Crunchyroll Beta revolves around the website only. Many user complaints have been made since Crunchyroll’s site was updated to become Crunchyroll Beta. Is there a way to go back, and if so, how?

There were a few ways to revert to Crunchyroll Classic, including a drop-down menu in your account. Crunchyroll now explicitly states that the change is permanent. Currently, you can only view the classic version if you are not logged in.

Crunchyroll is refining the Crunchyroll site, and complaints are diminishing. Fans reported a poor Crunchyroll experience during this rollout. Its new user interface did the exact opposite of what fans wanted. Read on to learn more.

Should You Use Crunchyroll Classic Instead of Beta?

Crunchyroll Classic streams specific shows on your desktop. Fans loved the site, and the Beta release turned a few complaints into a nearly overwhelming objection, along with online petitions.

With that said, most people will recommend that you use the classic rendition of the streaming app instead of the Beta version due to its current number of issues.

Common Issues with Crunchyroll Beta

There were many problems with the Crunchyroll Beta version; sadly, most of them are still going on today, a year after the release. It’s one of those glaring examples: “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Here are just some of the ongoing problems with Crunchyroll Beta:

  • Black screens when using adblockersLowered resolutionSmaller video player screenLaunches in different languagesIt doesn’t interact with different browsers wellA convoluted menu that’s difficult to navigateResets randomlyThe next episode brings up a black screen that has to be reset multiple times

At first glance, that seems like a nightmare for a new website to have to endure. 

Still, it’s expected when you launch anything new, especially considering the inner workings of a web video player surrounded by an entire community of features for fans to interact with.

However, once you push past that first glance, you realize that this has been ongoing for a year, with relentless complaints. If you like to use ad blockers, which most people who spend time on the internet have good reason to use, Crunchyroll videos will often not play.

A huge consumer complaint is a reduction in the overall look and feel of the site, along with lower resolution in the videos. On top of that, faithful Crunchyroll subscribers got a smaller screen than the original. 

The complaints about site navigation are also extreme; most point to the fact that it seems as if Crunchyroll was aiming for a better mobile experience, leaving behind the desktop.

Finally, random resets and black screens round out the list of things that frequently occur enough that Crunchyroll subscribers have created an online petition to demand that Crunchyroll revert to the Classic version.

Is There No Way Around the Crunchyroll Beta Experience?

There is no definitive answer, and Crunchyroll has clarified that there is no going back as of June 2021. Of course, computer programmers and engineers always find holes, so there are a couple of “maybes” that you can attempt.

Whether or not they will work for you is hard to answer, and the fix is often just as bad as the original problem.

Clear Cache and Browser History

One of the options peddled around is one of those fixes that might work 10% of the time, and if it does work, it will only be very temporary.

  • Log out of CrunchyrollClose all of your browser windowsWhichever browser you are using, locate the cache and temp files and clear them all outRestart the browserLog back into Crunchyroll

It’s been about a year since this potential fix was released, so don’t get your hopes up. However, it’s always worth a try, and you’ll clean up your browser as an added effect.

Log Out

For non-subscribers, logging out is less of a big deal. For subscribers, you lose everything that makes being a premium member of Crunchyroll worth the money that you’re spending. You will no longer be able to access your history or favorites and no more ad-free streaming.

Browser Extensions

While Crunchyroll’s designers don’t seem to be on the same playing field as the consumers, help is available in the form of browser extensions. Many of the problems subscribers have with Crunchyroll Beta stem from their browsers.

For example, look for extensions like this one for Chrome users. It alleviates some of the more irritating features of Crunchyroll Beta.

All Things Considered

As of right now, it’s not looking pretty for the Crunchyroll Beta version as subscribers, and non-subscribers alike are still pretty vocal in their opposition. Perhaps with a petition out there and continued complaints from subscribers, Crunchyroll will, at the very least, reassess.

For now, it remains to be seen, and as time goes on, even the most unlikely fixes that help viewers experience the Classic version are becoming obsolete. It seems that until Crunchyroll makes some changes, browser extensions are the short-term answer.