Why aren’t my Videos Playing in my Camera Roll

Introduction

Why aren’t my videos playing in my camera roll is a kind of issue faced by several mobile users, especially iPhone users. The device is capable of capturing stunning photos and videos due to its hi-tech cameras. The camera roll has the capability to store dynamic shots, and users may access their visuals from this section. Although rare, it might occur that videos do not play on a camera roll, causing a nuisance to the user.

There could be a number of reasons for a video not playing in a camera roll. This blog will cover the issues and solutions to this problem. So, keep reading till last if you are facing this issue, and if not, then read for information purposes. A prominent reason for this problem could be that the mobile device is unable to acquire the file from the Cloud database in the absence of the Internet or because the file has been deleted.

Why is Video Not Playing in My iPhone Camera Roll?

If you are facing an issue of “Why Aren’t My Videos Playing in My Camera Roll”, then worry not because you are alone in this world with this problem. There could be several reasons that you must have an idea and try to fix those problems before choosing a costly option. These reasons could be unlimited, but some of the common ones are:

  • App crashing
  • Down server
  • Outdated iOS
  • Back-end issue
  • Mobile storage full
  • Corrupted video file
  • Internet not working
  • Download speed slow
  • Videos not supported by the device

These are some of the main reasons that have easy solutions. But we will further go into the detail of the issue in the later sections of the blog to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the issue and its solution. Several incompatible Codes or Formats could also be causing problems. Only videos with AVI, MP4, MOV, and M4V encoded with MPEG 4, JPEG, H.264, and HEVC could be played.

Now, let`s dive deeper to learn more about how to fix the problem of Videos not playing in the camera roll:

How to Fix Videos Not Playing in Camera Roll?

The recent trend of bigger and bigger mobile phone cameras with ever-increasing resolution has been a new normal in the industry. Mobile storage has been slower to catch up, and thus cloud database is introduced to save your device`s storage. Most phone users are easily able to use the photos and videos in their gallery section. But sometimes, videos won`t play in the camera roll, causing a halt to your activities.

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/63af3a00-3c3b-4e6d-a019-93a04d7f29e9

This problem could happen on any version of the phone, whether old or new. If you are a permanent iPhone user, you might have noticed that videos captured from iPhone might take some time to load due to high resolution or less storage in the device, causing a choke to the system. Clearing out some unnecessary files might solve the problem. Or there could also be an issue in the configuration or settings of your device.

Convert Video of iPhone

  • Download, install, and launch WinX Video Converter on your PC

Convert Video for iPhone

  • Add/insert a video that is not playing in the camera roll by tapping on the “+ video
  • Head to the storage of your device to add the required video
  • Now, choose “Low Quality or High Quality” for the conversion of the video into a compatible version
  • Tap on the “Settings” icon and then “Edit Button
  • Tap on the “Browse” button to choose the location of the downloaded video file

Troubleshoot the Phone

Now moving on to the next step is by troubleshooting your device to start it playing videos without any trouble. All you have to do is carry out these steps:

  • Reboot: it should be your first priority. Press and hold the sleep button
  • Repair Damaged File: Damage the potentially corrupted or damaged video file with reputable repairing tool software
  • Check the Internet: if you have internet connection issues, contact the officials for timely fixation
  • App Server Status: If the Server is down, then contact the customer help of the software app to fix the server issue. Server downtime depends on the nature of the issue
  • Outdated App or iOS: This happens many times, and many iPhone users forget to timely update the App, and then the older version cannot cope with the latest hi-res videos or photos. You may also need to check on the operating system of your mobile to check if it’s updated or running the previous version
  • Re-install the App: If the update does not work, then save your files and uninstall and re-install the App

Restart your iPhone

Here is how to restart your iPhone in simple steps:

  • Press and hold the “sleep/power and volume button
  • Slide right to power off” on the slider option appearing after pressing and holding the power and volume button

The "Power Off" page on an iPhone X.

  • Wait for half a minute to restart the phone by again “press & hold” the power and volume button button to restart the phone

Clear Deleted Media

Being an iPhone user, you must be aware of the fact that the iPhone keeps a record of videos and photos in its database for up to 30 days before deleting the data forever. If you have deleted the media, even then, it could be retrieved with simple steps, such as:

  • Open the “Photos App

iPhone recently deleted album

  • Go to “Album & Recently Deleted

delete recently deleted album

  • Here tap on the “Permanently Deleted

Disable App Restriction

You might face the problem “Why Videos are not playing in the camera roll” in case the “app restriction” is enabled. You need to disable this option to solve this problem in simple steps:

  • Go to the “App Settings

Restriction

  • Click on “Screen Time” and select “Content & Privacy Restriction

Turn Off

  • Now, disable the “Content & Privacy” option

We further recommend restarting the device and re-check if the problem is solved.

