Multimedia

How to Fix “The Media Could Not be Played” Error

Janice

By Janice

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the media could not be played

Most users face the error “the media could not be played” while trying to watch any video on self-hosted video websites.

This error occurs when users load a media file in a format not supported by the JW Player. Such formats include .mov and .wmv. The JW player does not play files not supported by the H264 video codec.

One can face this annoying error on both mobile and desktop Chrome versions. Not just Google Chrome, but users can also encounter this error on other browsers such as Safari and Firefox.

The issue “the media could not be played” can appear due to some browser extension/cookie or the media player’s incorrect configuration.

What Do You Mean by JW Player?

JW player is a world-renowned media player. This embeddable player has more than 20 billion streams every month. JW player is extremely lightweight and works well across various browsers.

Meanwhile, it also integrates flawlessly with all ad networks. Due to all these characteristics, the JW player is the most favored choice for several major websites which support self-hosted media files.

Undoubtedly, the JW player is a very stable player when it comes to playing embedded videos.

However, there are times when incorrect configurations force this player to play a video that is unsupported by the player. Hence, users encounter the error “the media file could not be played.”

Also, get to know how to stop the 0x00000050 blue screen of death.


How to Fix the Error “the Media Could Not Be Played”?

Anyone can encounter this frustrating error. If you are one of them, there are several means to resolve it. First, you need to recognize whether it is a media player-related problem or a browser one. It is really easy to find this.

You have to open the video content URL in another browser. If the problem persists there, it is not in your hands to resolve it. In this situation, you must contact the concerned website’s web administrator. They will look into the matter on their own.

On the other hand, if the video works well on other browsers, make use of troubleshooting tips to look into the issue. There are certain methods to get rid of the error “the media could not be played” successfully. After that, you can stream videos effortlessly.

If you are facing this issue, these troubleshooting methods will be really helpful. Try these methods one after the other to locate a workable fix for you.

However, not all methods will work for you based on your platform. So, let’s move on to solutions to resolve the error “the media could not be played.”

Method 1: Resolve the Media Could Not Be Played Error by Updating Chrome

If the error is appearing on Google Chrome, try to update it. The most common reason behind the error “the media could not be played” could be this.

Using an outmoded Chrome version could result in this error. JW player keeps on updating its list of supported video formats. If you are using an old version, you will be unable to use this feature.

To update Google Chrome, follow the instructions as follows.

For Android

In smartphones, Google Chrome updates to its latest version automatically, if any. However, the settings of the Google Play Store can restrict this process on your phone. Google Play store does not update applications on phones using mobile data.

To do so, you have to connect your device to a Wi-Fi network. You can manually update Google Chrome on Android phones in the following way.

Step 1: Open the app

Firstly, you need to open the app “Play Store.” Click on the menu “Action” in the left corner from there.

update chrome on android
Step 2: Visit “My apps & games”

You need to go to the section “My apps & games.” Under the section “Updates,” you can see the available updates for apps.

Visit "My apps & games"
Step 3: Tap “Chrome”

Now, go after the name “Chrome” and select the tab “Update” present alongside it. Google Chrome will be updated soon.

update Chrome on android

For PC

Normally, Google Chrome keeps on updating its version in the background. It happens whenever you close or opens your browser if an update is available.

However, a pending update can occur if you do not close Chrome for a while. So, you need to update Google Chrome on your PC manually. To do so, go through the steps listed below.

Step 1: Tap three dots

Go to the menu “Action,” which resembles three vertical dots on the right corner.

Tap three dots on Chrome
Step 2: Press “Update Google Chrome”

You need to click on the option “Update Google Chrome.” If there is no such option, you only use the latest Chrome version.

update Chrome on pc
Step 3: Select “Re-launch”

After successfully downloading the latest version, you must select the Relaunch button. Now, Google Chrome will update to its new version automatically.

Relauch Chrome on pc

Method 2: Resolve the Media Could Not Be Played Error by Deleting Cookies and Cache

Once you have updated the Chrome version, it is time to move on to the second method. Now, you need to delete the cookies and cache of the browser.

The process of deleting the data differs for smartphones and computers. Choose one method depending on your device.

For Android

To delete the data of the browser, such as cookies and cache, follow the instructions as follows:

Step 1: Open Google Chrome

First, you need to open the browser on your device. Once done, you have to click on three dots present vertically on the right side of the screen. These dots are also known as action menus.

Step 2: Visit the settings

Now, you need to visit the settings and click on the option “Privacy.”

Step 3: Click “Clear Browsing Data”

From there, scroll down to find the option “Clear Browsing Data.”

Step 4: Choose the tab “Basic”

Next, choose the tab “Basic” to set “All time” as “Time range” from the drop-down list. After that, check against boxes saying “Cached images and files” and “Cookies and site data.” Once done, tap on “Clean data” to delete everything.

clear browsing data on Android

For PC

To delete cookies and cache files on computers, look at the following steps.

Step 1: Open Google Chrome

Initially, you need to open Google Chrome and access three dots or the action menu from the right corner.

Step 2: Click “Clear Browsing Data”

Now, you have to go to the section “More tools.” From there, locate the tab “Clear Browsing Data” and tap on it.

