If you're one of the few people who've received the message "Can't play video" on your Samsung Galaxy smartphone, read on to find a few possible fixes to get your gallery videos working again!
Reset your app prefences
The first step to fixing the problem is to force your Samsung device to forget its 'default apps'.
A default app is one which opens automatically when you perform a certain action – like how Chrome opens when you tap on an internet link, or your camera opens when you want to attach a photo to a message.
Resetting these preferences won't destroy any data on your phone, but the next time you click a link or add an attachment, you may be asked which app to use as your new default! Follow these steps to clear your app preferences:
- Open your apps list and find the Settings icon. Tap on it to view your full list of settings.
- Scroll down this settings list until you find Application Manager, then tap on it to continue.
- You will now see a list of your installed apps and games. Tap the three dots in the top-right corner of the screen to make a menu appear.
- There are two options on this menu, choose reset app preferences to make your phone forget the apps it's been trying to use. Now, head back in to your gallery and try playing a video!
In many cases, this should solve the problem. But in case you're still having trouble, the next step is to reinstall the Google+ app:
Reinstall Google Plus
If you've tried resetting your default app preferences and still can't get video to play, you may have to uninstall some recent updates to Google+.
In case you weren't aware, this is Google's own social networking app which is pre-installed on Android smartphones and can be used as a media backup tool, as well as a way of sharing your photos and videos with your friends!
Unfortunately, on some handsets, the most recent update has confused the built-in video player. To fix this, all we need to do is uninstall then reinstall Google+. Read on to find out how!
- Open your Apps list, then find and press on the Settings icon.
- Find Application Manager in the Settings menu, then tap on it.
- You'll now see a list of all the apps downloaded to your Samsung Galaxy. Find Google+ on this list, then tap on it.
- The next page is an app info page, giving information about the app and how much space it takes up. Tap Uninstall updates to roll Google+ back to an earlier version.
- Now that it's removed, its control over your pictures and video has been severed. Now it's time to install it again, making sure that you have the most current version! Go back to your apps list and tap on the Play Store icon.
- Tap your finger in the search bar at the top of the Play Store, or press the magnifying glass in the top-right corner if you don't see a search bar. When the keyboard appears, type in "Google Plus" and let it search.
- You'll see a list of all the apps that are related to Google+. As you can see from the screenshot above, the Google+ app is top of the list. Tap on the three dots to the right of the app name and press update to reinstall the latest version.
- You will have to confirm that you are aware of the app permissions before you can install it. Tap Accept to agree to these permissions!
- In the unlikely event that you still can't watch videos on your Samsung Galaxy, you should repeat these steps with the Google Photos app in the Play Store.
And that's all you should have to do! If you encounter anything different or have your own tips to share, drop them in our comments section below and spread the knowledge.
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