How to fix “error loading player: no playable sources found” in your browser
Online media players rarely give you trouble. You might run into a media player that’s riddled with ads but there’s little that interferes with video playback once you get past them all. That said, it’s not unheard that users occasionally run into problems with online media players and the ‘error loading player: no playable sources found’ error is one of the more common ones you’ll see. Here’s how you can fix it.
Check stream link
If the video player is playing back a live stream, it is worth checking to see if the stream is working or not. Often, live streams tend to go down or they may not be compatible with the video player that’s been used to stream them. To check if the stream is working, access the web console on the page that has the player and check if VLC player is able to play it. If it fails to play, or even generate a thumbnail, chances are there’s a problem with the stream itself.
If the stream is working, it is possible that the player that’s been used on the website is unable to handle it. In this case, you can try some of the other fixes listed below, or just use VLC player to watch it.
Disable ad blockers
It’s possible that your ad blocker, if you’re using one, is interfering with playback. Some media players, e.g., the one that Hulu uses, will not let you play anything if you have an ad blocker installed. Try disabling the ad blocker or adding the website with the media player to the whitelist and check if that fixes the problem.
Disable VPN and Proxy
A VPN or Proxy may interfere with the content that you’re trying to play. The media player itself might be perfectly fine however, it may not be able to communicate over VPNs and proxies. If you have one running, disable it, refresh the web page, and try playing the content again.
Update browser
Make sure you’re running the latest version of your browser. An outdated version may be detected by the media player and playback may be blocked for security reasons. Normally, if you’re lagging behind one or two versions in the browser, it shouldn’t be a big deal however if you’re one too many versions behind, you should update it.
Disable extensions/add-ons
We’ve highlighted ad-blockers as one type of browser extension that might interfere with video playback on a website however, it is possible you have other extensions that are interfering with playback. To be safe, disable them all and try playing the video again. If the video works, it is likely an extension that’s interfering with it. You can slowly enable them one by one and see which one causes the problem.
Update Flash player
Adobe’s Flash player may have been abandoned by large websites like YouTube but it was exceptionally popular at one time and there are still many, many media players that continue to use it. It is possible that the media player is still using Flash so make sure you’re using the latest version of it that’s available.
Clear browser cache
Clearing the browser cache resolves most problems so try clearing it. The method differs based on which browser you’re using but every browser allows you to do it.
Try a different browser
If all else fails, you can try using a different browser. Try the stock browser on your OS before you try a different one. It might just be a media player that isn’t compatible with the browser you’re trying to play the video on. It’s rare, but it does tend to happen.
