Are you getting an error when trying to play a video on Plex media player? Many users see one of these unexpected error messages each time they load a video via the Plex player. It happens whether they launch Plex on their Windows PC or Mac computer as well as on smart TVs or mobile devices.
Each error message starts with a “Playback Error” title and then followed by a combination of these messages:
“An error occurred while attempting to play this video. Please check your connection and try again.”
“An error occurred while attempting to play this video. Please try restarting both the Plex Media Server and this app.”
“An unexpected playback problem occurred.”
“There was an unexpected error during playback. Please visit our forums if you continue to experience problems.”
“The server is not powerful enough to convert video.”
“Playback was not possible. Not enough bandwidth for playback.”
“An error occurred trying to play “video file name” Error code: s1001 (Network)”
“Conversion failed. A required codec could not be found or failed to install.”
“The server is not powerful enough to convert this video for smooth playback. Try playing the original quality.”
“An error occurred loading items into the play queue.”
“Not enough bandwidth for direct play of this item.”
Plex curates all your media files in one place. That means you can find your videos, photos, live TV shows, movies, podcasts, and music on one platform. It makes access easier and faster whenever you need them on your mobilephone, smart TV or computer. However, encountering an issue with Plex player can be frustrating and stops you from enjoying the videos you want to watch on the streaming platform.
How to Troubleshoot, Fix, & Get Rid of Video Playback Errors on Plex Media Player
Fortunately, there are several ways to resolve the playback problems you encounter on Plex. Check out the troubleshooting solutions below and try to follow the steps one at a time to help you fix the cause of the issue. After doing each method, check if the error still exists.
Method #1 – Restart Plex Server
The first thing you need to do is to exit Plex server app on your Windows 10/11 or Mac computer and wait for a few minutes. Now, relaunch the app and check if you can play any video.
Method #2 – Perform a Power Cycle Method on your Device
- Exit Plex and all running apps in the background.
- Turn off your PC or Mac.
- Unplug your router and modem for at least 3 minutes.
- Plug them back in and turn on your computer.
- Relaunch Plex and check if it works.
Method #3 – Switch to a Different Video
Try playing a new video and see if it shows the same error. If not, the problem may be with the previous content you want to watch on your Plex account.
Method #4 – Update Display Drivers on your PC or Mac
- For Windows PC, navigate to the Device Manager. You can use the Search bar to look for the Device Manager.
- Scroll down to Display Adapters and click the arrow to expand the menu.
- Right-click on your video driver.
- Select Update Driver.
- Choose to automatically look for available updates.
- For Mac users, click the Apple logo on the top of your screen.
- Select Software Update. New updates on Mac software includes graphic driver updates if available.
Method #5 – Edit the Transcoder Settings
- From the Home screen, head over to the Settings menu.
- Select Transcoder.
- Switch the current setting of your transcoder to a different one. You have three more qualities to try and check which one can play the video for you.
Method #6 – Disable Audio Passthrough on Plex
- Navigate to the Settings menu.
- Go to Advanced.
- Select Player.
- Look for Audio Passthrough.
- Select Disabled.
Do you have other ideas on how to troubleshoot and fix the Plex playback errors on your streaming devices? You can share them in the comment section below.
