How would you feel if you could not play any videos on Discord sent by your friends? Frustrating, right?
Well, your frustration ends here.
Discord has this sudden issue of not playing any videos, and it’s been annoying people for a while now. Like you, I also faced the very same problem.
After spending hours in front of my PC, analyzing the reasons, searching for a solution, I finally succeeded.
Why is Discord unable to play media files?
In this post, I will explain to you the reasons behind Discord’s inability to play videos, and eventually, I’ll show you the methods to fix this issue.
So, Don’t skip any part and stay with me till the end.
Why is Discord not Playing any Videos
Discord fails to play videos when it cannot access the file’s URL. It happens because of hardware acceleration, corrupted cache files, incorrect DNS settings, and a lousy internet connection. These reasons hold Discord back from loading and playing videos.
There is no doubt that Discord is a fantastic social communication platform. But, the fact is it is not a hundred percent failsafe medium. Like any other desktop application, it has it’s own issues and limitations, and being unable to play media files is one of them.
Discord’s inability to play videos is an issue that suddenly attacks your user experience, and generally, there are a set of common reasons behind it.
Fortunately, I was able to point all of them out. Now, I’m listing them below with a short explanation to help you identify which one is causing your inconveniences.
Here are the reasons why Discord is not playing videos:
Incorrect DNS Settings
Another issue behind Discord’s inability to play videos is incorrect DNS settings, and it is similar to the previous reason, an unstable internet connection.
DNS (Domain Name System) converts domain names into IP addresses to access the websites through browsers. But, if your DNS is changed somehow and the new DNS cannot access Discord’s media library, then you won’t be able to play videos on Discord.
So, an incorrect DNS setting will make Discord not play videos.
Read more on how to Adjust Discord Video Quality
Malfunctioning Hardware Acceleration
Hardware acceleration is a wonderful feature that makes any application user experience more pleasant by using the device’s GPU to make the interface and transitions more smooth.
But, it has it’s own downsides. Sometimes, it malfunctions when enabled in the desktop Discord app or the browser you’re using to log into Discord. And, when it malfunctions, the media files playback is failed in those apps for system files’ confliction.
Corrupted Discord Cache Files
Last but not least, corrupted cache files are another culprit behind Discord’s inability to play video.
Every application on Windows generates cache files to store frequently used data inside them to reduce the loading time on the next session. But, sometimes, these cache files get corrupted when they are not regenerated or used for an extended period.
Cache files from a previous session conflict with current sessions operations and arise various issues. Depriving Discord of playing videos is one of them.
Unstable Internet Connection
The most common reason behind Discord’s inability to play and load videos is a lousy internet connection.
As a VoIP-based social communication platform, the internet is a must for Discord. But, if it’s a lousy connection that hampers Discord’s connectivity with it’s servers and interrupts loading the data exchange, you won’t be able to use Discord smoothly.
The most annoying issue will be that you won’t be able to play any Discord videos because they need to load the file as a cache file to play it. And if it’s not fully downloaded or Discord cannot access the media files URL for a slow internet connection, you won’t be able to play it in Discord.
How to Fix Discord not Playing Videos
Let’s talk about what you’re here for. Let’s show you how to fix the Discord not playing videos issue and put you out of your frustration.
There are several reasons behind Discord’s incapability to play videos. And as you can see, most of them are related to your device’s settings or internet issues.
Don’t worry. I have all the solutions for your issue. I made a list of the methods below to fix Discord not playing videos with step-by-step guidelines to apply them.
Go through them carefully before applying. It’ll help you avoid any further complications.
Check out the easiest way to Fix Clownfish Music Player Not Working in Discord.
Here are the methods to fix Discord videos not playing issue:
1. Set DNS Settings Correctly
As I told you, DNS is an essential component of connecting your PC with Discord’s server. Setting an incorrect DNS will lock you out of Discord’s website or issue various problems like videos not playing in Discord.
So, if your DNS settings are changed, which causes Discord’s inability to access the video file’s server URL to load and play them, resetting the DNS back will fix the issue for you.
Here are the steps to reset the DNS settings on your device:
- Click the search icon on the Windows taskbar.
- Type cmd.
- Click on Run as administrator.
- Click on Yes to allow the administrative permission.
- Type ipconfig /flushdns and hit the enter key.
- Close the window after the process finishes.
