How to Fix There was an Error Playing the Video on WhatsApp

WhatsApp has become the defacto messaging app in many countries, and for good reason. It’s an extremely simple and easy to use messaging client, and with its plethora of features, it’s quickly become one of the most popular apps around.

It’s even capable of playing videos in a plethora of formats, though this doesn’t necessary always work. However, many users have complained about WhatsApp’s video player showing the error message “There was an Error Playing the Video.”

It’s difficult to gauge what the issue on WhatsApp is when this error pops up, making it difficult to properly troubleshoot. It’s so common that it’s become quite frustrating for most WhatsApp users. So, if you’re facing this problem, what can you do?

Ways to Resolve WhatsApp Error Message There was an Error Playing the Video

In this article, we will do a thorough breakdown of some of the methods you can use to fix this WhatsApp issue. They’ve been compiled into simple to follow step-by-step guides that are easy to understand.

This why, even less tech savvy users will be able to fix the error message on hand without too much trouble. So, without further ado, let’s begin fixing the “There was an Error Playing the Video” issues on WhatsApp.

Clear WhatsApp Cache and Data

• Go to Settings on your phone.
• Tap on Apps or Application Manager.
• Scroll down and select WhatsApp.
• Tap on Storage.
• Tap on Clear Cache and Clear Data.
• Open WhatsApp.
• Test the video to see if it’s working.

Update WhatsApp Software to Latest Version

Sometimes, all you need to do is update WhatsApp to fix this issue.

• Search for WhatsApp in your smartphone app store.
• Check to see if there are any updates available.
• If there’s an update available, install it.
• Wait for the update to finish installing.
• When it’s done, open WhatsApp.
• Test the video to see if it’s working.

Check the Video File Format

Sometimes the video file format can cause the “There was an error playing the video” message on WhatsApp. WhatsApp supports various video file formats, including MP4, AVI, and MKV. 

If the video file format is not supported, you’ll need to convert the video to a supported format. There are several free mobile apps that allow you to convert video formats on your mobile device like VidCompact, 

Once you have converted the video, open WhatsApp. Test the video to see if it’s working.

Reinstall WhatsApp on your Device

• Open your smartphone’s app store.
• Search for WhatsApp.
• Uninstall the application.
• Once done, reinstall WhatsApp again.
• After the installation is complete, try to sign in to WhatsApp again.
• Test it out to see if the issue persists.

WhatsApp is an incredibly useful tool, so it’s annoying when these sorts of issues pop up. We can thankfully parse it out and fix it pretty easily, so just follow these steps and things should work again in no time.

We hope we managed to help you with this issue, and for more tips like this, stay tuned.