8 Solutions to Fix Video Not Playing on iPhone
In today’s world, videos have become the go-to medium for storytelling and entertainment. And our iPhones have become like personal movie theaters that we can take with us anywhere. But sometimes, we face the frustrating problem of videos not playing on our iPhones. This leaves us with many questions: How can we fix this issue? Why are videos not playing on my iPhone? If you’re seeking answers, look no further. Read this post to discover solutions to these video playback problems.
Solution 1. Verify Network Connection
If you’re experiencing issues with videos not playing on iPhone apps, the first step is to check your app’s network settings. By confirming that your app has the necessary network permissions, you can ensure a stable connection and resolve any network-related issues that may be preventing videos from playing smoothly on your iPhone.
To check the network settings for your app, follow these steps:
Step 1. Go to Settings on your iPhone.
Step 2. Tap on WLAN (Wi-Fi) settings.
Step 3. Look for the option “Apps Using WLAN & Cellular” and select it.
Step 4. In the list that appears, locate the app through which you want to play videos.
Step 5. Verify whether the app is permitted to use either the Wi-Fi or cellular network by checking the corresponding settings.
Solution 2. Force Quit the Problematic App
There’re chances you can fix the iPhone video won’t play error by force quitting the video app because it clears any temporary glitches or conflicts that may be causing the video playback issue. By restarting the app, you give it a fresh start, potentially resolving any underlying problems. This solution is often successful in resolving minor app-related issues and ensuring smooth video playback on your iPhone. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1. Double-tap the Home button on your iPhone.
Step 2. This action will display all the currently running apps on your device.
Step 3. Locate the video app that is causing the problem.
Step 4. Swipe up or swipe left (depending on your iPhone model) on the video app’s preview.
Solution 3. Reinstall or Update the Problematic App
Reinstalling or updating the app can be effective in resolving app-specific issues that may be hindering video playback on your iPhone. By reinstalling, you ensure that you have a fresh installation of the app, potentially eliminating any underlying problems. Updating the app ensures that you have the latest version with bug fixes and improvements, which can address compatibility issues and enhance overall performance. Follow the steps below to re-install the problematic app:
Step 1. Locate the app on your iPhone’s home screen.
Step 2. Tap and hold the app icon until the taskbar appears.
Step 3. Once the taskbar is displayed, tap “Remove App” to delete the app from your iPhone.
Step 4. Visit the App Store and reinstall the app by searching for it and downloading it again.
Step 5. If you prefer not to delete the app from your iPhone, just check for any available updates for the app.
Solution 4. Convert Videos to iPhone Friendly Formats
The error “video cannot play on iPhone” often occurs when the format of the video is not supported by the device. This happens because iPhones have specific requirements for video playback, and they only support certain formats. It typically supports popular video formats such as MP4, MOV, and MPEG-4. These formats are specifically optimized for efficient playback on Apple’s hardware and are widely compatible across different platforms. However, if a video is encoded in a different format that is not natively supported by the iPhone, such as AVI, FLV, or MKV, the device may lack the necessary codecs or software to decode and play those files. As a result, it won’t play on iPhone. Thus, it is recommended to convert the video into an iPhone-friendly format. One reliable solution for converting videos is to use VideoProc Converter. This software stands out among a number of video converter software available in the market. Check some of its highlight features:
· Convert videos from 370+ formats to 420+ others at 47x faster speed
· Preset output profiles for iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Android, Samsung, etc
· Transcode video formats without quality loss using a high-quality engine
· Easily customize video codec, bitrate, frame rate, GPO length, and more
· Extra tools for video compression, editing, recording, and downloading
Let’s now explore the steps to convert videos to an iPhone-friendly format using VideoProc Converter.
Step 1. Download, install, and run VideoProc Converter. Hit Video. Drag the video files onto this best video converter.
Step 2. Click Target Format, select Apple Device > to iPhone Video, and then select the target iPhone model. Let’s say you want to play the video on iPhone 14 properly, then select iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, Pro, and Pro Max.
Step 3. Click Done. Hit RUN to start converting your videos to iPhone-supported formats.
Solution 5. Change the Video Frame Rate
iPhone users may encounter frustration when they try to play certain videos on their devices but find that they won’t load or play properly. This is because iPhones have specific limitations regarding the frame rates of videos that can be copied or imported. For example, iPhones block videos with frame rates of 100fps or even 29.99fps. Let’s say your video is shot at 29.99fps, and then it is necessary to convert the video’s frame rate to the standard Apple 30fps for playing on iPhone without errors. Luckily, this can be done easily using VideoProc Converter. Here’s how:
Step 1. Run VideoProc Converter, and click Video > +Video to load the iPhone video that won’t play.
Step 2. Select H.264 as the output format. Then click the Option button on the video info toolbar.
Step 3. Select the target frame rate from the Frame Rate dropdown menu.
Step 4. Click Done and hit Run to start processing the iPhone video.
image file: video-not-playing-on-iphone-2
Solution 6. Free up Space on Your iPhone
If you’re unable to open large-size videos or 4K videos on your iPhone, it could be due to insufficient storage space. To address this, you can free up space on your device by deleting unwanted videos, photos, apps, and other files.
This solution works because videos, especially high-resolution or large-size ones, require a significant amount of storage space to be played smoothly on the iPhone. By freeing up space and optimizing the available storage, you create room for the videos to be stored and played without any issues.
Solution 7. Clear Safari History
When videos are not playing on iPhone Safari, clearing the Safari history, cookies, and caches may help resolve the issue. Clearing the Safari history and related data can eliminate any potential conflicts or corrupted data that might be hindering video playback. It refreshes the browser’s settings and clears any temporary files, ensuring a clean slate for playing videos smoothly on Safari. Here’s how:
Step 1. Open iPhone Settings.
Step 2. Navigate to Safari and select Clear History and Website Data.
Solution 8. Restart or Update Your iPhone
If the previous solutions do not resolve the issue of videos not playing on your iPhone, restarting your device can be a simple yet effective step. Restarting allows for the device’s system to refresh, potentially resolving any temporary glitches or conflicts.
In cases where restarting doesn’t solve the problem, updating the iOS system can be considered. While some users may be hesitant to update their system, it is worth noting that system updates often come with bug fixes and improvements that can address various issues, including video playback problems. Updating the iOS system can provide a better overall experience and ensure compatibility with the latest technologies.