4 Fixes for Google Drive Videos Not Playing or Processing Error

Quick Tips

• Right-click on the video you can’t play > select Preview > three dots > Open in a new window.
• Open Settings > Advanced > Privacy and security > Cookies and site data > enable cookies for Google Drive.
• Clearing the cache will remove all website preferences from your browser.

Basic Fixes

• File size is too large: Google Drive supports up to 5TB file size.
• Video is incompatible or corrupted: The file type may be unsupported on Google Drive, or the video file may be damaged.
• Use incognito mode: It is supported by most popular browsers like Chrome and Firefox.
• Try using a different browser: Using a different browser will remove all cookies and preferences stored in your current browser.

Fix 1: Open Video in a New Window

Instead of clicking on the video to open it in a pop-up, open it in a new window.

Step 1: Right-click on the video you can’t play and select Preview.

Step 2: Click on the three-dot menu icon and select Open in the new window option.

Check if you still get the ‘This video cannot be played’ or ‘Whoops! There was a problem playing this video’ error.

Tip: You can check out our post if Google Drive is not loading in browser.

Fix 2: Allow Third-Party Cookies for Google Drive

Users reported that blocking cookies in their browsers prevented videos from playing in Google Drive.

Step 1: Open Settings and click on Advanced. Click on Site Settings under the Privacy and security heading.

Step 2: Click on Cookies and site data and turn off the toggle for Blocked to ensure Google Drive can use them to play videos stored in your account.

It should now read Allow sites to save and read cookie data (recommended).

Fix 3: Make a Copy and Play

Some users discovered that creating a copy of the original video worked. Google Drive makes the process simpler.

Right-click on the video you want to play and select Make a copy.

You will name the new file “Copy of X,” with “X” being the name of the old file you copied. Double-click on the video to play it.

Fix 4: Clear Browser and App Cache and Cookies

Clearing your cache will remove all website preferences from your browser. You must then sign in again to your Google Drive account with your password.

On Desktop

Step 1: Open Settings and click on Advanced. Then, select Clear browsing data.

Step 2: Under the Advanced tab, check the box for Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files.

Step 3: Click Clear data.

On Mobile

Step 1: If you use the Google Drive app on Android, open Settings > search for and open Google Drive under app list.

Step 2: Tap on Clear data at the bottom of the screen and select Clear all data and Clear cache.

You may have to sign back into Google Drive. Now, see if the “This video cannot be played” or “Whoops! There was a problem playing this video” error.

Tip: Check out our fixes if Google Drive notifications are not working.