Step 3: Look for the tab “Basic”

Go to the tab “Basic” and select “All Time” as “Time Range” from the drop-down list.

Step 4: Press the button “Clear Data”

Next, you have to check against boxes saying “Cached images and file” and “Cookies and other site data.” Once done, press the button “Clear data.” It will delete all the cookies and cached files from the browser.

Clear Chrome Browsing data
Step 5: Restart Chrome

After that, you can restart the browser. Then, check if the error “the media could not be played” persists. If yes, move to the following method.

Method 3: Resolve the Error by Disabling Extensions

This method will only work for computers. Users often face the error “the media could not be played” due to Chrome extensions. Using extensions to protect online surfing makes you more likely to encounter this frustrating error.

Before that, you need to find out whether extensions are causing the error or not. For this, open the “Incognito” tab on Chrome. You will find this tab by pressing on the three dots present vertically on the right side.

From there, select the option “New incognito window.” This window does not just allow users to browse the content privately and disables all kinds of extensions.

In this mode, you need to open the video URL, where you were facing the error “the media could not be played.” If the video works perfectly, extensions are the real cause of this error.

It means that extensions are snooping with the video playback. To find this out, paste or type “chrome://extensions” in the search column of Chrome.

Now, you can see all extensions of your browser in one place. You can disable all the extensions by removing the check against the option “Enabled.”

Uncheck these extensions one by one to see if you can play the concerned video. Once you find the main culprit, get rid of that particular extension by tapping on the icon for trash.

disable Chrome extensions by unticking the checkbox

Method 4: Resolve the Error by Resetting Default Chrome Settings

It is another method to get rid of the error “be played.” This method works for computers only. It will most probably get the job done for you by removing any extension or setting which is causing the error. However, it can even create more problems for you.

When resetting Chrome settings to the default, it will reset everything, including cookies, themes, extensions, or site data.

Meanwhile, it would not change saved passwords, bookmarks, or custom fonts. To reset settings for Chrome, take a look at the following instructions:

Step 1: Launch Chrome

Firstly, you need to launch the browser Google Chrome and tap on the menu “Action” or the three dots on the top.

Step 2: Press the tab “Advanced”

Now, you need to visit “Settings” of Chrome and press the tab “Advanced” present at the bottom.

Advanced Settings Chrome

Step 3: Click the tab “Reset”

Next, you have to tap on the section “Reset” from there. Confirm the action and let Chrome reinitialize. You will no longer face the error “the media could not be played.”

Method 5: Resolve the Error by Using the Ultimate Option

If you cannot resolve this annoying error by now, there is just one method left for you to try out. To resolve the error, you must use a professional repair tool.

One such tool is Stellar Video Repair. This professional tool will help you to play media files on your computer, laptop, or mobile device.

You often face an error due to the incomplete download of files. Also, it happens due to interruptions during the media transfer process.

In these cases, you can encounter errors like “the media could not be played.” To get rid of errors in these situations, you can make use of Stellar Video Repair.

With Stellar Video Repair, users can overcome any file corruption. Not just that, but this software also helps you to resolve video-audio sync issues or repair videos that are jerky, distorted, choppy, or grainy.

So, choose an easy way to get rid of the annoying “the media could not be played” error.

Special Features of Stellar Video Repair:

  • Repairs damaged, broken, or corrupt media files
  • Supports almost all file formats, including WMV, MOV, MKV, or 3GP
  • Repairs corrupt videos resulting from processing, converting, editing, or file transferring process
  • Works for both Mac and Windows PC
  • Offers a preview before saving the file
  • It comes with a user-friendly and simple interface

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  1. What should I do if the error persists after trying all the troubleshooting steps? If the error persists, you may want to contact the website or media player’s support team for further assistance. They may have specific insights or solutions tailored to their platform.
  2. Can I fix the error on my mobile device? Yes, the troubleshooting steps provided in this article are applicable to both desktop and mobile devices. However, some mobile-specific issues, such as app compatibility, may require additional troubleshooting steps.
  3. Are there any specific media formats that commonly trigger this error? While the error can occur with various media formats, certain uncommon or proprietary formats may have limited support. Converting files to widely supported formats like MP4 or MP3 can often resolve compatibility issues.
  4. Will clearing cache and cookies delete my saved passwords and browsing history? Clearing cache and cookies will remove temporary data stored by websites, but it won’t affect your saved passwords or browsing history. However, it’s always recommended to back up any critical information before performing any maintenance actions.
  5. Is it possible to recover corrupted media files? In some cases, it may be possible to recover corrupted media files using specialized file recovery software. However, success rates vary, and it’s always recommended to have backups of important files to avoid data loss.

Conclusion

Now, you can resolve the error “the media could not be played” through any method. We have listed the best methods to repair this issue in the best possible way. Try out these methods one by one.

If nothing works for you, Stellar Video Repair will help you to play the video file. Download Stellar Video Repair to resolve video-related or audio-related issues effectively and efficiently.

Janice
Janice

10-Year Technical Editor, I Write Articles Only Based on Meticulous & Comprehensive Research!

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