How to Fix Video Files on Windows, Mac, Android and iPhone

Eleanor Reed

Dec 21, 2020 • Filed to: Photo/Video/Audio Solutions • Proven solutions

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Playing videos on devices can be fun; that is until the videos begin to develop problems or refuse to play due to black screen, stutter, or freezing. This common occurrence is usually because the video has become corrupt or damaged. Not to worry, you will learn how to fix google chrome videos not playing on Windows, Mac, Android, and iPhone. Also, you will be introduced to the latest most effective video repair tool, that is Wondershare Video Repair.

Part 1: Windows Solutions to Fix Videos on PC

You can fix videos on your PC with the following Windows solutions. These solutions are not as difficult as you may think; an amateur like you can follow the steps to the end. They include the following:

1.Fix Outdated Display Drivers through Drivers Updates:

There are different ways to update your system's drivers on Windows; two will be highlighted here, including the steps you need to follow.

Use Windows Update to Update Drivers: This channel of updating your drivers has been tested and found to be reliable. So, it is advisable to use an inbuilt Windows update to get the latest drivers for your videos. Follow the steps below to achieve this on Windows 10:

Step 1: Click to open the "Settings" window

Step 2: Next, choose "Update & Security"

Step 3: Select the choice "Windows Update" and choose the "Check for updates" option.

Newly available updates will be shown where you can automatically download and install.

Install the Driver Straight from the Product Manufacturer: This alternative comes in handy when the recent updates are not available on Windows yet. Normally, instructions will be given on the manufacturer's website for you to follow in installing the updated app.

2.Solve the Error of Missing or Wrong Codec Pack:

Using the wrong codecs for your videos can lead to video errors. Also, a missing codec can cause playback problems for your video. You can fix this error by using the steps enumerated below:

• Uninstall the wrong Codec from your system, then restart the system
• Now, download the new available Codec for your system with these steps:

Step 1: Go to "Tools" > "Options"

Step 2: Select this path: "Player" > "Download codecs automatically". From here, choose the "OK" button. Whenever the prompting appears to install available Codec, choose "OK". Now try playing the video again.

• If your Codec packs are completely missing from your system, just go ahead to download a new one

3.Fix Wrong Power Plan Settings:

You can use the Control Panel to change the power plan settings of your system by following these steps:

• Go to the "Control Panel" window; type "Power Options" in the window's search bar. Next, press the "Enter" key and select "Edit Plan Settings"

• Click the option "Change advanced power settings"

• Move to "Processor Power Management" in the dialogue box of "Power Options"
• Choose the "Maximum processor state" option to check if the plugged in percentage is a hundred percent. If it is not the case, move it to a hundred percent, then select "OK".

• Restart the system

Part 2: Mac Solutions to Fix Videos on Mac

Fixing stuttering videos or videos that are not playing on Mac is something you can do, as long as you follow these Mac solutions. They are:

1. Convert the Wrongly Converted Video File Format:

You can repair video files on Mac by converting the files using any of the available video converters online. The steps below will show you an example of how to convert video file format on Mac using a VLC media player. Note that although VLC is a media player, it is a reliable option to use in converting video files.

• If you do not have VLC on your Mac, download and install it.
• Open the software and go to "Media", then select "Convert or Save"

• Add the corrupted video file by using the drag and drop tool. Select "Convert/Save"

• Move to the next window and type in a name for the video file's destination
• Go to the profile list, choose the Input Codec option > "Edit Selected Profile". This option is to edit the chosen file

• To begin the file repair, choose "Start"

2. Change the File Extension:

If a particular video file format such as MOV, becomes inaccessible or damaged, follow these steps to change the file extension before playing the video again:

• Make a copy of the corrupted video file on your Mac system
• Change the file extension from .mov to .avi (AVI file format) and click to confirm your option.
• Launch VLC, select "Preferences" as an option under "Tools"

• Next, choose "Input or Codecs" and click to save

• Choose the option "Always Fix"

Part 3: Android Solutions to Fix Videos on Mobile Phone

If you are having issues playing videos, like YouTube videos on google chrome and so on, these solutions will help you fix the videos on your Android mobile phones:

1.Fix Videos Not Playing on Chrome:

It is important to always update your chrome browser to the latest version because an outdated browser can cause video playback error.

