Video Not Playing on Chrome?- Find Answers Here!

Streaming videos online with Google Chrome is a fun-filled experience. However, a handful of users encounter problems when trying to do so, and as such their experiences become sour, leaving behind a trail of disappointments and complaints. In this article, you will learn the causes of this problem, as well as the remedies and precautionary measures to take to avoid ‘videos not playing on Chrome’ problems in the future. The fixes shown in this article are all simple and proven methods capable of solving the problem of not being able to play videos on chrome. They include pictures to demonstrate and serve as a guide to make every step easy.

Part 1: What Cause Videos Not Playing on Chrome?
Part 2: How to Fix Video Not Playing on Chrome?
Bonus Tips: How to Play Videos Properly on Chrome?
FAQs:
- How to Play Any Video in Chrome?
- Why are the Videos Not Being Loaded in Chrome?

Part 1: What Cause Videos Not To Play on Chrome?

Videos that cannot be played with chrome tend to show error messages, become blurry, or even slow. These are all signs of failed attempts to load, stream, or simply play videos from the net or streaming platforms such as YouTube, Netflix, etc. But why these errors or inconveniences? Below are the common causes of failed attempts to play videos on chrome.

Making Use of an Outdated Chrome Browser: This is number one on this list because it is usually the first reason why videos do not play on chrome. Outdated chrome browsers may lack some additional features required to play modern-day videos created with sophisticated devices. Fixing this is easy as it only requires updating your current chrome browser to the latest version.

JavaScript Has Been Disabled: A video not playing on Chrome may be as a result of disabling JavaScript. On the other hand, JavaScript for certain programs is disabled by Chrome for security reasons. This scenario is mostly associated with systems that have suffered from malware attacks.

Running Too Many Operations At Once: Chrome’s performance tends to slow down when too many operations run at the same time, it is the same situation with opening too many tabs. Running several operations at the same time may cause inconveniences when trying to play videos on websites.

ISP (Internet Service Provider) Problems: Sometimes our internet service providers may encounter network challenges while executing their job, which may result in poor network connection, and cause videos to not play or load slowly. Furthermore, bad local internet connections when using Wi-Fi or network cables can generally disrupt our browsing experience, in turn, prevent videos from playing properly.

A Disabled Flash Player: Adobe Flash is known for having security issues, fondly tagged a “legacy” problem. As a result of leaving this problem unattended, the internet giant (Google) has stopped using it. However, some websites still make use of Flash Players, and as such streaming on these platforms using Chrome becomes impossible.

Part 2: How to Fix ‘Videos Not Playing on Chrome’

Fortunately, a frustrating problem such as not being able to play the videos you like on Chrome can be fixed. Below are the best troubleshooting methods for such problems, and we will first begin with the easiest and most common method as we advance.

Fix 1: Update Chrome

As earlier mentioned, updating your Chrome browser may be all that’s needed to get your videos playing. The Chrome browser is a software that gets constantly updated, and as such, other websites try to keep up with the new Chrome standards by also making updates. Trying to play a video on a website that’s in line with Chrome’s new standards while using the old Chrome version may not work.

It will be in your best interest to save whatever work you have going on before starting the update process because Chrome will generally require restarting it after updating.

Fix 2: Make Sure the Video is Public

Make sure the video you are trying to play is publicly available. Some videos come with restrictions as to who can view them, especially shared videos. Also, there exist videos that make use of the “age gate” tool that only allows users of a certain age range access to the content. To know if a video is only available to a selected few, search the name of the video using the website’s search bar or Google and see if you get any results. If there are no results, then chances are the video wasn’t meant for everyone. Move on.

Fix 3: Turn on JavaScript

Plug-ins like JavaScript are often disabled by Chrome and other software alike for security reasons. This is often experienced by users who have been subjected to attacks or attempted attacks by malicious websites or malware. JavaScript can be re-enabled by following the steps below.

Step 1: At the top right corner of your Chrome browser click on the three-dot menu icon, then select ‘settings’.

Step 2: In the left pane, you will see the ‘Privacy and security option, click on it and then select ‘Site Settings’.

Step 3: Select JavaScript after scrolling down for a bit. Enable JavaScript by clicking on the button beside ‘Blocked’.

Now restart Chrome.

