The other day, I decided to enjoy the memories stored on my iPhone. On vacation, I shot interesting videos of beautiful views. So, I open the “Videos” folder, choose the memory I want to revisit…. nothing! My video is not playing! Why? What happened? I had to deal with the problem: identify the causes and look for solutions. And now I’m going to share all that I found with you.
- Why won’t my videos play on my iPhone?
- How to fix my video won’t play?
- Play video on your PC
- Why my video has no sound on iPhone?
Why won’t my videos play on my iPhone
Common Reasons
First of all, we should understand why this issue may happen, so let’s start with the main reasons:
- Corrupted Video Files: if the video you want to play has been corrupted, you won’t be able to play it. This problem can occur because of incomplete download, transfer errors, or issues that appeared during video recording.
- Insufficient Storage Space: lack of free storage space on your iPhone may affect video playback. When your device storage is full, it can be impossible to load and play video files smoothly, resulting in interrupted playback or errors.
- Network Connectivity Problems: if your videos are saved in iCloud, a poor network connection can interfere with video playback on your iPhone.
- Software and Operating System Issues: outdated software or operating systems on your iPhone can also be the reason behind the incorrect video playback. Compatibility issues and bugs in the iOS version may affect the playback of videos. You need to install updates to resolve it.
- File Format Compatibility: one of the reasons why videos may not play on your iPhone is incompatible file formats. iPhones support specific video formats such as H.264 and MPEG-4. So, attempting to play videos in formats like AVI, WMV, or FLV may result in playback issues.
We have talked about the main causes of this problem. If you think one of the above cases matches yours, let’s look further and see how to fix it.
If you also have an issue with Photos not showing up on iPhone Camera Roll, use this guide to fix the problem.
Why won’t my videos play on my iPhone Camera Roll
How to fix
- Restart your iPhone: let’s start with an easy solution. It may happen that a video or an app gets stuck, and restarting your iPhone will help to get the video back to normal.
- Repair or Replace Corrupted Video Files: use video repair tools or software to fix corrupted video files. If the files can’t be repaired, try to re-download or replace them with intact copies.
- Free Up Storage Space: if your iPhone storage is full, delete unnecessary data. You can find a full guide on how to free up iPhone storage here.
- Update Software and iOS: make sure your iOS version is up-to-date. If not, install the latest update from Apple. Software updates often contain bug fixes and improvements that can fix video playback issues and improve overall device performance.
- Improve Network Connectivity: connect to a stable and high-speed Wi-Fi. Avoid poor network connections and consider restarting your router or modem to troubleshoot network connectivity problems.
Play video on your PC
If you want to enjoy your memories on a big screen, you can save the videos to your PC in a few clicks and that’s it! No more problems with playback from Camera Roll. Here is how to do it via CopyTrans Studio:

With CopyTrans Studio, you can:
- Transfer photos and videos in one click
- Access your iPhone and iPad Photos as if they were stored on a flash drive
- View photos and videos directly from iPhone with CopyTrans Viewer
- Say goodbye to HEIC photos and convert them to JPEG
- Connect iPhone to PC via Wi-Fi
- Download and install CopyTrans Studio. Download CopyTrans Studio
- Choose your iPhone, then Photo Library
- You can now open a video and play it from CopyTrans Studio. Or you can find one (or more than one) in the Video folder and drag-and-drop it to your PC.


With CopyTrans Studio, you can back up your whole Photo Library in a few clicks.
Why my video has no sound iPhone
Let’s look into another problem that can arise when watching videos. You play a video and it has no sound! You are not the only one with this issue. Here are the main reasons why it happens and ways to fix it.
- Volume Settings: before looking for more technical reasons, it’s important to check basic things first. Make sure that the volume on your iPhone is turned up and that the mute switch on the side of your device is not enabled. Sometimes the solution may be so simple that all you have to do is adjust the volume settings.
- Audio Output Selection: if you have external audio devices connected to your iPhone, such as headphones or speakers, the audio output might be directed to them instead of the built-in speakers. Check the audio output settings on your iPhone to make sure that the sound is transmitted correctly.
- Compatibility: incompatibility with audio formats or codecs used for the video file may cause sound issues. Make sure that the video file you’re trying to play on your iPhone is encoded with a supported audio format to ensure proper playback.
- App-Specific Settings: some video playback apps on your iPhone may have individual settings that can impact audio output. Check the settings within the video app you’re using to confirm that sound settings are configured correctly and that the audio is not muted or disabled within the app.
- Software Glitches or Bugs: sometimes simple software glitches, app conflicts, or iOS bugs can disrupt the audio output on your iPhone. As a result, videos play without sound. Keeping the operating system on your device updated can help to resolve such issues and ensure optimal performance.