iPhone is unique in many ways, but it occasionally experiences issues like being unable to load video.
You want to fix the bothersome issue as quickly as possible since it prevents you from watching your favorite videos on your iPhone. To resolve the issue, it’s crucial to first figure out what’s causing the “unable to load video” error.
Users in the Apple community have reported that iOS 16/15 issues and the iPhone’s low memory are the major reasons why the unable to load video issue happens.
Is there another reason for this issue? Let’s look at every potential cause for this problem before moving on to a list of solutions.
Why Does It Say Unable to Load Video on iPhone?
There could be many reasons why the videos in your camera roll say “Unable to load video”, such as:
- Poor or no internet connection: a network problem may prevent the Photos app from accessing Apple’s servers.
- The Optimize Storage option on your iOS device is another frequent cause of your iPhone being unable to load video. This feature helps save space on your iOS device, which also uploads full-resolution videos to iCloud. However, this frequently leads to the device’s difficulty in loading videos.
- Insufficient Storage on your iPhone is another possibility, which we covered in the introduction. Unlike the causes, there are just a few fixes you can attempt.
How to Fix “Unable to Load Video” on iPhone
Here are the tips that will help you fix it when your iPhone says Unable to load video.
These troubleshooting tips can also fix a similar issue like when your iPhone says unable to load photos.
1. Check Devices Storage
The most frequent cause of the iPhone’s inability to load higher-quality video is because the Storage is full.
So, make sure your iPhone has at least 2GB of free space by checking the Storage. If not, you might want to think about clearing some of the unnecessary apps or data from your devices’ Storage.
1. Go to Settings, then navigate to General.
2. Then, select iPhone or iPad Storage.
If you don’t have enough storage, we highly recommend you check out these 18 tips to free up storage on your iPhone.
You have other options if iCloud isn’t your thing. Our list of the best cloud storage services will help you choose the right one.
2. Restart Your iPhone
If an OS bug were to blame for the software issue, a straightforward restart of the iPhone would resolve it. It’s worthwhile to try.
To do so, check out our article on how to restart an iPhone (all models). Alternatively, you can force restart your iPhone if you have trouble restarting it.
3. Check Network Connection
You won’t be able to download media if the Photos App cannot access Apple’s servers due to an unstable network connection. Therefore, confirm that both your WiFi and cellular data are functioning properly.
Opening a website to test if it is accessible will allow you to verify this quickly. Consider resetting and power cycling your router if you have trouble opening any websites.
Restart your router by unplugging it, waiting 15 seconds, and then plugging it back in.
4. Update iOS
If a bug was causing the video upload issue on your iPhone, you may need to look if there’s any available iOS update for your iPhone.
1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone after connecting to the WiFi.
2. Locate and tap General, then click Software Update.
3. If an Update is available for your OS, tap the Download and Install button.
As iOS updates eliminate outdated issues and bugs from previous versions, you should upgrade your iPhone in order to fix the video loading issue.
5. Turn Off Low Data Mode
When you enable Low Data Mode on your iPhone, it can limit data usage, which may negatively impact downloads and cause sync problems.
If you encounter this error, you should disable Low Data Mode to make sure your data is running at its full strength and capacity.
The following steps will guide you through turning off Low Data Mode on your iPhone:
LTE/4G Cellular
1. Go to Settings.
2. Open Cellular.
3. Go to Cellular Data Options.
4. Turn Low Data Mode off.
Wi-Fi
1. Go to Settings.
2. Open Wi-Fi.
3. Tap the Info button next to the Wi-Fi network that you’re connected to.
4. Turn off Low Data Mode.
6. Turn off the Optimize Storage Option
All the full-resolution, high-quality videos, and photos are kept on iCloud when the “optimize storage” option is turned on for your iOS device, leaving just the compressed, small ones on your iPhone.
As a result, loading a video from iCloud on an iOS device takes some time. The video might not load at all on occasion. Turning off this feature may help you resolve the iPhone’s difficulty in loading videos.
Follow the steps below to get started:
1. Open Settings, Click on your name (Apple ID profile).
2. Tap on iCloud and then Photos.
3. Select the Download and Keep Originals option under Optimize iPhone Storage (you can also turn this feature off.)
4. Wait for iCloud video downloads to complete. Now, videos should open without encountering a loading issue.
7. Turn Off Lower Power Mode
Low Power Mode saves your iPhone battery by limiting background activities like rendering. It’s not recommended to use Low Power Mode unless your battery is extremely low and you want to conserve some power for emergencies.
Try turning it off to see if your video or photo renders more quickly. Open the Settings app, select Battery, and toggle off the Low Power Mode.
8. Update the Media Player Apps
Update the program if the video loading error occurs in a specific app, such as YouTube or Instagram.
You can simply reinstall the program if the Update is ineffective. This should resolve the problem of videos not loading or buffering.
The App Store offers app updates. Follow the instructions below to update any app on your iPhone.
1. Open the App Store.
2. Now select the profile icon at the top.
3. Scroll to find your app, then select Update from the menu. You can also select Update All from the top menu.
9. View the Video on iCloud
Try to access the videos through iCloud.com on your computer if the videos won’t load on your iPhone and display an error.
It is merely a workaround to help you access your videos rather than a fix in itself. To view your video on iCloud, follow the steps below:
- Visit iCloud.com and log in using your Apple ID credentials.
- To access the video, click on the Photos or iCloud Drive app.
- Locate your video and click it to play.
Wrap-Up: Unable to Load Video on iPhone
You might find online recommendations advising you to use some OS repair third-party apps to fix this issue. However, these programs have two key issues.
They may alter or remove some of your data. They might even fully format your phone in some uncommon circumstances.
The second issue is that the OS hasn’t frequently been identified as the root cause of the issue. Therefore, using these programs won’t just harm your phone but also do nothing effective toward fixing the issue.
So instead of using third-party programs, we advise sticking to the solutions listed above. Alternatively, you may also contact Apple support for further help.
I hope this assisted you in fixing the “Unable to load video” error on your iPhone. In case you fixed the problem with any other solution, please do share it in the comments section.
