Browsers can sometimes freeze when loading a specific image or playing a video. A common error message you might see is, “The media could not be loaded, either because the server or network failed or because the format is not supported.” If you’re facing this issue, we’ve compiled a list of solutions to help you resolve it.
1 Rule Out Internet Issues
First, rule out internet issues. Try playing anything else in the same browser to see if it works. If the internet is to blame, restarting the router and reconnecting the internet will resolve the issue. If that doesn’t work, you can also apply some OS-specific solutions to fix internet issues on Windows and macOS. Should nothing else work, contact your ISP.
Start implementing the below fixes when it is not an internet issue and only occurs on one web page.
2 Rule Out Server Issues
The error could be caused by a problem with the server where the video you’re playing is hosted. Open a different browser on your device and play the video there. If the video fails to play, you can try playing it on another device (if you have one) instead. If you encounter the same error on other browsers and devices, it is most likely a server-side issue.
Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do about server-related issues; you’ll have to wait until the problem is resolved.
3 Hard Refresh the Browser
Do a hard refresh in Chrome to clear any cached data that might cause the error. This will force Chrome to clear the cache and reload all resources from the server, ensuring you have the most up-to-date information. If the problem continues after the hard refresh, proceed with the other troubleshooting steps.
4 Update Chrome
An outdated browser can often lead to the issue in question. Consequently, if you keep the Chrome auto-update setting disabled, it might be time to activate it and update your browser manually.
- If you are unsure if your browser is updated, click on the three vertical dots in Chrome’s top-right corner.
- Navigate to Help > About Google Chrome.
If the browser isn’t updated and auto-updates are not turned off, it will automatically search for available updates and update itself to the latest version.
If Chrome is already on the latest version, you will see a message saying, “Chrome is up to date.”
The message ensures that outdated Chrome wasn’t causing the trouble. The next step would be to check whether you’re accessing the video on the webpage using a VPN.
5 Disable (or Enable) Your VPN
Even though VPNs protect your privacy, they can sometimes impede your browsing experience. So, if you’re accessing the video while the VPN is enabled on your browser, disable it. This fix also works the other way around, so you can access the video using a VPN.
Sometimes, access to specific media embeds is restricted from certain locations. Using a VPN connection will eliminate this possibility. When disabling or enabling the VPN fails to resolve the problem, it’s time to clear the browser’s cache.
6 Clear Your Browser Cache
Cache data speeds up webpage loading by storing on-site elements from the previous visit. It speeds up the browsing experience. However, having a massive cache could negatively impact browsing on low-power devices. The flip side is that refilling the cache once its contents are removed will also take time and could also make web pages feel slower.
To clear Chrome’s cache and history, follow these steps:
- Click on three vertical dots in the top-right corner and select Delete Browsing Data.
- Check the boxes for Cookies and other site data, and Cached images and files.
- Hit the Delete data button.
7 Check for Profile-Specific Issues
In some cases, the issue can be specific to your browser profile. To rule it out, try playing the video in an Incognito window.
To open an Incognito window, click on the three vertical dots in the top-right corner of Chrome, then click New Incognito Window. Afterward, visit the same website and play the video.
If the video plays successfully this time, this suggests that the problem is profile-specific. So, log in with another profile on your browser and play the video again.
If you do not encounter any errors on the new profile, you should abandon your old profile and switch permanently to the new one. However, if switching profiles or using an Incognito window does not help, try applying the next fix.
8 Disable Ad-Blocker Extensions
Ad-blocker extensions block the advertisements on websites by directly interfering with the site’s script. Such interference can also result in some site content not loading correctly or preventing HTML tags such as tag from running, resulting in the error we’re discussing. Temporarily disabling such extensions may help resolve the problem.
To disable an ad-blocker extension, follow these steps:
- Click on the three vertical dots in the top-right corner.
- Go to Extensions > Manage Extensions.
- Find the ad-blocker extensions in the installed extensions.
- Use the toggle to disable the extension, or hit Remove to uninstall it from Chrome.
If disabling ad-blocker extensions fails to resolve the issue, there are a few more things that you can try.
9 Change Your DNS Server
You may also encounter the “the media could not be loaded” error because of restrictions from your ISP. This is more likely to happen if you’re using Wi-Fi in a library or college, where administrators might have imposed restrictions.
You need to change your DNS server to eliminate this possibility. If you’re using a device running Windows, it’s easy to change DNS servers on Windows 11. And those on macOS are able to change their DNS settings on a Mac just as easily.
10 Reset Chrome
If none of the above fixes work, it’s best to reset Chrome. It will revert all the changes you’ve made to the settings so far, eliminating the possibility that customizing them is causing the problem. It will, however, revert all customizations, so you’ll have to start setting up the browser from scratch. Be aware of that risk before you reset it.
To reset Chrome, follow these steps:
- Click on the three vertical dots in the top-right corner.
- Go to Settings.
- On the left sidebar, click the Reset Settings button.
- Click on Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Then click on Reset settings.
If resetting the browser doesn’t work, consider reinstalling the browser from scratch as a last resort.
11 Reinstall Chrome
Even though resetting the browser will give it a fresh start, reinstalling it will nullify the possibility of restrictions on both the browser and the OS side. But before you do that, uninstall it properly.
Follow these steps to uninstall Chrome in Windows:
- Open the Windows Settings app.
- Navigate to the Apps section.
- In the Apps & features settings, type Chrome in the search box.
- Click on it and hit Uninstall.
Similarly, you can easily uninstall Chrome on Windows 11. Uninstalling Chrome in macOS requires slightly different steps but is just as easy.
After you uninstall Chrome, grab a fresh copy of the browser and install it again. A fresh reinstall will likely resolve the issue and improve your browser’s performance.
