What To Do If A Video Is Not Playing On Your Computer

There is nothing more annoying than clicking on a video and seeing a blank screen, an error message, or an endlessly spinning loading wheel. That may happen sometimes. If videos not playing on your computer, do not worry. There are a few easy fixes you can try before giving up. Whether you are trying to watch something online or open a video file from your desktop, here is a breakdown of the most common reasons a video file won’t open and how to fix them without pulling your hair out.

So, Is It The Video Or Your Computer?

Before diving into settings and software, take a second to figure out why you can’t play video. Ask yourself:

• Is the video file saved on your computer, or are you trying to stream it online?
• Does this happen with all videos, or just one specific file?
• Have you tried playing it on another device (your phone, tablet, TV)?
• Is your internet connection stable?

If other videos are working just fine or if the same file plays normally on another device, there is a good chance the issue is fixable on your end. And here is what you can do.

1. Check Your Internet Connection

Let’s start with the obvious fix. If the video you are trying to play is online (on YouTube, Vimeo, Netflix, etc.) and it won’t load, your internet connection might be the reason. Try these steps:

• Refresh the page
• Switch from Wi-Fi to a wired connection (if possible)
• Restart your router
• Run a speed test to see if your connection is unusually slow

Even a brief connection hiccup can cause streaming platforms to fail or videos to load in super low quality.

2. Try A Different Browser Or App

It may sometimes happen that the browser or app you are using just is not playing nice with the video format or the website itself. If you are using Chrome, try Firefox. If you are using Safari, try Edge. You get the idea.

Also, make sure your browser is up to date. An outdated browser may lack the necessary support for modern video formats or streaming services. Still not working? Try opening the video in an incognito/private window. This helps rule out any interfering browser extensions or cached data that might be messing things up.

3. Check For Missing Codecs

If you are trying to play a video file that is saved on your computer, the problem might be something called a missing codec. What is a codec? In simple terms, it is a little bit of software that helps your media player understand and play different types of video files. If your player does not have the right codec installed, it won’t know how to decode the video and will give an error of footage not found. The result is that the video does not play. What is the solution? Download a media player that includes a wide variety of codecs built in. 

4. Check The Video Format

Here is a surprisingly common issue: the video you are trying to play is in a format your player does not support. Maybe it is a .MKV, .MOV, .AVI, or something more obscure. While some players handle these just fine, others may not be friends with them. Luckily, there’s a quick and easy way to fix any unsupported video format.

Use A Video Converter To Fix Incompatible Formats

If your video player keeps refusing to cooperate because of the file format, the easiest solution is to convert the video into a more compatible format. This is where a video converter for Windows comes in handy. One great option is Movavi Video Converter. It is user-friendly, fast, and supports nearly every video format under the sun.

Here is how it works:

• Download and install Movavi Video Converter
• Open the app and drag your video file into it
• Choose a format that works well
• Click convert and wait a few seconds
• Open the converted file — voilà!

When you convert video format, you can play the video without any issues. 

5. Update Your Graphics Drivers

If video playback on your PC is glitchy, laggy, or totally unresponsive, your graphics drivers might be outdated. They are what help your system render video smoothly. When they are out of date or corrupted, video playback can suffer. To fix the playback error Windows/ Mac:

• On Windows, go to Device Manager → Display Adapters → Right-click your GPU → “Update driver”
• On Mac, software updates often include graphic driver updates automatically (just run Software Update)

After updating, restart your computer and try playing the video again. You will hardly have any problems and will be able to enjoy even high-res videos that Google Veo 3 has generated.

6. Restart Or Reboot

It sounds silly, but a simple restart can work wonders. Your system might just be a little overworked or glitchy, especially if you have been running it nonstop for days. Close your apps, restart your computer, and try playing the video again. This fixes more problems than most people realize.

7. Still Not Working? Try Playing It On A Different Device

If you have tried all of the above and the video still doesn’t play, it might be time to try opening it on another device. Play it on your phone, tablet, or a different computer. If it works there, your current system may need more advanced troubleshooting. If it doesn’t play anywhere, the file itself might be corrupted or incomplete. In that case, try re-downloading it or getting a fresh copy.

Videos Won’t Play? There Is Always A Fix!

Video playback issues are frustrating. But the good news, they are usually fixable with just a few simple steps. From browser glitches and missing codecs to unsupported formats, most problems can be solved without much effort. And remember, if you ever run into an issue with videos won’t play, don’t panic. It might just need a quick format change. Now go ahead and hit play. You have got this. If you love digital solutions so much, now is the right time to explore image-to-video and voice changer tools.