Why Won’t My Computer Play Videos? Isn’t that the question of the day? If I’m being honest, that is a broad question, you may be unable to play a video because of an error code or because the laptop was tossed from a building.
Jokes aside, I have compiled a variety of solutions that target a broad range of common issues that most users face. I encourage trying out each listed solution until one of them works.
Your difficulties with your video could have stemmed from one of the below-mentioned causes-
Reasons Why Your Computer Won’t Play Videos
- Internet and Network Issues
- Software and Browser Problems
- Video Player and Codec Issues
- Hardware Problems
- Operating System and Driver Issues
- Specific Platform Issues
- Streaming Service Problems
- Advanced Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting Solutions to Solve Computer Won’t Play Videos
The solutions are meant to improve your user experience, please make sure to read all the steps before proceeding, and to be patient during the process. Make sure that you create a backup for your video file beforehand to protect it from any further harm.
Update Software and Browser
Outdated Software or browsers may affect your computer’s ability to play videos. Try updating your system to see if it makes a difference.
1. Open Windows Settings.
2. Click on Windows updates on the left-hand side column.
3. Click on Check For Updates.
4. Update your software.
Update graphics drivers Using Device Manager
Outdated graphic card drivers can easily hinder your experience while playing videos, follow the instructions to get your graphic drivers up to date-
1. Open Device Manager.
2. Locate Display adapters and click on it.
3. Right-click on your graphics card and select Update Driver.
Clear Cache
RAM or accumulating too much cache data can slow down your PC and prevent it from playing your videos. Follow the instructions below to get rid of unnecessary cache data.
1. Open Windows Settings.
2. Click on System from the left-hand column.
3. Open Storage.
4. Click on Temporary files.
5. Select the file types you want to remove and click on Remove Files.
6. Click Continue to confirm your choices.
Disable or Delete third-party cookies
Some conflicting third-party cookies may prevent you from playing videos on your browser. To fix you can delete them by following the steps below-
1. Open Chrome.
2. On the top right click on the 3 dots, and access the settings.
3. Click on Privacy and Security.
4. Access 3rd Party Cookies.
5. Click on See all site data and permissions and select Delete all data.
Solutions to specific problems
While the earlier mentioned troubleshooting solutions would target all the minor and common video issues, the ones given here specialize in targeting specific causes or errors that may occur. If you need clarification on any of the given steps, please get help from someone who is.
Windows Media Player Configuration Settings
Windows has an inbuilt repair feature that you can use to resolve video playback issues on Windows Media Player. Follow the steps below to use Windows Media Player Configuration Settings-
1. Use the Windows+R shortcut to open Run Command.
2. Type in msdt.exe -id WindowsMediaPlayerConfigurationDiagnostic and click on OK.
3. A Windows Media Player Settings window will pop up. Click on Advanced.
4. Check the Apply Repairs automatically box and click on Next to begin repairs.
5. Verify the Results.
Solving QuickTime error 23132 using Disk Manager
QuickTime error 23132 presents itself when users attempt to pay an M4V file and may be caused due to minor errors or inconsistencies. You can use Device Manager to rectify these issues by following the instructions below-
1. Using the Windows+X shortcut, open Device Manager.
2. Under Universal Serial Bus Controllers and Double click
3. Right-click on the USB drive under Universal Serial Bus Controllers and
click on uninstall.
Convert Video File Format using VLC
Did you know? VLC Media player can help when you are unable to play videos on the computer. Your system may not recognize the format, or the header of the video file has been displaced. You can resolve it by converting your video file using VLC Media Player. Follow the instructions below to learn how.
1. Open VLC Media Player.
2. Click on the menu and select Convert/Save from the drop-down list.
3. Click on Add, select the video file you wish to fix, and then click on Convert/Save.
4. Under profile, choose a format to convert to. (preferably Video -H.264 +
MP3 (MP4) )
5. Select a save location and Click on Start.
6. Verify the results.
Repair Video File Using Professional Software
If none of the above solutions has worked out so far, professional video repair software is your last resort. Here, we will be using RIKVR Video Repair for the demonstration.
1. Download, Install, and Open Rikvr Video Repair.
2. Click on Add File, import your damaged video file, and click on Repair.
3. After the repair process, preview the fixed video file to verify the results.
4. Choose a save location on your PC and save the repaired video file.
Conclusion
I hope that you resolved your issue and played videos on your computer again. If you were unable to find a solution to video playback issues, please ensure that you mention a few more details about your situation while searching for solutions. As the world grows to consume multimedia, it is vital to learn how to get out of such situations. If you have any queries or feedback, please reach out.
