Why won't a video play on my Mac?

For Mac users, videos and images are among the most common file types. Encountering the issue of Mac videos not playing can be frustrating on macOS Ventura or any earlier version. It's disappointing when you're looking forward to watching your favorite TV series on Safari or viewing daily recorded videos on your Mac, only to find that the video won't play on your Mac. This problem might arise due to several reasons, such as:

    • The video files might have been corrupted during data transfer from a damaged Mac to a new one.
    • The header of the video file could be damaged.
    • Incomplete downloads can lead to unplayable videos on your Mac.
    • JavaScript is disabled in Safari.
    • Viruses and malware infections can cause videos to stop working on your Mac.

We'll help you fix video playback issues in five ways. If your local video file is damaged, skip to the next section to learn how to fix videos on Mac.

Method 1: Fix Local Videos Not Playing on Mac with Software

Video corruption can result from virus attacks, transmission errors, incomplete downloads, and hard drive failures. If your local Mac video is unplayable or won't open on the macOS Base System, you may attempt to fix it with third-party video repair utilities for repairing Mac videos.

We recommend the Fixo Video Repair Tool for its versatility, user-friendly interface, and security.

Here's how you can fix a corrupted video on your Mac:

Step 1: Launch the Fixo tool on your Mac

Download and launch Fixo on your Mac. Click on “Video Repair” on the left, and then hit “Add Video” to upload your corrupted MP4/MOV/MKV/3GP video files.

Start the Fixo tool on your Mac

Step 2. Select the Damaged Video and Start the Repair Process

Select a target video and click the “Repair” button to start the single video repair process. To fix all videos, select them all and then click “Repair All.”

Select the damaged video and start the repair process.

Step 3: Preview and Save the Repaired Video

Wait a few minutes for the tool to fix the corrupted video. The length of time it takes will depend on how damaged your video is. When it's finished, click “View repaired” to preview the video. To save the repaired video, click the “Save” button. You can save multiple videos at once by selecting “Save All.”

Preview and Save the repaired video

Step 4: Run the Advanced Video Repair Process

If Quick Repair didn't work, try the Advanced Repair mode. Select "Advanced Repair" to start the process. After uploading an example video, select "Confirm."

Run the advanced video repair process

Step 5: Preview and Save the Video repaired in Advanced Mode

It displays a detailed information window about the corruption and sample video. Click on 'Repair Now' to start the repair process. Once done, you can view the repaired video and click on the 'Save' button to save the repaired video file to the desired location.

Preview and save the repaired video in Preview mode

Method 2: Fix Video Not Playing Issues by Checking Your Internet Connection

If a video takes more than 20 seconds or longer to load when you're trying to watch it in Safari or another video app, like Wikipedia, your network might be the issue.

Slow internet connection could be due to network issues or too many devices connected. Try changing your network password or reconnecting.

Step 1: Click the Wi-Fi icon in the top right of the screen, and then choose Open Network Preferences… from the Mac's menu.

Click the Wi-Fi icon, then open the “Preferred Networks” preferences.

Step 2: Select the Wi-Fi network you're currently connected to, then tap Advanced…. Tap the minus sign to remove the network.

Open Network preferences

Step 3: You'll have to enter the Wi-Fi password every time you reconnect to the network.

Reconnect to the Wi-Fi Network

If this article helped you, please share it on social media to let more people know how to fix videos on Mac using the Fixo Video Repair tool or other methods.

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Method 3: Check JavaScript to Fix Issues with Videos Not Playing on Mac

JavaScript is an essential part of web browsers. It's used to build anything that moves or changes on the screen. It's very useful for managing these changes without having to reload the page. It's important to make sure JavaScript is enabled in your browser. Here's how to activate JavaScript in Safari:

Step 1. Click the Safari icon in your Dock to launch the program on your Mac.

Open Safari on Mac

Step 2: Choose Preferences from the Safari menu at the top of the screen.

< strong > Step 3. At the top of the Preferences window, select the Security tab.

< strong > Step 4: Check the "Enable JavaScript" checkbox.

Enable JavaScript

Step 5: Save your changes by closing the Preferences window.

Method 4: Fix Video Playback Issues on Mac by Clearing Caches

When it comes to cleaning cache on a Mac, you need to clear system caches, app caches, and browser caches. To troubleshoot the issue of "videos not playing on Mac," you can try clearing the cache of your web browser, using Safari as an example:

Step 1: Click on “Safari” and then select “Preferences.”

Open Safari Preferences

Step 2: Click on “Privacy” in the Safari Preferences menu bar.

Step 3: Click on “Manage website data…” in the Privacy section.

Manage website data

Step 4: Clear all cache, and click “Empty Now.”

Click “Safari,” then choose “Clear History” and “Clear Caches.” Clear Safari Cache

Method 5: Reinstall Adobe Flash Player to Fix Video Issues

If you're using Adobe Flash Player to watch the video, try this. Uninstall the Adobe Flash Player, and then reinstall it.

Step 1. Use Spotlight to search for the Adobe Flash Player Install Manager. Click on the search result to launch it. Alternatively, you can find it in your Applications folder.

Step 2: Click “Uninstall” to remove the app immediately.

Uninstall Adobe Flash Player

Step 3. After uninstalling Adobe Flash Player, you can download and reinstall it from the official Adobe Flash Player website.

Conclusions

We have five verified methods to fix video not playing on Mac issues. If you can't watch videos on Safari or any other web browser, enable JavaScript, clear your browser cache, or reconnect your internet connection. If local videos won't play on your Mac, reinstall Adobe Flash Player or use the Fixo tool to repair videos on your Mac.

The Fixo tool can repair your video and be of great assistance when you experience data loss due to various reasons. You can download the tool by clicking on the button below.

"Common Issues with Video Playback on Mac"

Below are four common issues that prevent video playback on a Mac. Read on to learn more:

Problem 1: Why won't my MP4 video play on my Mac?

The following reasons might cause MP4 videos to fail to play on a Mac:

    • 1. The MP4 video file is corrupted during transmission.
    • 2. The MP4 video header is damaged.
    • 3. The download is incomplete.
    • 4. JavaScript is disabled in the Safari browser.
    • 5. The device is infected with viruses or malware.

2. How to Fix Corrupted SD Card Videos on Mac?

You can use the Fixo Video Repair tool to fix a corrupted SD card and repair videos on Mac. This software can fix damaged videos on the SD card, and you can also add a sample video to help the software repair the target video.

3. How to fix video playback issues on Mac?

Try these five fixes for video playback issues on your Mac:

    1. Use the Fixo Video Repair tool to fix the video. 2. Check your internet connection or reconnect. 3. Clear the cache on your web browser. 4. Enable JavaScript in your web browser. 5. Uninstall and reinstall Adobe Flash Player.

< strong > 4. Why does my video show up as black screen on Mac?

Why does the screen go black when playing a video? The main reason for a black screen during video playback is a damaged file. Several factors can cause this issue, including failed file transfers, header issues, codec problems, and virus infections.