Tutorial to Solve Can't Watch Videos on iPhone 14/13/12/11/XS/XR/X/8/7/6, etc.

"Some videos from a few months ago that I have saved to my iPhone won't play, what comes up is a little loading circle, how I can solve this problem?"

There are many reasons could lead to this problem, for example video format is not compatible with iPhone. In this tutorial, we will summarize several situations that can't watch videos on iPhone, and provide corresponding solutions.

• Part 1: iPhone Won't Play Videos on Apps
• Part 2: Cannot Play Videos in Camera Roll on iPhone
• Part 3: Ultimate way to fix can't watch videos on iPhone

Part 1: iPhone Won't Play Videos on Apps

The problem that can't watch videos on iPhone is usually caused by software bugs, especially when playing videos in third party apps. In this part, you can learn how to fix iPhone not play videos on apps.

Tip 1: Force Quit the Video Apps on an iPhone

When you can't watch videos on iPhone app, you can try force quit and restart the app.

Step 1. Double press the "Home" button on iPhone 6 and earlier to go to multitasking screen. For iPhone 7 and later, swipe up from the bottom to the middle of your screen and hold until you see multitasking screen.

Step 2. Swipe left and right to discover the video app, and then touch the app and swipe upward to quit it.

Step 3. Re-open the video app and try to play the video again.

This solution works well especially when you change the settings (e.g. enable landscape mode) while you playing the videos on iPhone.

Tip 2: Check Your Network

If you are using video streaming apps, such as YouTube, and encounter the problem can't watch videos on iPhone, you should check your network first. Make sure that your iPhone is connecting to a good Wi-Fi network or cellular data.

Another step is to reset your network settings: go to "Settings" > "General" > "Reset" and tap "Reset Network Settings", re-connect Internet and play the video in app again.

Tip 3: Update Apps in App Store

Another solution to fix the problem that can't watch videos on iPhone app is to check and update app in App Store.

Step 1. Start the App Store from home screen and tap the "Updates" tab at bottom.

Step 2. If there is update for the video app, tap on the "Update" button to update it manually.

Step 3. After update, re-open the app and you can watch videos normally.

Tip 4: Delete and Reinstall Faulty Apps

The last solution to get rid of the problem that can't watch video on iPhone app is to reinstall the app.

Step 1. Press any app on home screen for a while to switch into editing mode.

Step 2. Tap the "delete" icon on the faulty video app and then hit "Delete" on the confirmation dialog.

Step 3. Open your App Store and install the video app again. Now, the video should play as usual in the app.

Part 2: Cannot Play Videos in Camera Roll on iPhone

If you can't watch videos on iPhone Camera Roll, you can follow the guides below to resolve this problem.

Tip 1: Restart Your iPhone

Restarting is always a good starting point of troubleshooting for iPhone users.

Step 1. Press and hold the "Sleep/Wake" button, also called "Side" button, to activate the power off screen.

Step 2. Slide the switch to shut down your iPhone, and then press the "Sleep/Wake" button to turn it back on 20 seconds later.

Step 3. Log in your iPhone with password after startup, and play the video in Camera Roll, it should work now.

Tip 2: Convert Videos into Compatible Format with iPhone

iPhone does not support some video format. For example, the widely used AVI, WMV, FLV video downloaded from YouTube, 3GP videos for mobile phone are not playable on iPhone. When you can't watch videos on iPhone Camera Roll, maybe the compatibility is the answer you are looking for.

The solution is simple: convert videos into compatible format with iPhone, such as H.264 videos, MPEG-4 videos up to 2.5 Mbps and Motion JPEG up to 35 Mbps. Check here to learn more about iPhone video formats.

Tip 3: Update Software to the Latest

Another solution to fix the problem that can't watch videos on iPhone is to install the latest update of iOS.

Step 1. PNavigate to "Settings" > "General" > "Software Update" and tap "Download and Install" if there is update available.

Step 2. Enter your PIN code to start updating.

Step 3. When your iPhone reboot, log in your handset and play videos on your iPhone again.

Tip 4: Delete Particular Invalid or Damaged Video

If you can't watch certain video on iPhone, it may be damaged already. In such case, the best option is deleting it from your device.

Step 1. Run the "Photos" app and go to "Videos" album.

Step 2. Tap "Select" at upper right corner and touch all damaged videos.

Step 3. Press the "Trash" icon at upper left corner and then hit "Delete" video to remove the videos.

Tip 5: Restore Your iPhone

The last solution to fix the problem that can't watch videos on iPhone is to restore you device. You'd better back up your iPhone firstly.

Step 1. Connect your iPhone to your computer via Lightning cable and start iTunes.

Step 2. Click the "Device" icon, go to the "Summary" tab and click the "Restore" iPhone button.

Step 3. When it is done, your iPhone will reboot and display the welcome screen. Now you can watch videos on your device.

Part 3: Ultimate way to fix can't watch videos on iPhone

As you can see, the troubleshooting is a bit complicated, so we recommend an ultimate way to fix the issue that can't watch videos on iPhone, Apeaksoft iOS System Recovery. Its main features include:

iOS System Recovery

4,000,000+ Downloads

Diagnose what causes iPhone cannot play videos automatically.

Fix a variety of iPhone video playback problems in one click.

Support to fix iPhone in Recovery mode and DFU mode.

Protect exist data on your device during repairing.

Compatible with a wider range of iPhones, like iPhone 14/13/12/11/XS/XR/X/8/7/6, etc.

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In short, it is the easiest way to fix iPhone not playing videos on Windows 11/10/8/7/XP.

How to fix can't watch videos on iPhone easily

Step 1. Connect your iPhone to the iPhone system recovery tool

Download and install iOS System Recovery to your computer. Hook up your iPhone to your computer using USB cable. Launch the application; it will recognize your device.

Step 2. Diagnose iPhone in DFU mode

Hit the "Start" button to start the process. Press the "Question" icon on top ribbon and follow the guides to put iPhone into DFU mode.

Step 3. Fix iPhone video playback issue

Fill out the Info window based on your iPhone model, and then click the "Download" button to download firmware. After that, the application will fix your device spontaneously.

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Conclusion

After Apple released large screen iPhones, more and more people watch videos on their handsets, so the problem that can't watch videos on iPhone becomes common as well. When you encounter such trouble, follow the guides above to solve it in a few minutes.