Fix Instagram Direct Message Video Not Playing
If videos are not playing in Instagram DM, it can break the conversation flow. Before you ask the recipient to move to another IM (instant messaging) platform, use the tricks below and troubleshoot the issue.
1. The Video Belongs to a Private Instagram Account
Did someone share an Instagram video from a private account? If yes and you are not following that private account, you can’t see the sent video content in DMs. Instagram will instead show a message ‘unavailable status’. Most Instagram users set their accounts as private to keep prying eyes away. You must send a follow request to the private Instagram account, and once the person accepts it, you can check received videos or Reels in Direct Messages.
2. The Person Has Deleted the Video or Reels
The original owner might have deleted your received Instagram video post or Reels. You will notice the same message unavailable error in DMs.
3. The Video Is Unavailable in Your Region
Sports, movies, and TV shows licensing is confusing. Some of the video content from Instagram pages or accounts you receive in your DM might not be available to view in your region. For example, ESPN carries the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) streaming rights in the US. If your friend from the US shares UFC Fight Night’s video clip from the ESPN Instagram account, you can’t view it as some other media company has streaming rights for UFC in your region. However, you can temporarily establish a VPN network and connect to a relevant region server to play such videos in Instagram direct messages to fix the issue.
4. The Video Format Is Not Supported on Your Phone
Apart from Instagram video posts and Reels, one can also send videos from the device gallery. You will continue to run into a video playback issue if you receive slow-motion or other video types not supported on the phone.
5. Check Network Connectivity
Are you trying to download and play received Instagram videos on a slow internet connection? Due to sketchy network connectivity, Instagram can’t play videos on your phone. Connect to a high-speed Wi-Fi network or utilize the cellular data on your phone to stream received videos in Instagram DMs.
6. Clear Instagram Cache
Too much Instagram cache can lead to issues like direct messages not working, feed not loading, videos not playing in DMs, and more. You need to clear the Instagram cache on your phone and try again.
- Long tap on the Instagram app icon and select the little i button.
- It will open the Instagram app info menu. Select Storage.
- Tap on clear cache from the following menu. Open Instagram and start playing videos from personal conversations.
7. Log out and log in
An unusual authentication error may prevent you from playing received videos in conversations. You need to sign out from your account and log in again.
- Open Instagram on your phone.
- Go to your profile.
- Select the hamburger menu in the top right corner.
- Open Settings.
- Log out from your account. Login with your account details and jump to Instagram DMs to play videos.
8. Update Instagram App
Instagram regularly releases updates with new features and bug fixes. Running an old Instagram build may leave you in trouble. You can open the Google Play Store on Android or App Store on iPhone and install pending Instagram updates on your phone.
9. Check Instagram Servers
When someone sends you a video, the media file gets saved on Instagram servers. If the company servers are facing an outage (they often do), your phone can’t connect with them to download and play the video. You can head to Downdetector to confirm the issue. In this case, you must wait for Instagram to resolve the problems from their end and try again.
Enjoy Flawless Conversations on Instagram
Instagram direct message video not playing can confuse you. Before you ask the person to send the video again, use the tricks above and try fixing the error. Did you know that now you can turn off DMs on Instagram? Want to have some fun? Try these fake Instagram DM apps to create made-up conversations and be a meme lord.
