Chrome is the most widely used mobile browser currently available. But it doesn’t mean that the browser doesn’t sometimes run into problems. An example would be if Chrome stopped playing movies on your iPhone or Android device.
The troubleshooting advice provided here should assist in resolving Chrome’s video-playing problems, whether the cause is incorrectly adjusted settings or conflicting browsing data. So let’s start.
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How to fix Google Chrome not playing videos on Mobile
Never discount simple fixes while troubleshooting. Try the suggestions below first if Chrome is having a slight issue playing videos on your Android or iPhone.
To begin with, you can attempt forcing Google Chrome to close and then reopen it to see if it fixes the issue. Long-press the Google Chrome app icon on Android and choose the info icon from the pop-up menu. Then choose Force stop from the menu.
To open the app switcher while using Chrome on iOS, slide up from the bottom of the screen and stop halfway up (or tap the Home Screen button twice). To compel Chrome to shut, swipe upward.
Your internet connection should then be tested to see whether it is functioning properly. To test if this works, try streaming a video on YouTube or another website.
Also, if you use a VPN service, issues might occur if you connect via a server that blocks the website. Consider temporarily deactivating the VPN to rule out this scenario.
If the aforementioned solutions don’t help, read the advanced troubleshooting advice below to fix Chrome not playing videos on your iPhone or Android.
1. Use Incognito Mode
Start by opening an incognito window and watching the same video there. This will assist in determining if the problem is brought on by past browsing history on your phone.
Tap the three-dot menu in the upper right corner of Chrome and choose the New incognito tab to start an incognito window.
The three-dot menu symbol can be seen in the bottom right corner of Chrome on iPhone or iPad.
2. Turn on JavaScript (Android)
If JavaScript is turned off in Chrome, several websites, including YouTube, won’t play videos. You’ll need to follow the instructions below to enable JavaScript in Chrome to solve this.
1. Start Chrome on your Android mobile device. To access Settings, tap the three dots menu symbol in the upper right corner.
2. After opening Site Settings by scrolling down, choose JavaScript from the next page.
3. From here, enable JavaScript. If a website is listed under Blocked, go ahead and press on its URL and choose Remove.
Refresh the page now, then try watching the video once again.
3. Remove the Vulkan Flag (Android)
Similar to Chrome for the desktop, Chrome for mobile also enables you to preview new features using Flags. However, since these functions are still very experimental, Chrome’s functionality can sometimes be affected. Notably, numerous Reddit users claimed that removing the Vulkan option resolved the problem of movies not playing in Chrome. You can try it as well.
1. Launch Chrome. Choose the first option that shows after typing chrome://flags in the URL bar at the top.
2. To find Vulkan, use the Search flags box at the top.
3. Select Disabled from the drop-down option.
Check if Chrome can play videos after restarting it.
4. Change to conventional safe browsing (Android)
A helpful Safe Browsing feature is included with Chrome for Android and is designed to shield you against harmful websites and dubious downloads.
However, the browser can wind up blocking otherwise secure websites if you choose the Enhanced protection setting under safe surfing. Instead of completely turning off Safe surfing, try switching to Standard protection mode and seeing whether it makes a difference.
1. To access Settings on the Google Chrome app, click the three dots in the upper right corner.
2. Click Safe Browsing under Privacy and Security.
3. Choose the Standard protection setting.
5. Turn off content and privacy restrictions (iPhone)
You can set up different content and privacy limitations on the iPhone’s Screen Time app to ban offensive material, websites, and more. When enabled, certain websites could have issues with Chrome’s video player. You can fix this by following the instructions below to turn off content and privacy restrictions on your iPhone.
1. On your iPhone, launch the Settings app and choose Screen Time.
2. Turn it off under Content & Privacy Restrictions.
6. Delete Browsing History
Such abnormalities might be caused by excessive browsing data, which can also degrade Chrome’s speed on your phone. If so, you could try deleting any cookies and cache that Chrome has already saved to resolve the problem.
1. Start the Google Chrome application. To choose Settings from a list, tap on the three dots in the upper right corner of the screen.
2. Select Privacy and Security (or, if you’re using an iPhone, Privacy). Select Clear browsing data next.
3. Choose All time from the drop-down box next to the Time range. Place a check in the boxes next to “Cookies,” “Site data,” and “Cached pictures and files.” Click the Clear data option to finish.
7. Update Chrome
Last but not least, if the problem with the movies not playing is brought on by a faulty app update, it shouldn’t take long until the problem is fixed in the subsequent updates. To immediately install any pending software update, go to Play Store or App Store.
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Conclusion
When Chrome fails to carry out such simple activities, it is annoying. Finding a better option could be challenging, but happily, resolving such problems isn’t. You should now be able to play videos in Chrome after using one of the aforementioned techniques, and you can resume exploring the open internet.