Why a video will not play on my phone
Quick answerIt is a format or codec the phone does not support. Converting to MP4 fixes almost every case.
Phones support a narrower set of video formats than desktop computers. These are the usual culprits:
- MKV — common for downloaded films, rarely supported by built-in players.
- MOV — Apple's format; limited on Android.
- AVI — an old format with patchy mobile support.
- H.265 inside an MP4 — the container is fine but older phones cannot decode the codec.
The fix
Convert to MP4 with the matching tool — MKV to MP4, MOV to MP4, AVI to MP4 or WebM to MP4. MP4 with H.264 plays on virtually every device made in the last decade.
Quick workaround
VLC for Android and iOS plays almost every format. Useful if you just need to watch something now, but converting is better if you also need to share or upload it.
Video plays but has no sound
That is an audio codec mismatch rather than a video one. Converting to a standard MP4 with AAC audio resolves it.
