11 Ways to Fix WhatsApp’s ‘This Video Is Not Available’ Error

WhatsApp is one of the popular messaging platforms for various reasons. However, WhatsApp is not free from errors. Being an online service, it is prone to issues occasionally. One such error is when WhatsApp shows the ‘This Video Is Not Available’ error. If you’re facing this issue, this guide is for you.

Before we begin, ensure the video has not been deleted from your device. As you will see, ‘This video is not available because something is wrong with the video file’ when you tap the preview. With that out of the way, let’s begin with the fixes.

1. Check if WhatsApp Is Down

Like any other online platform, WhatsApp servers can also go down for maintenance or other reasons. You can check if WhatsApp is down on Down Detector using the link below:

Check if WhatsApp is down

If Down Detector mentions that there is a server error, the only thing you can do is be patient until the matter is resolved or consider using another WhatsApp alternative. However, if you see ‘User reports indicate no current problems at Whatsapp,’ move on to the below methods to fix WhatsApp showing the ‘This Video Is Not Available’ error.

2. Check the Internet Connection

WhatsApp also requires a good internet connection to download the files you receive. Hence, ensure you have a good internet connection for the video to download and play without any errors. To get a quick check of the internet, you can either try to play a YouTube video or do the speed test using the link below.

Check Internet Speed

3. Check Your Device’s Date and Time

If your device displays an incorrect time, there might be an error downloading the video, and thus, WhatsApp is showing the ‘This Video Is Not Available’ error. If you use WhatsApp web, try to change the time on your Windows or Mac system. Here’s how you can change the time on your smartphones:

On Android

Step 1: Open Settings > tap General management.

Step 2: Tap ‘Date and time’.

Step 3: Toggle on ‘Automatic date and time.’

On iPhone

Step 1: Go to Settings > General > ‘Date & Time.’

Step 2: Toggle on Set Automatically.

4. Enable WhatsApp Media Visibility

If you have disabled the media visibility settings on WhatsApp, it might affect the video playback as WhatsApp is prevented from saving any videos to your device gallery. Thereby displaying the error in playing the video. To enable the feature, follow the below steps:

On iPhone

Step 1: Open WhatsApp > go to Settings > Chats.

Step 2: Toggle on ‘Save to Camera Roll.’

On Android

Step 1: Open WhatsApp > tap on the three-dot menu at the top.

Step 2: Choose Settings.

Step 3: Open ‘Storage and Data.’

Step 4: Under ‘Media auto-download,’ choose ‘When using mobile data’ and select Videos.

Step 5: Tap Ok to confirm. Repeat the same thing for ‘When connected on Wi-Fi’ and When roaming.

5. Enable Sync for WhatsApp Web

If you see the error on WhatsApp web, it might be because of the sync feature not working between WhatsApp on your smartphone and PC. Here’s how you can enable Sync on WhatsApp:

On Android

Step 1: Open Settings and tap ‘Passwords and accounts’.

Step 2: Choose WhatsApp.

Step 3: Tap on Account sync.

Step 4: Tap the three dots at the top right corner.

Step 5: Choose Sync now.

On iPhone

Step 1: Open Settings and tap ‘Privacy & Security’ > Choose Photos.

Step 2 Tap WhatsApp and choose Full Access.

6. Enable and Disable Airplane Mode (Flight Mode)

Apart from that, you can also enable and disable Airplane mode on your iPhone and Android devices. Here are the steps:

Step 1: Open the Quick Access or Control panel on your smartphone and tap the Airplane mode button.

This will enable Airplane mode.

Step 2: Now, wait for a few and then tap the icon again to disable it.

Also read: Do Not Disturb vs. Silent vs. Airplane mode on Android

7. Force Stop App on Android

You can also force stop WhatsApp and restart the app to see if that helps. Here’s how you:

Step 1: Open Settings > tap Apps and choose Manage apps.

Step 2: Select WhatsApp and then tap Force stop.

Step 3: Tap Ok to confirm.

Remember that the steps and options might differ based on the Android OEM you are running. However, these steps can still give you an idea of how to navigate.

8. Update WhatsApp

WhatsApp consistently releases updates to address issues and push new features. So, if this is a widespread bug, the developers will release an update to fix this issue. Ensure you’re on the latest version and see if you can solve WhatsApp not playing video issue. If available, open the links on your respective devices and hit the Update button.

Update WhatsApp on iPhone

Update WhatsApp on Android

9. Clear Cache on Android

Accumulated cache files can lead to problems not loading the videos on WhatsApp. Therefore, it’s advisable to clear the WhatsApp cache at regular intervals. Here’s what you need to do:

Note: If you’re an iOS user, move on to the next method, as there’s no way to clear the cache on an iPhone.

Step 1: Open Settings > tap Apps > choose Manage apps.

Step 2: Select Whatsapp > Choose Clear data.

Step 3: Select Clear cache and tap Ok to confirm.

10. Check for Permissions (Android)

If you have revoked the storage permissions for WhatsApp, it will show the ‘This Video Is Not Available’ message when you play any video. Here’s how you can check and re-enable it:

Step 1: Go to Settings > Apps > Manage apps.

Step 2: Choose Whatsapp and tap Permissions.

Step 3: Select ‘Access photos and videos’ and choose Always allow.

Remember that the steps and option names might differ based on your Android phone. However, these steps can still give you an idea of how to navigate to access the settings.

11. Use Whatsapp on Different Device

WhatsApp can show ‘This Video Is Not Available’ error because of the device that you are using. How about trying it on another device? Don’t worry. You can follow our guide on how to use WhatsApp on multiple devices,

FAQs on Whatsapp Not Showing Video

Keep Communicating

It can be frustrating when WhatsApp shows the ‘This Video Is Not Available’ error when you try to view a video. We hope that this guide helped you resolve the problem. However, if it persists, contact WhatsApp support for a quick resolution.