How to Fix “The Media Could Not Be Loaded” Error on Your Browser

The error ‘The media could not be loaded, server or network failed’ indicates that the player could not load the video due to either a server-side failure or incompatibility with the video format on your end—likely within your internet browser. This frustrating error message has appeared in virtually every internet browser and is not limited to just one or two online media players—it can affect any of them.

If you encounter this error message when trying to view a video on a webpage, here are the most effective solutions to eliminate the message and successfully watch the video:

1. Disable AdBlock on the Affected Webpage

It’s become apparent that some video players and hosts across the internet use this error message as a tactic to encourage visitors to disable any ad-blocking software or extensions. Often, the presence of ad-blocking tools triggers the error message instead of the video.

If AdBlock is causing the issue, simply disabling it for the webpage or website that hosts your video should resolve the problem.

The steps to disable AdBlock on a specific webpage or website can vary based on the ad-blocking utility and browser you’re using.

1. Visit the webpage hosting the video encounter.
2. Click the Options button (represented by three vertically aligned dots) in the top-right corner of the Google Chrome window.

   

3. Select the AdBlock Plus icon.

   

4. If the Power button is blue, AdBlock Plus is enabled. Click it to disable the extension for the current site.

   

5. To apply the changes, refresh the webpage. After refreshing, try to play the video again and check if it works.

2. Update your Internet Browser

It’s possible that your internet browser is having trouble due to an issue such as lack of support for the video’s format. This issue may have been fixed in a later update by the browser developers. If you’re facing the error message, check for any available updates for your browser and install them if applicable.

1. Open Google Chrome.
2. Select the Options button (three vertically aligned dots) in the top-right corner of the Chrome window.

   

3. Hover over Help.
4. Select About Google Chrome from the menu.

   

5. Chrome will automatically begin checking for updates. If available, the browser will download and install them.

   

After updating your internet browser, test to see if the video plays without issues.

3. Use a Different Internet Browser

If the above solutions did not work, it’s possible that the issue lies with the internet browser itself. Although this error message can affect any browser, it’s typically isolated to one browser per case. Therefore, switching to a different browser could be the solution. For instance, if Internet Explorer is unable to play the video and displays the error message, try watching the video with Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Edge.

4. Wait out the Issue

If your attempts to resolve the issue have been unsuccessful, you may need to accept that the problem could be a server-side issue beyond your control. In such a case, the only action you can take is to wait for the server administrators to fix the problem. Continuously check the server or network to determine when the video becomes available again.