Having issues watching Facebook videos in full screen mode can be frustrating. There are a few potential reasons why Facebook videos may not be playing in full screen and some troubleshooting steps you can try to resolve the problem.
Common Reasons Facebook Videos Won’t Play in Full Screen
Here are some of the most common reasons Facebook videos won’t play in full screen mode:
- Outdated Facebook app – If you’re trying to watch videos in the Facebook app on your mobile device, an outdated version of the app could be the issue.
- Browser settings or extensions – Browser settings, extensions, or ad blockers could be blocking full screen mode.
- Video format not supported – Some video file formats may not be supported for full screen playback.
- Slow internet connection – Videos may fail to go full screen if you have a slow or unstable internet connection.
- Facebook server issues – Server or technical issues on Facebook’s end could temporarily disrupt full screen playback.
- Video permissions – The video may not allow full screen viewing based on the publisher’s settings.
- Facebook site maintenance – Full screen viewing may be temporarily disabled during Facebook site maintenance windows.
Troubleshooting Steps to Fix Facebook Full Screen Video Issues
If you’re struggling to get Facebook videos to play in full screen mode, here are some troubleshooting steps to try:
- Update the Facebook app – If using the mobile app, make sure you have the latest version installed.
- Try a different browser – Attempt full screen viewing in a different browser or incognito/private mode.
- Disable browser extensions – Disable any ad blockers, privacy extensions, or plugins to test if they are the cause.
- Check internet connection – Make sure you have a strong and stable internet connection.
- Clear browser cache – Clear your browser history and cache as corrupt files could be preventing full screen mode.
- Try different videos – Test if the issue is isolated to a specific video or happens with all videos.
- Restart device or browser – Close out and restart your browser or device to refresh settings.
- Allow pop-ups – Make sure your browser is not blocking video pop-ups needed for full screen viewing.
- Adjust browser zoom – Reset your browser zoom level back to the default setting if it is zoomed in or out.
- Check for site issues – Check the Facebook Status page for any known technical issues.
Advanced Troubleshooting Tips
For advanced troubleshooting, you can also try the following steps which require modifying browser settings or Facebook settings:
- Enable hardware acceleration – Turn on hardware acceleration in your browser settings to allow videos to render more smoothly.
- Allow autoplay – Make sure autoplay is enabled in your browser and Facebook settings to allow videos to play automatically.
- Adjust video quality – Lowering the video quality may allow videos to go full screen more smoothly.
- Clear Facebook cookies – Delete any Facebook cookies and site data from your browser.
- Try Facebook Lite – Use the Facebook Lite app or site which has simpler video features.
- Check video format – Right click on the video and inspect the file format, updating codecs if an incompatible format.
- Update graphics drivers – Update your graphics card and driver software for improved video performance.
- Change Facebook player settings – Adjust the video player settings in your Facebook account.
- Grant camera/microphone access – Ensure your browser has permission to access your camera and mic if required for Facebook videos.
Web Browser and Mobile App Troubleshooting
Here is some browser and app-specific troubleshooting advice:
Chrome
- Reset Chrome settings to default
- Update Google Chrome
- Disable Chrome extensions
- Clear cache and cookies
Firefox
- Refresh Firefox profile
- Toggle Firefox hardware acceleration
- Update Firefox browser
- Clear Firefox cache
Safari
- Make sure AutoPlay is enabled in Safari settings
- Check Safari extensions and content blockers
- Reset Safari browser
- Update Safari browser
Facebook Mobile App
- Update Facebook app from app store
- Force close and restart Facebook app
- Clear Facebook app cache
- Reinstall or update Facebook app
- Restart your mobile device
Facebook Website
- Use desktop site if on mobile browser
- Try different browsers like Chrome, Firefox, etc.
- Clear browser cookies and site data
- Enable pop-ups for Facebook site
Conclusion
With the wide range of troubleshooting steps outlined above, hopefully you will be able to resolve any issues getting Facebook videos to play in full screen mode. Some of the most common fixes include updating your apps and browser software, clearing cached data, adjusting settings in your browser and Facebook, trying different browsers and videos, and checking for any site outages. Advanced users can also try modifications like enabling hardware acceleration, updating graphics drivers, and adjusting default browser settings. Using the mobile app versus the desktop website on a browser can also produce different results. Persistence is key as trying multiple troubleshooting steps may be required to get Facebook videos playing properly in full screen again.