Over the years, Facebook’s video library has grown tremendously. Not only can you watch videos posted by your friends but also from content creators across the spectrum. Sometimes users report encountering a black screen when they hit play on a video. If you’re facing the same problem, you have landed on the right page. Today, we bring you the top 10 ways to fix the ‘Facebook not playing videos’ issue on your device.
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In This Article
Why are Facebook videos not playing?
If you are unable to play videos on Facebook, it could be due to one of the following reasons.
- Your internet connection is faulty.
- Data Saver is enabled on Facebook.
- The video is region-locked and cannot be accessed from your location.
- The Facebook app on your phone is out of date.
Check your internet connection
A faulty WiFi or mobile data connection could be the reason why videos aren’t playing on Facebook. While you may be able to view the posts on your Facebook feed, a slow internet connection may not be able to buffer the videos on the platform. To make sure this is the case, try playing a video on YouTube. If it plays without any hiccups, the problem does not lie with your internet connection.
Restart your device
A quick restart of your device can resolve any background issues that may be keeping Facebook from playing videos. You can restart your PC by clicking the Windows icon in the taskbar and selecting Power options>Restart. To restart an Android smartphone, press and hold the side key and hit ‘Restart’. iPhone users can press the side key with a volume key and drag the power slider across the screen to turn off the device. Wait a few seconds and press and hold the side key to restart the device.
Update your web browser
If your web browser is out of date, you will need to update it to its latest version before you can play Facebook videos. If you’re on Chrome, go to Settings>About Chrome. Google Chrome will automatically begin checking for updates. Once the web browser is updated, you will be asked to relaunch it. If Facebook is still unable to play videos, switch to a different browser to confirm if the problem lies with your default web browser.
Change the video quality
If your internet connection is sluggish, change the video quality to a lower resolution to make sure it plays smoothly. Here’s how.
Step 1: Play a video on Facebook.
Step 2: Hit the Settings icon.
Step 3: Tap on Quality.
Step 4: Select a lower resolution.
Turn off Data Saver (Mobile)
Step 1: Launch the Facebook app and hit the hamburger menu icon.
Step 2: Tap on Settings and privacy and select Settings.
Step 3: Tap on Media.
Step 4: In the Video Quality section, tap on Optimised and deselect Data saver.
Turn on Video Autoplay
Step 1: Launch the Facebook app and hit the hamburger menu icon.
Step 2: Tap on Settings and privacy and select Settings.
Step 3: Tap on Media.
Step 4: In the Autoplay section, select On mobile data and WiFi.
Use a VPN
If the video is locked for your region, you can use a VPN to access it. You may encounter this situation while trying to watch sports videos on the Facebook pages of major broadcasters. For example, if you want to watch Premier League highlights on the official Sky Sports PL page, you will need to use a VPN and set the location to England. Check out this article for our list of the best VPN apps and software.
Clear Facebook’s cache (Mobile)
Step 1: Go to Settings and select Apps.
Step 2: Select Facebook.
Step 3: Tap on Storage.
Step 4: Hit Clear Cache.
Update the Facebook app (Mobile)
If Facebook is unable to play videos due to bug-related issues, it is possible that they have been patched with an update. If you’re on an Android phone, go to the Google Play Store, search for Facebook, go to its page, and hit the ‘Update’ button. If you’re an iPhone user, go to the App Store, tap your profile picture, and hit the ‘Update’ button next to Facebook.
Check if Facebook’s servers are down
If you can’t load any pages on Facebook, check if the website’s servers are down. Go to DownDetector and search for Facebook. If you see a spike in recent user reports, it means that the website is experiencing a server outage. Wait until the servers have been restored to working condition. Until then, you can try looking up the video on YouTube and other video streaming platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I disable Data Saver on Facebook?
Go to Settings and privacy>Settings>Media>Video Quality and select Optimised over Data Saver.
How do I check if Facebook is down?
Go to DownDetector and search for Facebook to check if its servers are down. If you notice a spike in user reports, it means Facebook is currently experiencing a server outage.
How do I turn on Video Autoplay on Facebook?
Launch the Facebook app, go to Settings and privacy>Media, and select ‘On mobile and WiFi’ in the Autoplay section.
How do I clear Facebook’s cache?
Go to Settings>Apps>Facebook>Storage and tap on ‘Clear cache’.
How do I change the video quality on Facebook?
Tap the Settings icon and select Quality from the pop-up menu. Select your preferred resolution from the list.
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Conclusion
This is how you can fix the ‘Facebook videos not playing’ issue on your smartphone and PC. If these fixes don’t work for you, contact Facebook support for further assistance. If you found these fixes helpful, let us know in the comments!
