There are a few common reasons why videos may not be playing in your Facebook feed:
Your Internet Connection
The most likely culprit is an unreliable or slow internet connection. Streaming video requires a fairly fast and stable connection, so if your internet is slow or cutting in and out, videos may not load or play properly in your Facebook feed.
Try refreshing the page or checking if other internet-connected apps and sites work properly. If it seems to be an issue with your internet connection in general, you may need to restart your router, check for connection issues with your internet service provider, or try connecting to a different network.
Outdated Facebook App
Another possibility is that your Facebook app needs to be updated. Facebook is constantly releasing new versions of its mobile apps, which often contain bug fixes and optimizations for features like video.
Go to the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android) to check if there are any pending updates for your Facebook app. Installing the latest version can often resolve problems like videos not playing.
Problems with Individual Videos
It’s also possible there are issues with specific videos in your feed, rather than a problem with Facebook overall. For example:
- The video file or source link may be corrupted or unavailable.
- The video may have been removed by the uploader or for a policy violation.
- The video may be region-restricted or age-gated.
Try refreshing your feed or looking at other recent videos to see if it’s only some videos that won’t play. If so, the issues are likely with those videos specifically, not your Facebook app or connection.
Facebook App Permissions
Facebook requires certain app permissions to be enabled in order to play videos in the app. If you have recently changed these settings, that could be preventing videos from loading.
Check that the following permissions are enabled for the Facebook app:
- “Cellular Data” – Allows video streaming over cellular data (if you have this turned off, videos will only play when connected to WiFi).
- “Autoplay Videos” – Allows videos to autoplay as you scroll through your feed.
You can edit these permissions in your phone’s settings app, under the options for the Facebook app.
Facebook Glitches
In some cases, there may be temporary widespread technical issues with Facebook that prevent videos from loading properly. Problems like server outages or bugs that affect video playback can happen sporadically.
Check sites like Downdetector to see if others are reporting Facebook problems around the same time you experience video issues. This type of outage is usually resolved within a few hours.
Browser/App Caching Issues
On desktop browsers or in the Facebook mobile app, cached data can sometimes interfere with videos loading properly. Clearing your browser cache and/or reinstalling the Facebook app can resolve this in some cases.
Unsupported File Formats
Facebook supports common video file formats like MP4, but may have issues with less mainstream formats. Uploaders may be using a format that doesn’t work well with Facebook’s video players.
There’s not much you can do about this as the user, apart from letting the uploader know there are issues playing their video file.
Blocked by Ad Blockers or Privacy Software
Some ad blockers, Facebook container add-ons, or privacy protection software blocks Facebook videos from loading properly, usually unintentionally. Try disabling any add-ons you have installed in your browser to see if that fixes the issue.
Facebook Account Restrictions
In rare cases, access to video and other media can be limited by Facebook for policy violations. If your account has been restricted, you may be unable to view certain videos.
Check your account standing under Settings -> Account Status. If access has been limited for a policy violation, you will need to resolve any listed issues before media access is restored.
How to Troubleshoot Facebook Video Issues
If videos aren’t loading in your Facebook feed, try the following troubleshooting steps:
- Check your internet connection – Refresh the page, test other internet services, restart your router if needed.
- Update the Facebook app – Go to the app store to check for and install updates.
- Try using Facebook in a different browser or device.
- Clear browser caches and cookies.
- Reinstall the Facebook app.
- Check if specific videos have issues or if it’s across the board.
- Make sure key permissions are enabled for the Facebook app.
- Check sites like Downdetector for any known Facebook outages.
- Disable any ad blockers or privacy add-ons temporarily.
Going through this troubleshooting process methodically can help narrow down and isolate the cause of the problem. If issues persist across devices and everything checks out, you may need to contact Facebook support for additional help getting your videos playing again.
Preventing Facebook Video Issues
While there’s no foolproof way to avoid Facebook video problems entirely, there are some preventive steps you can take:
- Maintain a fast, stable internet connection – Slow and intermittent connections disrupt video streaming.
- Keep your Facebook app up-to-date – Install updates as soon as they become available.
- Don’t use unsupported video formats – Stick to MP4 for the widest device support.
- Clear cache and reinstall the app occasionally – This keeps performance optimal and fixes minor glitches.
- Don’t violate Facebook’s terms and policies – Anything that gets your account restricted can affect media access.
Staying on top of these things can reduce the likelihood of disruptions to your Facebook video experience.
Why Facebook Videos Aren’t Playing: Final Thoughts
With millions of videos being shared daily, there are bound to be occasional technical hiccups that prevent some from playing properly in your Facebook feed.
Issues are often temporary and can be fixed by troubleshooting your internet connection, app updates, caches, settings, etc. Persistent problems may require contacting Facebook support to identify and resolve the underlying cause.
Staying patient, checking for outages, and going through a methodical troubleshooting process can get your Facebook videos streaming again in no time.