Rollback Video Edits

IPhone offers a built-in video editing feature to its users. You can crop, apply filters, trip, or rotate your videos without much effort. However, it has also been observed that these edits could potentially damage or corrupt the video. Thus, not playing videos in your camera roll. The good news is that you can revert these changes to retrieve your video in the simple steps mentioned here:

  • Go to the “Photos App” on your iPhone

edit videos on iphone

  • Tap on the “Edit” button and then the “Revert” button

revert back edited videos on iphone

  • You need to give permission to “Revert to Original,” and the video will be back to its original condition

revert back edited videos on iphone

Turn Off Storage Optimization

Storage optimization is one of the most popular features in Apple devices. You have the option to keep videos and photos on iCloud and use them when necessary as per your requirement. Despite its usefulness, the feature could badly affect video files. So, it is recommended to disable the feature by following these steps:

  • Head to the “App Settings” and move to the “iCloud Section
  • Go to the “Photos Section

turn off image optimization on iphone

  • Click on the “Download & Keep Originals” option
  • The moment you click on the aforementioned option, your phone will take a few minutes to offload videos from the iCloud onto your iPhone

Convert Via Messenger

If you are still unable to watch videos in your camera roll, then you probably need to convert your video format into a compatible one with some of the simple steps, such as:

  • Access “Photos App” and select the file that is causing the issue

share videos on iphone

  • Share the “video file with anyone on your WhatsApp

share videos on whatsapp iphone

  • Now “access the media file” on WhatsApp and tap on the “Export” button

save videos on whatsapp iphone

  • Lastly, tap on the “Save” button

save videos from whatsapp to iphone

Check the video file in the camera roll once again after carrying out these steps to ensure the recovery of the original file.

Make Storage Space in your Phone

It has happened to most of us many times that our phone storage is getting so full that images or videos stop working properly. This is the moment when you better clear up your phone`s storage. The best possible way is to uninstall unnecessary Apps and media files that are covering quite a lot of space.

Illustration of a person cleaning up email, messages, and photos from their cell phone with a dust pan.

The proper way to do that is offered here in a few simple steps:

  • Go to “Setting
  • Click on “General” and then “iPhone Storage
  • Tap on the “Offload App
  • Lastly, tap on the “App” that you want to offload off your phone

You should always keep your phone storage in check to avoid choking the system and affecting its Performance.

Wait for the Videos to Load

It may sometimes happen that a software glitch occurs to slow down or hangs up the phone. If you are living in a hot environment or using your phone extensively, then heat up could also cause some of the functions of the mobile to stop working.

8 Video Optimization Tips for Faster Loading Times - KeyCDN

So waiting in these steps is the best option you got:

  • Open the “Photos App
  • Tap on the “Malfunctioning Videos
  • Now, wait for a “couple of minutes to load up
  • The moment the video is finished loading, navigate to the main menu of the Photos App and try playing another video

Force Close Photo App

Force closing the Photos App could help you in this regard. The reason is that videos and photos buffer in the Photos App to get rid of the said issue. These steps will help you force close the App and solve the media files causing problems.

How to force quit apps on iPhone and iPad

Clean Safari History

If the videos are not playing in your camera roll, then we also recommend deleting your Safari History, cache, and cookies.

How to Clear All History on Safari

You can do this in simple steps, such as:

  • Go to the “Settings
  • Click on “Safari App
  • Tap on the “Clear History and Website Data” option
  • Lastly, click on the “Clear History and Data” option

Uninstall the Third-Party Apps on your iPhone

If the videos are not being played on any third-party Apps, then it is suggested to uninstall and re-install that App again. This option is only in the case when the video is not playing on a third-party App rather than in your camera roll. The App could be Chrome, WhatsApp, or Safari.

All you have to do is follow these steps:

remove app on iphone

  • Touch and hold the “App icon until it jiggles

remove app from home screen on iphone

  • A menu will appear, and you need to click “Delete
  • Now, go to Apple Store to re-install the uninstalled App

Even if the issue is not resolved, then let`s head on to the next solution.

Reset network Settings on your iPhone

Resetting network settings could cause many seen and unseen issues. There might occur glitches that would prove to be an unforgiving puzzle. So, it is recommended to reset your network settings by following some easy steps, such as here:

  • Go to “Settings

  • Click on the “General” button

  • Scroll down to tap on “Transfer or Reset iPhone

  • Tap “Reset

  • Now, click on “Reset Network Settings

https://static1.anpoimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/reset-network-settings-iphone.jpg

DFU Restore your Device

Restoring your phone using DFU Mode could play a vital role in solving the issue of videos not playing in the camera roll. This step works best when the error is persistent. Once a device is put into the DFU Mode and restored, it will remove all the code from the device, update the software, and place back the codes. There are strong chances that you will lose the data. So better get your Backup ready in advance.

Factory Reset

If you have tried every step and even the force restart does not work, then factory reset is going to work most of the time. But again, back up your data in advance because a factory reset removes all the data and your customized settings. Here are some steps that you need to follow:

  • Go to “Settings

  • Click on the “General” button

  • Go to “Reset”, click on “Erase All Content and Settings”, and “Enter your Password

By now, your phone has been reset to factory settings.

Contact Apple Store

After trying everything to make your problem disappear, no solution is working. Then that means there is some serious problem that only experts of the phone`s company could handle. It is recommended to contact the Apple Support Website.

Conclusion

Why Aren’t My Videos Playing in My Camera Roll? This is a puzzle that many of us iPhone users have suffered through to this day. But worry not; we have provided you with extensive solutions to the videos not playing in the camera roll. If nothing works, then the Apple Customer support team is always there to assist you with repairs.