If you find your Facebook videos constantly buffering or not playing at all, it can be really frustrating. But don’t worry, there are some steps you can take to try and fix the issue.
Check Your Internet Connection
The most obvious cause of buffering videos is a poor internet connection. Here are some things to check:
- What is your internet download and upload speed? You can test this at a site like speedtest.net. For smooth HD video streaming, you generally need at least 5 Mbps download speed.
- Are you connected via WiFi or a wired Ethernet cable? WiFi is more prone to interference so try using a wired connection if possible.
- If on WiFi, are you close to the router or far away? The further away you are, the weaker the signal which can cause buffering. Move closer to the router or consider range extenders.
- Does the buffering only happen when connected to a particular network? Try connecting to a different WiFi hotspot or cellular network to compare.
- Restart your router and modem. This can clear up any transient connection issues.
If your internet speed and connection check out, the problem may lie elsewhere.
Update Your Apps and Browser
An outdated Facebook app or web browser can sometimes be the culprit behind buffering videos. Try updating to the latest version of the Facebook app on your device or updating your browser if watching on a computer. This ensures compatibility with the latest Facebook video player technology.
Close Unnecessary Apps and Tabs
Too many apps and browser tabs running in the background can drain your device’s resources, including bandwidth. Try closing any apps or browser tabs you aren’t using to free up resources for your video streaming.
Check Facebook Video Settings
Facebook includes some video settings you can adjust:
- Video Auto-Play – Turning this off means videos won’t start loading until you click play, which may resolve some buffering issues.
- Video Quality – Lowering the default video quality uses less data and may prevent buffering on slower connections.
You can find these settings from the menu in Facebook’s mobile app or under Settings > Videos on the desktop site.
Clear Cache and Cookies
Too much cached data can sometimes interfere with streaming video playback. Clear your browser cookies and cache to see if that helps:
- Desktop Browser – Open settings and look for a Privacy & Security or Clear Browsing Data option.
- Facebook Mobile App – Go to Settings > Account Settings > Media and Contacts > Clear Cache.
Check for Software Conflicts
Some third party browser extensions and security software can disrupt video playback on Facebook. Try disabling any browser extensions you have installed to see if one is causing an issue. You can also try adding Facebook.com to the allowed sites list on any security software on your device.
Test Video Playback Elsewhere
See if you can reproduce the buffering issues watching videos on other sites like YouTube and Vimeo. If Facebook is the only site with buffering problems, then the issue likely lies with either Facebook’s servers or your connection specifically to Facebook.
Contact Your Internet Service Provider
If you’ve tried all the troubleshooting steps above and videos still buffer inconsistently, contact your internet service provider. There could be a network issue between you and Facebook causing problems. Your ISP can look into it and resolve any network congestion or routing problems.
Use a VPN or Proxy Server
As a last resort, consider routing your Facebook traffic through a VPN (Virtual Private Network) or proxy server. This can disguise your network identity and location, which may help get around any restrictive routing policies ISPs have in place for Facebook that could be causing buffering.
Conclusion
Buffering videos can definitely be annoying. But in most cases, the problem can be resolved with some systematic troubleshooting:
| Troubleshooting Step | Details |
|---|---|
| Check internet connection speed and reliability | Use speedtest.net to test. Connect via wired Ethernet if possible. |
| Update Facebook app and browser | Ensure compatibility with latest Facebook video player. |
| Close unused apps and browser tabs | Frees up device resources being used for video streaming. |
| Adjust Facebook video settings | Turn off autoplay. Lower default quality. |
| Clear browser cache and cookies | Removes potentially problematic temporary internet files. |
| Check for third party software conflicts | Disable browser extensions and allow Facebook in security software. |
| Test video playback on other sites | Helps determine if issue is specific to Facebook. |
| Contact your internet provider | Checks for network congestion and routing issues. |
| Use a VPN or proxy service | Routes your traffic differently to avoid ISP throttling. |
Start with the easier steps like checking your internet connection and work your way through the list until the buffering is resolved. The vast majority of the time, one of these troubleshooting tips will do the trick. But if all else fails, contact Facebook support to see if they have any other suggestions to fix persistent video buffering problems.