Share this article

This article is translated in

Improve this guide

OneDrive Videos are not Playing: 5 Quick Ways to Fix

Check the source file to see if the video was corrupted during transfer

5 min. read

Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

Share this article

This article is translated in

Improve this guide

Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial teamRead more

Key notes

One of the great things about OneDrive cloud storage is that you can play videos in it. As such, you don’t need to save the videos to your own hard drive to play them.

Storing videos in OneDrive can save quite a bit of HDD space. However, videos don’t always play in OneDrive.

Some of our readers have stated that some videos pause when playing them in OneDrive. This is how you can fix OneDrive videos that aren’t playing.

Why won’t OneDrive play videos?

Here are some of the main reasons why OneDrive might not play your videos:

Now that we know what we’re dealing with, let’s see what we can do if OneDrive is not playing your video.

What can I do if OneDrive won’t play videos?

Before starting any tweaking on the file, consider working around the problem using these simple methods:

If the videos are still not playing, consider performing the solutions below.

1. Clear the cache and cookies from your browser

If you’re opening the video in OneDrive from your browser, make sure you clear the cache and cookies because sometimes, they can interfere with the process.

We described how to do that in Google Chrome, but the process is similar on all theother popular browsers.

2. Convert the video to a compatible format

Although you can upload most video formats to OneDrive, remember that, unfortunately, it supports a limited number of file formats for playback.

These are the supported OneDrive video (and audio) playback formats: MP4, WMV, AVI, ASF, M4A, M4V, MOV, WAV, AAC, WMA, SMI, 3G2, 3GP, ADTS, SAMI, MP3.

You need to convert an incompatible OneDrive video to one of those compatible formats. The best tool for the job is none other than WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe.

Our top recommendation is an easy-to-use yet powerful converter since it can transcode any video to any format, with no CPU overuse/overheating to worry about.

The best widely supported format to convert a video to is probably MP4, but there are plenty of other options.

WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe

3. Check if the video has DRM protection

Another thing to note is that OneDrive doesn’t play videos with DRM (Digital Rights Management) keys. Thus, a video with a compatible format will still not play in OneDrive if it has a DRM key.

You can remove DRM protection from a video for OneDrive playback with third-party software but note that removing DRM might not be within the terms of use for a digital product.

We have a list containing thebest video optimizer softwarethat may help you with that. Most of them have conversion features and can remove the DRM protection in the process.

4. Consider using a different cloud hosting service

If you still can’t play the videos in OneDrive, maybe you should consider replacing it with a different cloud service that doesn’t have as many issues.

We have a handy list containing thebest personal cloud storage servicesthat will work seamlessly.

5. Fix the video with a third-party tool

At this point, if none of the solutions above worked, you may also consider that the file uploaded on OneDrive is corrupted. If you have the opportunity, test if the source file is also corrupted.

If yes, you may still use a dedicated tool to fix it. We have a list of thebest video repair toolsthat can save the clip.

Were these tips helpful? Let us know in the comments area below.

OneDrive Videos are not Playing: 5 Quick Ways to Fix#

Why won’t OneDrive play videos?#

What can I do if OneDrive won’t play videos?#

1. Clear the cache and cookies from your browser#

2. Convert the video to a compatible format#

WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe#

3. Check if the video has DRM protection#

4. Consider using a different cloud hosting service#

5. Fix the video with a third-party tool#