error codes. The content would simply refuse to play. So, it’s definitely not available yet, at the time of writing. No specific ETA was provided by the Zen team either.

Personal test.

 
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PiunikaWeb’s Take
If you’re wondering why it took this long, it’s because you can’t just directly add DRM support. It requires Google’s licensing approval, and after obtaining permission to distribute it, the company still has to maintain it. Recently, Zen made it much easier to switch over from Arc and Dia. Potentially, there’s a massive influx of new users because of Arc’s shutdown announcement, and it’s good to see Zen catering to a more diverse group now. The addition of DRM support will certainly make a lot of people finally set Zen as their default browser.
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Sudhanshu K
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I have been a consumer technology enthusiast for over 5 years. Thanks to my experience in software beta testing and product reviews, I've understood and learnt a lot about what bugs and issues bother people, and I spend time trying to simplify their solutions. I cover smartphones, software, social media, apps, AI, and most consumer tech gadgets. Actively pursuing a Computer Science bachelor’s degree. I'm mostly active on Twitter/X (@TechWhirlUlt), drop a DM or tag me if you want to share info or connect!