Proven Ways to Solve Instagram Videos Not Playing Error

We use Instagram to post some interesting or meaningful activities on it. We also follow the accounts of our family members, friends and even our favorite stars. We can interact with them through the videos and photos we posted. If you can't watch videos on Instagram, your experience may be damaged.

Recently, many users have reported that videos on Instagram cannot be played. Instagram video may play for a few seconds and then just stop playing itself. When the camera icon flickers, it still can't play at all.

Sometimes only the audio works and the screen turns white. Regardless of how it starts, the following blog will explain why Instagram videos cannot be played and some effective solutions to this problem.

Part 1. Possible Reasons Why Instagram Videos Not Playing

Actually, the reasons for why Instagram videos not playing are various. For example, when there is something wrong with the Instagram app itself, it is an internal problem. However, it can also be a hardware issue when the device that has installed Instagram itself is inappropriate. These are all possible reasons for why Instagram videos cannot be played properly, and we will show you how to solve these problems later in this post.

1. Slow or Unreliable Network Connection

The Wi-Fi or mobile connection you use may not be strong enough to stream Instagram videos. If your network connection is slow or unreliable, which results in frequent network disconnection or slow downloading speed, you may encounter Instagram video not playing problem.

2. Older Version of Instagram

You may still use the outdated Instagram application. As we know, there are some bugs existed in the old one, which may cause Instagram videos not playing properly.

3. Invalid Videos

The Instagram videos not playing problem can occur if that video is deleted by the person who posted it, so the video will be invalid.

4. Insufficient Storage

If your phone has very low memory, you may face the problem of Instagram video not playing as well.

5. Power Saving Mode

Power saving mode on mobile devices will disable all network connections or power-consuming applications used on your devices, including Instagram. So the videos posted on Instagram fail to be played normally.

Part 2. Workable Fixes to Solve Instagram Videos Not Playing

Way 1. Turn Off Power Saving Mode

You need to turn off power saving mode in order to solve Instagram videos won't play problem.

For iPhone

STEP 1. Go to "Settings" on your iPhone

STEP 2. Tap "Battery" and turn off Low Power Mode by tapping the toggle.

For Android
STEP 1. Go to "Settings" on your phone and open "Device Maintenance".
STEP 2. Tap "Battery" and choose High performance.

Way 2. Download Instagram Video and Watch Offline

We can download our favorite Instagram videos so that we can watch them freely at anytime and anywhere, regardless of whether the network condition is good or bad, the publisher has deleted them, or even Instagram app is updated or not. However, Instagram has no download button, so you cannot download Instagram video directly for offline playback.

This is not a hard nut to crack, because we can download it with Instagram video downloader. I recommend VidPaw, a free online Instagram video download tool that allows users to download videos and photos from more than 1,000 sites, including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Dailymotion, Vimeo, Instagram, and so on.

The steps are simple, as follows:

STEP 1. Go to Instagram and find your favorite video. Directly paste the video link you want to download.

NOTE: If your device system is iOS, you need to go to App Store and download Documents on your iPhone/iPad. Then launch the built-in browser and go to VidPaw inside it.

Use Document to Download Videos on iPhone

STEP 2. Select the target format and the desired quality.

STEP 3. Hit "Download" to start to download the video safely.

Way 3. Make Sure Network Connection is Fast

You can try to close the Wi-Fi and reopen it, or replace it with another better Wi-Fi or using cellular data. Another thing you can do is to forget your Wi-Fi connection and save it again on your devices.

Way 4. Clear Cached Data

STEP 1. Go to Settings > App > Instagram > Storage > Clear Caches.
STEP 2. Reboot your device and reopen Instagram to check if the the Instagram video is playing properly.

Way 5. Update Instagram to Latest

Many bugs have been fixed in the new version of Instagram, and performance has improved after updating. So make sure you use the latest version of Instagram App.

Way 6. Free up Device Storage

You can alleviate the pressure of not having enough storage to play the video by deleting some large files you don't need, for example, the movie video on the phone you have finished watching or the App you don't use.

With these useful tips, Instagram videos not playing will be resolved successfully. You can also use VidPaw to download Instagram videos you want directly. There are many other functions about VidPaw that are not described in this blog. Visit the home page of VidPaw to learn about this one-stop downloader. If you have more questions about Instagram videos, leave your comments below.

Published on March 6, 2019