What to do when a video is not playing on YouTube?

Read time 8 minutes

YouTube has always been the go-to stop player to play and stream all kinds of videos over the Internet. But certainly, there are some situations where a video is not able to play on YouTube. It could be happening for many reasons, including system or browser issues. One of the major reasons could be that the file you are trying to play has gone corrupt, making it difficult to play the video on YouTube. Now, we will look at various methods to fix the situation where a video is not playing on YouTube. Before moving on to that, let’s examine the main reasons for this issue.

Reasons for video is not playing on YouTube

There are multiple causes that lead to a video not playing on YouTube, but we have listed some common causes here to help you understand quickly. They are:

• Low internet connection, speed, or bandwidth.
• Outdated browser or pending Windows system updates.
• Opted for high-definition quality in videos.
• Incorrect network settings.
• A huge reserve of cache and cookie data.
• Virus or malware infection in the system.
• Severely corrupted/damaged video file.

Methods to fix video is not playing on YouTube issue

It becomes very inconvenient when a video is not playing on YouTube. So, it is necessary to eliminate this issue instantly. Follow the methods mentioned accordingly.

Method 1. Refresh the page

There might be a glitch that is preventing you from playing the video properly. The video might start playing again on YouTube by just reloading the page or refreshing it. You can refresh the YouTube video with just a click.

Method 2. Change the video quality

This could result from poor bandwidth, interrupting a smoothly running YouTube video. A possible solution is to adjust the video quality you are trying to play. Select the minimum video resolution available and try to play the video again. Follow these steps to modify the video resolution:

1. Click on Settings, which is given on the tab at the bottom of every video. Click on Quality.
2. Choose the minimum resolution, i.e., 144P.

Method 3. Check the internet connection

If the above two ways do not enable the video to play on YouTube, this might be due to the lack of Internet available in your area. To begin with, it is necessary to have a solid and stable internet connection to play videos online. Thoroughly check your connection’s speed and bandwidth to avoid interruptions while playing the video. If the internet connection is still weak, restart your computer system or switch to another network.

Method 4. Modify connection settings

Certain settings in the connection could cause an error when the video is not playing on YouTube. It is better to reset the internet connection settings to avoid that possibility. To modify the connection settings, follow these steps:

1. Open Control Panel in your system and click on Internet options.
2. Under the Advanced tab, click on Reset advanced settings. Select the Reset option and click on Apply to save the changes.

Method 5. Update the browser

Updates are carried out to provide continuous improvements and fix errors and bug issues in the browser. It allows all the users to enjoy the new features and protect them from threats. Often, the browser starts showcasing issues like video being unable to play on YouTube if it has not been updated for a long time. Follow these simple steps to update the Google Chrome browser:

1. Click on the 3 dots in the top right corner and click on Settings.
2. From the options on the left side, click About Chrome, and it will start updating.

Method 6. Update the YouTube application

In case you are experiencing this issue while playing the video through the YouTube application on your mobile device, an update could resolve this issue. Update the application to the most up-to-date version of YouTube for a smooth video-playing experience.

Method 7. Clear cache and cookies

Cache and cookies maintain the data of all the websites visited by the user, the choices you made, and, in some cases, even the passwords. The large reserve of this data could be a reason for the slow functioning of the browser, which in turn causes the YouTube video not to play. Clear all browsing data through this stepwise process:

1. Go to Settings on the Google Chrome browser.
2. Under Privacy and Security, click on Clear browsing data.
3. Set the time range as All time and select the items you want to remove. Lastly, click on Clear data.

Use the ultimate tool to repair corrupted video files

Whenever you try to play a corrupted or broken video downloaded from YouTube, it shows an error or simply does not play. The video is certainly damaged or corrupted. In such a situation, a need arises to repair these video files using a superior approach, retaining the quality of the video file. Here, the Kernel Video repair tool meets all the requirements by being professional software.

It supports all video formats, including MP4, MKV, FLV, F4V, 3GP, MOV, etc. and repairs them quickly. This tool facilitates users with an interactive and simple user interface with all Windows compatibility. It also specializes in fixing the corruption/damages in recorded video from all camera brands and types. This tool repairs and recovers inaccessible video in its original quality in a few steps. Take a trial today!

Conclusion

Even the popular and widely used YouTube could sometimes show an error where it cannot play a video. The following methods could help you resolve the issue in such a situation. If you are facing an issue with a downloaded YouTube video file, Kernel Video Repair could be the best solution to repair it. Using this tool, you can also repair multiple video files simultaneously, irrespective of format.