Fix 4: Turn on Adobe Flash on Chrome

Due to Adobe Flash’s failure to address the legacy security problems it has, browser developers and Google have stopped using their services. However, there are still websites out there with Flash videos, and to gain access to them you may need to turn on Adobe flash in Chrome. Only enable Adobe Flash in Chrome if you trust the website you are about to visit. This may be risky because of their security problems.

Fix 5: Check Your Network Speed

If the above-mentioned fixes do not suffice, you might want to check if there’s a problem with your internet speed. This is because videos heavily rely on internet broadband, and if for some reason your internet connection is slower than usual, your video may not load. There are a handful of sites that you can use to run a network speed test.

Fix 6: Clear Google Cache

As simple as this may seem, it is quite effective at resolving lots of issues. Before proceeding to clear your Google cache, there’s a way of verifying this is the problem, and it is by using the incognito window. Begin this fix by following the steps below.

Step 1: After copying the web address of the site that has the video you want to see, click on the three-dotted icon in the upper-right corner of your screen and then click on ‘New incognito window’. Ctrl+Shift+N is the shortcut key for this.

Step 2: In your new incognito window, paste the address you copied, load it, and then see if you can play the video. If you still can’t play the video then it’s not a cache problem. If still can't play the video, follow the steps below to clear cache and cookies from your Chrome browser.

Step 3: Click on the three-dotted icon in the upper-right corner of your browser. Navigate to ‘More tools’ and then select ‘Clear browsing data’ from the dropdown menu.

Step 4: On the next window click on ‘Time range’ and then click on ‘All time’ from the dropdown menu. Click on ‘Clear data’ to proceed.

Fix 7: Turn OFF Chrome Extensions

An alternative to clearing your cache is disabling your plug-ins and extensions one after the other. This could be the culprit, especially if all of the above fixes did not work.

Fix 8: Turn OFF Hardware Acceleration

Sometimes, Chrome makes use of the GPU (Computer’s Graphics Processing Unit) in our computer to make web pages look appealing. If a computer’s graphic processing unit is incompatible with a certain video format or is being used by another software for a certain task, chances are it may become difficult to play videos from websites, especially when the drivers aren’t updated.

use hardware acceleration when available

It will be in your best interest to note that turning off hardware acceleration may reduce the speed at which chrome loads other web pages. After watching your video, it is advisable to re-enable your hardware acceleration.

Fix 9: Reset Google Chrome Again

If at this point the problem isn’t a thing of the past, you might want to consider resetting your Chrome browser. Sometimes extensions and programs may alter some Chrome settings that can’t be easily accessed, and as a result, cause functionality problems.

Fix 10: Reset Chrome Settings

This fix becomes an alternative to resetting your Google Chrome, especially when the Chrome settings have been altered by extensions and other programs. Begin this fix by following the steps below.

Step 1: Launch Chrome on your computer and then click on the three-dotted icon in the upper-right corner of your screen.

Step 2: Navigate to ‘Settings’ and click on ‘Advanced’. For Mac, Linux, and Chromebook users, click on ‘Reset settings’ and then select ‘Restore settings to their original defaults’. Click on ‘Reset Settings’ to proceed. For ‘videos not playing on Chrome Windows 10’, click on ‘Reset and cleanup’ and then select ‘Restore settings to their original defaults’. Proceed by clicking on ‘Reset settings’.

Now return to the site with the video you want to see and then reload the page.

Fix 11: Turn on Flash on Chrome

This fix may only become relevant when the video you want to see is a Flash video. This video type requires a Flash Player, but in situations where you do not have a flash player installed, you will be asked to enable the Adobe Flash Player feature in Chrome. To manually activate the flash feature in chrome Begin this fix by following the steps below.

Step 1: With your chrome browser, visit the site with the video you want to see. Next to the address bar is the lock icon, click on it.

Step 2: From the dropdown menu, click on the arrow next to ‘Flash’ and select ‘Allow’.

Now try playing the video again after refreshing the page.

Fix 12: Download Video to Computer and Play it Again

You can download videos to your computer with ease if they can’t be played online. Although it will require the use of an extension to do so from Chrome. Begin this fix by following the steps below.