• Simply go to Google Play Store and check for the latest available Chrome browser app, download and install it. Next, play your videos online again.

• When video cache, cookies, and browsing data gather up on your chrome, they can cause a hindrance to your videos playing properly. To clear the "junk", do these:

Step 1: Go to "Settings" on your Chrome app

Step 2: Select the "Privacy" option > "Clear Browsing Data". From here, select the data you wish to delete by ticking the box next to your option

Step 3: Choose "Clear". Now space is freed up for your videos to play properly

2.Fix Videos Not Playing on YouTube:

You can start by updating your YouTube App if it's outdated.

• Just like updating Chrome, go to Play Store and check for available YouTube updates, then download and install the latest app. Try playing the video again.

• Check your internet connection if videos refuse to load or if they keep getting interrupted while playing. Try putting off your mobile phone's Wi-Fi, then reconnect to the internet after a few minutes and play the video.

3.Fix Offline Videos Not Playing on Your Android Mobile Phone:

You can fix this issue by restarting your mobile phone so it can start fresh. Alternatively, you can update the Android OS with the steps shown below:

• Follow this path: from "Settings" to "About phone"

• Go to the option "System updates" and "Check for updates" to see if there are any available latest updates. If there are, download them and install them.

Part 4: iPhone Solutions to Fix Video Files

The solutions provided here are for iPhone users to be able to utilize in fixing video files that have refused to play due to one corruption or the other. Below are some case studies of video play issues and how to fix them on the iPhone:

1.Fix Videos Not Playing on Apps:

Sometimes, videos may not play properly on certain apps on your iPhone. You can "Force quit" the apps and start again. Also, check that your network connection is not down. If you cannot connect to the network on Wi-Fi, switch to the mobile internet and try watching the videos. If this doesn't work, try to reset your iPhone network using these steps:

• Tap on "Settings", then go to "General"

• Select "Reset" and then "Reset Network Settings" to clear every cache on your network.

• Re-enter your Wi-Fi name and password

2.Fix Videos that Do Not Play on Camera Roll:

To fix this issue, you can restart your iPhone.

• Press the "Sleep/Wake" button and "Home" button and hold till your iPhone screen goes dark. This action automatically closes any app running in the background of the phone. Select the "Wake/Sleep" button and your iPhone will start again. Now, replay your video.

• Alternatively, you can convert the videos into a format that is compatible with the iPhone and play them to see if the playback errors will be fixed.
• If the above doesn't work, you may have to restore your iPhone to its initial factory settings i.e, device format. Before you do this, ensure you first back up all the data on your iPhone through iTunes. Now, do the following:

Step 1: Install iTunes on your computer and connect your iPhone to it

Step 2: Go to the iTunes screen and select the name of your iPhone. Next, click on "Summary"

Step 3: Select "Restore iPhone"

Step 4: When you are prompted, confirm your action

Step 5: Once your device has been restored to its default factory settings, the device will restart. The slide which you can use to set up the welcome screen will appear. The steps in the setup assistant will guide you to set up your device as a new one or using your previous backup.

Part 5: Ultimate Video Troubleshooting Option—Recoverit

When it comes to the ultimate tool for repairing videos on a wide range of devices such as computers and phones, as well as systems like Mac and Windows, Wondershare Video Repair is the software to choose. However, even before using this tool as a phone user, it is advisable to relocate your corrupted videos from the phone to a computer to make the process simpler for you.

Wondershare Video Repair is a professional tool that helps you fix your damaged, broken, or corrupted video files. This software supports the repairs of videos in a wide range of formats such as MKV, 3GP, FLV, MOV, M4V, AVI, MP4, M2TS. This tool supports video repairs of frozen videos, file header corruption, playback errors, and so on.

Also, if your video files get corrupted due to system crash, video compression, or transfer, you can rest assured that using Wondershare Video Repair will get them fixed.