Now, your DNS is set back to the default one. Open Discord and see if videos are playing now.
Check out our separate post on how to Play Poker Night on Discord.
2. Disable Hardware Acceleration
Hardware acceleration helps you run apps more smoothly by using your GPU to make the transitions and transformation of the app more fluid.
But, sometimes, it doesn’t work well as it’s supposed to be because Discord is a heavy app, and running it smoothly requires more CPU and GPU usage, which forcefully stops some of Discord’s operations. For example, Discord’s ability to play videos.
That’s why you need to turn off hardware acceleration in Discord:
- Open the Discord app.
- Go to settings by clicking on the cogwheel beside your username.
- Click on Voice and video on the left pane.
- Find the Video codec section.
- Disable both options under it.
- Restart Discord.
Now, hardware-accelerated video coding is disabled in Discord. Try opening a video and see if it’s playing without any issue.
3. Clear Discord Cache Files
Cache files make it easier to use any app in Windows. They reduce the application loading time and make the user experience better.
But they can be lethal when they get corrupted. So, clearing obsolete cache files once in a while will keep your user experience more pleasing.
Here are the steps to clear Discord’s cache files:
Before clearing Discord’s cache files, ensure that the Discord app is closed properly. Follow these steps to quit the Discord properly:
- Right-click on the taskbar.
- Select the Task Manager below.
- Search for Discord’s primary process.
- Select the process and click on End Task on the down-right corner.
After closing Discord, now follow these steps to clear it’s cache files:
- Press Win+R keys to open the Run dialog box.
- Type %appdata%/discord/cache in the box and hit Enter.
- Press Ctrl+A keys to select all files.
- Right-click on the selected files and select Delete to delete the files.
Now Discord’s cache files are deleted successfully. Rerun Discord, open a video and see if the issue still occurs.
4. Use a Stable Internet Connection
Get a stable connection without any hiccups like speed fluctuation or high ping to use Discord smoothly. Discord requires a stable and smooth internet connection to maintain its VoIP-based communication capability.
If you’re using an unstable internet connection that doesn’t provide an up to the mark service, you’ll face various issues using Discord. For example, Discord’s inability to play videos, RTC connecting issue, files not compressing issue, etc.
So, check your router settings and look if the connection is ok. If you have any issues with your internet connection, contact your ISP support team or your network admin and ask them to fix network issues for you.
If you found a video you want to share with your buddies in Discord to spread joy, this section is for you.
Sharing a video on Discord is pretty easy, and it doesn’t require any special skills as long as the video is under 8Mb, as Discord doesn’t allow you to share a video of more than 8Mb unless you buy a Nitro subscription.
So, here are the steps to share a video on Discord:
- Open the Discord app.
- Click on your friend’s avatar.
- Click the Plus icon on the left inside the textbox.
- Click on Upload a file.
- Choose a video file and select Open.
- Press enter key to share it.
The video is now sent to your friends. So, you can see that the whole process is a piece of cake!
You may also like to read: Discord Screen Share No Audio.
FAQ
How to disable hardware acceleration on Discord?
To turn off hardware acceleration on Discord, open the Discord app>go to settings>click Voice & Video>disable Hardware Acceleration>restart Discord. Disabling the hardware acceleration features will make the Discord app less demanding.
Can Discord play videos?
Discord can play video files, and users can share them with each other as long as they are under 8Mb. To send videos larger than 8Mb, a Nitro subscription is needed. Users can use Discord’s Go Live feature to stream Netflix and watch movies together.
How do I make a video play on Discord?
To make a video play on Discord, you have to pick from an mp4 or WebM file, which is under 8Mb, and then it’ll play on everyone’s devices. If the video is in MOV format, it won’t be playable. Also, the FLAC format is only supported on PC.
Is streaming Netflix on Discord illegal?
Streaming NetFlix on Discord is illegal; users are restricted by copyright law. To show a movie to the public, a public performance license from the copyright owner is required. Users can use Discord’s Go Live feature to stream Netflix and watch movies together.
Conclusion
To wrap things up, I can agree with you that Discord’s inability to play videos is very annoying. But luckily, I’ve found the solutions to it and shared them with you.
So, try to go through the whole post as long as you want but, don’t mess things up any further. Read the reasons, find the one bothering you, and apply the respective method.
If you have any further queries, comment below, and our experts will get to you right away!