Step 1: On your Chrome browser click on the three-dotted icon in the upper-right corner of your screen

Step 2: Navigate to ‘More tools’ and then click on ‘Extensions’.

Step 3: Find and download the extension that allows users to save videos from the internet.

Step 4: Visit the site with the video you want to see, and click on the download icon as seen below to download the video.

Fix 13: Use 4DDiG File Repair

Some videos may already be damaged even before being uploaded to the website, which may be an honest error from the owner. In situations like this, you’d want to make use of third-party software such as the 4DDiG File Repair tool. It can instantly repair corrupt or damaged MOV & MP4 video files. Some of its outstanding features are:

It can repair fuzzy, distorted, grainy, jerky, or choppy videos.
It can repair a variety of common video formats such as MP4, MKV, MOV, M4V, 3GP, and 3G2, amongst others.
It is compatible with popular camera brands such as GoPro, DJI, and Canon.
It can repair multiple video file formats at once
It is fast and 100% safe.

Below is a step-by-step guide on how to repair damaged or corrupt videos using the Tenorshare 4DDiG repair software.

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After downloading and installing the 4DDiG File Repair software, launch it. You will be presented with several options to choose from on the home window, proceed by selecting ‘Video Repair’.

Import the corrupt or damaged video by clicking the ‘Add’ button. Proceed to fix your video by clicking ‘Start Repair’.

After the process is complete, preview the video to see if it is fixed and then save it to a secure location by clicking ‘Export’.

Bonus Tips: How to Play Videos Properly on Chrome

Follow the steps and solutions below to play videos properly on Chrome.

Tip 1: Play Video on Chrome Using Incognito Mode

Using incognito mode on Chrome does not make you invisible from other sites, it only prevents Chrome from saving your browsing history, cache, cookies, and other information. It also prevents extensions that could prevent your videos from playing when visiting other websites. You can turn on incognito mode using the steps below.

Step 1: Navigate to the top right corner of your screen after launching the chrome app, click on the three-dotted icon, and then select ‘New Incognito Window’ from the drop-down menu.

Step 2: Visit the website with the video you intend to see and then try to play it.

Tip 2: Reset Your Internet Connection

You can try resetting your internet connection to ensure you get a faster loading time when playing videos from the Chrome browser. Begin this fix by following the steps below.

Step 1:Turn off your computer, then eject your modem or disconnect from your wireless router.

Step 2: Give your modem or wireless router some time to cool off.

Step 3: Insert your modem back or connect to your wireless router.

Step 4: Turn on your computer, and then launch Chrome and then visit the website with the video you want to watch.

Part 3: How to Avoid ‘Videos Not Playing on Chrome’

Fortunately, the problem of videos not working on Chrome can be avoided so long as the measures and tips suggested below are adhered to. These measures and tips are easy to understand and simple to follow.

Make it a habit to regularly clear the cache and cookies stored up in your Chrome browser. Continuously storing cache and cookies can be problematic for your browser, which may also affect its functionality, hence the ‘video is not playing in Chrome’ problems.
You should only have a limited amount of opened tabs on your browser. Having too many tabs will overtask your browser as too many operations will be running at once.
Your internet connection should be monitored from time to time. In doing so, you will be alerted as soon as it starts acting up.
Make sure the extensions added to your Chrome browser are compatible with it to ensure smooth operations which includes playing or streaming videos from external websites.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Below are some of the most frequently asked questions related to playing videos on Chrome.

How Can I Play any Video on Chrome?

You can play videos on Chrome by first opening a new tab, then visiting the site with the video to play it. You can also browse on other tabs while watching a video on Chrome. To do so, navigate to the top right corner and then click on ‘Media control’, and select ‘Enter picture-in-picture’.

Why Do Videos Not Load on Chrome?

Several reasons can be associated with failed video loading attempts on Chrome. The most common are; poor internet connection, video restrictions, and out-of-date chrome version.

Conclusion

The problem of Chrome not playing videos has become very common among users over the years. The possible culprit for such a scenario are so many that it may take some time to figure out, and as such, the most common causes and solutions for this situation have been listed above. In some cases, not being able to play videos on your Chrome browser could be because the video is corrupt or damaged. In such cases, you’d want to make use of third-party software to repair the video(s), and the 4DDiG file repair tool is the recommended tool for the job.