Top 7 Solutions to Fix Chrome Not Playing Videos on Mobile

When it comes to mobile browsers, Chrome is the most popular choice. However, even the best browsers can encounter issues from time to time. One common problem is when Chrome stops playing videos on your Android or iPhone. Whether it's due to misconfigured settings or conflicting browsing data, the following troubleshooting tips should help you fix Chrome's video playback issues.

Before We Proceed

Before diving into advanced troubleshooting, it's always a good idea to try some simple solutions first. Here are a few tips to get you started:

  • Force Close Chrome: Close Chrome completely and open it again to see if that resolves the issue. On Android, long-press the Chrome app icon, tap the info icon, and select “Force stop.” On iOS, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and stop halfway to bring up the app switcher, then swipe upward on Chrome to force close it.

  • Check Internet Connection: Verify that your internet connection is working properly by streaming a video on YouTube or another platform.

  • Disable VPN: If you're using a VPN service, temporarily disable it to rule out any potential conflicts with the website you're trying to access.

If these simple solutions don't work, let's move on to some advanced troubleshooting tips to fix Chrome not playing videos on your mobile device.

1. Use Incognito Mode

To determine if the issue is caused by existing browsing data, try playing the video in an incognito window. Open Chrome, tap the three-dot menu icon, and select “New incognito tab” (on Android) or “New incognito window” (on iOS). If the video plays in incognito mode, clearing your browsing data may solve the problem.

2. Enable JavaScript (Android)

Certain websites, including YouTube, require JavaScript to play videos. If JavaScript is disabled in Chrome, enable it by following these steps:

  1. Open Chrome and tap the three-dot menu icon.
  2. Go to “Settings” > “Site Settings” > “JavaScript.”
  3. Enable JavaScript and remove any sites listed under “Blocked” if necessary.
  4. Refresh the webpage and try playing the video again.

3. Disable Vulkan Flag (Android)

Chrome for Android offers experimental features called Flags. However, these features can sometimes interfere with video playback. Try disabling the Vulkan flag by following these steps:

  1. Type “chrome://flags” in the URL bar and select the first result.
  2. Search for “Vulkan” using the search bar.
  3. Select “Disabled” from the drop-down menu.
  4. Restart Chrome and check if videos can now be played.

4. Switch to Standard Safe Browsing (Android)

If you're using Enhanced protection mode in Chrome's Safe Browsing feature, it may block certain websites from playing videos. Instead of disabling Safe Browsing entirely, switch to Standard protection mode:

  1. Open Chrome and go to “Settings” > “Privacy and security” > “Safe Browsing.”
  2. Select “Standard protection” mode.

5. Disable Content and Privacy Restrictions (iPhone)

Screen Time on iPhone allows you to set content and privacy restrictions, which may affect video playback in Chrome. To disable these restrictions:

  1. Open the Settings app and go to “Screen Time.”
  2. Navigate to “Content & Privacy Restrictions” and turn it off.

6. Clear Browsing Data

Excessive browsing data can impact Chrome's performance and cause video playback issues. Clearing the cache and cookies stored by Chrome may help:

  1. Open Chrome and tap the three-dot menu icon.
  2. Go to “Settings” > “Privacy and Security” (or “Privacy” on iOS).
  3. Select “Clear browsing data.”
  4. Choose “All time” as the time range and check the boxes for “Cookies and site data” and “Cached images and files.”
  5. Tap “Clear data.”

7. Update Chrome

If the video playback issue is caused by a buggy app update, it should be resolved in subsequent updates. Check the Play Store or App Store for any pending updates and install them.

Tap to Play

Dealing with video playback issues in Chrome can be frustrating. However, troubleshooting these issues doesn't have to be complicated. By following the above tips, you should be able to fix the problem and get back to enjoying videos on Chrome.