The process of using Wondershare Video Repair to fix videos is a hundred percent secure, hence you are guaranteed a virus-free process. The steps for using Wondershare Video Repair to fix corrupted video files are explained below; they are indeed simple:

Step 1: Add Corrupted Video

You can start with either of these two: click on "add video and start repairing" in the center of the interface or select the "Add" button at the bottom-left. Any of these will enable you to add the corrupted video file to the tool.

Step 2: Repair Video

After adding the video, choose the "Repair" button to begin repairing the video. Once this is done, click "OK" in the pop-up window that appears to inform you that your video has been repaired and you can view it.

Step 3: Preview the Repaired Video

From above, choose to play the video to be sure it has been truly fixed. Do this by clicking on the "play" icon or symbol at the far right end of the file details

If your video file is particularly corrupted or damaged, you are advised to make use of "Advance Repair". Click on "Advanced Repair" in this preview window and get the process started

Step 4: Add Sample Video

Here you will see a new window with the heading "Adding Sample Video to Repair". Go to the folder icon in this window and choose it to add your sample video. A sample video is a working video that is necessary for repairing severely corrupt video files. By way of definition, a sample video is created or shot from the same device as the corrupted video and it is of the same format as the corrupted video.

Because of this, Wondershare Video Repair can now use the data contained in the sample video to fix your badly corrupted video file. Indeed, it is interesting.

Continue by selecting "Repair", an action that will take you to the previous window. Here, you can decide to save your unsaved work from "Quick Repair" by clicking "Yes" on the dialogue box that appears, or by simply clicking "no" if you do not wish to save it

Step 5: Save Video

Next, click the "Save Video" button at the top right corner of the tool's interface to save all your repaired files. Note the instruction in the dialogue box that appears and do not save the video file in the original location.

For emphasis, you are not advised to choose drive "C" as your new file location; ensure you change to another drive. Afterward, you will need to select "New Folder" before clicking "Recover" to save the video file in a new folder. It is important to note that if you simply select "Recover" only, your file will be saved in its previous location.

Also, create a new name for the folder. This will make your search for it easier any time you wish to locate it.

Part 6: How to Prevent Corrupted Video Files

There are several ways you can prevent your video files from getting corrupted; this will save you from having to carry out troubleshoots to fix the videos.

Common Causes of Video Playback Errors

Symptoms of playback error include black or white screen during video play, lagging, freezing, or patchiness. Video playback errors occur due to various factors at play. However, the major ones will be highlighted here for you to look out for:

1. Missing Codec: Playback errors can occur on Windows if your PC is missing a codec, an element that is important for videos to play on Windows.
2. Outdated Drivers: Sometimes your system may have outdated display drivers which can cause videos not to play properly.
3. Video Corruption: This is a major reason for playback errors. Videos get corrupted from virus infection, malware, or corrupt external devices.
4. Incorrect Settings: Playback errors may occur when playing videos on your devices due to the wrong settings.
5. Incomplete Downloads: If your video download gets interrupted due to loss of connection to the internet, it can cause the video not to play properly or even at all.
6. Interruptions During Transfer of Video Files: You may encounter video playback error due to an interruption that has occurred during the file transfer into your device. These interruptions are usually due to the abrupt shutdown of your system, power failure, or forceful impromptu removal of the third-party device.

Tips for Playing and Fixing Videos

It is important to take note of some key things when playing videos on any device, as well as when fixing corrupt videos, to ensure effectiveness. These tips are stated below:

• When it comes to fixing videos that are not playing, you should change the media player first of all. This is because the problem might just be with the media player and not the video itself. Hence, it is important to find out if the media player is the problem or not, by changing it when your video starts to have problems.
• Keep your system's display drivers up to date. This will ensure that your videos are played effectively by the right drivers.
• Make use of a good antivirus tool to protect your system from getting infected with a virus that could damage your videos. Thus, let your system's security be of topmost priority to you.
• Ensure your device is not lacking in the right codec package by installing new and right codecs for it.
• Finally, always make sure you back up your video files that have been stored on your device, no matter the device. This will save you a lot of stress if your videos become inaccessible.

Closing Words

From the solutions and tips above, you should now be confident of fixing problems of your videos not playing on your device. Remember, among all the solutions that you have been given, the number one expert tool that can repair any kind of video damage you are faced with is Wondershare Video Repair.