Having issues with videos not playing correctly on LinkedIn can be frustrating. LinkedIn videos provide a great opportunity to share visual content and multimedia with your professional network. When they don’t work as expected, it can disrupt your marketing and communication efforts. Thankfully, there are some troubleshooting steps you can take to get your LinkedIn videos up and running again. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover the most common reasons LinkedIn videos may not be working and how to fix them.
Check Video Format and Size Requirements
The first thing to check is whether your video meets LinkedIn’s requirements for accepted formats, dimensions, and file size. LinkedIn has the following video requirements:
- File formats: .MP4, .MOV, and .AVI
- Dimensions: Between 400×400 and 3840×3840 pixels
- Aspect ratio: 1:1 to 16:9
- File size: 5MB to 10GB
- Length: Up to 10 minutes
If your video doesn’t meet these specifications, it may fail to upload or play correctly in LinkedIn’s video player. The most common format issue is having a video with an unsupported file type like .WMV or .FLV. LinkedIn only accepts the MP4, MOV, and AVI formats.
Similarly, oversized video files surpassing the 10GB limit may also cause playback failures. Try encoding your video in a supported format and reduce the file size before re-uploading it. Use video compression software or online converters to change the file type and decrease the size as needed.
Recommended Video Encoding Settings
When exporting your video into a LinkedIn-supported format, use these recommended encoding settings:
- MP4 or MOV format
- H.264 video codec
- AAC audio codec
- 1280×720 or 1920×1080 resolution
- 16:9 aspect ratio
- Constant frame rate of 24, 25, or 30fps
- Variable bitrate (VBR) with a target of 2-5 Mbps
Following these specifications when encoding your source video will produce an optimized file ready for upload to LinkedIn.
Check Video Privacy Settings
Another common culprit for LinkedIn video issues is having the wrong privacy settings configured. Videos can only be played back publicly if their privacy settings allow for it.
When uploading a video on LinkedIn, you have three options for controlling its visibility:
- Anyone: The video is publicly accessible and can be seen by all LinkedIn members.
- Connections only: The video is limited to your 1st-degree connections.
- Only me: The video is private and only visible to you.
Double check that you’ve selected the correct privacy setting for your intended audience. If you choose “Only me”, other LinkedIn members won’t be able to play the video. Change the visibility to “Anyone” or “Connections only” if you want your video to be playable beyond just yourself.
How to Change Video Privacy Settings
Here are the steps to edit the privacy settings on an existing LinkedIn video:
- Go to your LinkedIn profile and click the “Media” tab.
- Locate the video you want to edit.
- Hover over the video and click the “Edit” button.
- In the sidebar that appears, click “Visibility.”
- Select the desired privacy setting: Anyone, Connections only, or Only me.
- Click “Save changes.”
The updated video privacy will take effect immediately after saving.
Check for Video Blocking
In some cases, videos may fail to load on LinkedIn due to blocking from either the user or LinkedIn itself.
If you are trying to view someone else’s video that won’t play, the owner may have intentionally blocked you. Individual users can choose to block specific members from seeing their video content.
Additionally, LinkedIn’s automated filters may have identified the video as a policy violation and blocked it automatically. Reasons for blocking can include:
- Copyrighted material use without permission
- Offensive, graphic, or illegal content
- Spam or misleading metadata and descriptions
- Artificially manipulated or synthesized content
Review LinkedIn’s user agreement and community guidelines to make sure your video doesn’t violate any terms of service. Avoid copyright infringement, offensive content, and artificial manipulation techniques when producing videos intended for LinkedIn.
If you believe your video was incorrectly blocked, you can submit an appeal to LinkedIn by clicking the “Request Review” link on the upload error notification. Supply additional context and explain why you think the blocking was unwarranted.
Check Embed Code
When embedding a LinkedIn video on an external website, incorrect embed code can prevent the video from displaying.
To get the proper embed code, view the video on LinkedIn and click the “…” icon below it. Select “Embed video” and copy the provided
Make sure the embed code exactly matches the provided version. Even small syntax errors can break the embedded video functionality. Here are some common issues to check for:
- Missing or extra characters in the embed URL
- Incorrect height or width parameters
- Extra or missing closing tag
- Special characters that should be URL encoded
- Google Chrome (2 latest major versions)
- Mozilla Firefox (2 latest major versions)
- Apple Safari (2 latest major versions)
- Microsoft Edge (2 latest major versions)
- LinkedIn Mobile App (Android and iOS latest versions)
- Click the 3 vertical dots in the top right corner.
- Hover over “More tools” and select “Clear browsing data.”
- Select “Cached images and files” and set the time range to “All time.”
- Click “Clear data.”
- Click the 3 horizontal lines in the top right corner.
- Select “Settings.”
- Scroll down to “Cookies and Site Data” and click “Clear Data.”
- Select “Cached Web Content” and set the time range to “Everything.”
- Click “Clear.”
- Click “Safari” in the top left corner.
- Select “Preferences.”
- Go to the “Privacy” tab.
- Under “Website Data,” click “Manage Website Data.”
- Click “Remove All.”
- LinkedIn Help Center – Request technical support using online forms.
- 24/7 Customer Service Line – Call 855-539-19458 (US) or 855-539-4510 (International) to talk to a representative.
- LinkedIn Ad Support – Get help through live chat or email if it is an advertisement video.
- Steps to reproduce the video playback error.
- Your browser, LinkedIn app version, and device specifications.
- Screenshots of any error messages or notifications.
- Testing you’ve done to isolate the fault.
Carefully check that everything in the embed code precisely matches the example provided by LinkedIn. Re-copy if any discrepancies have been introduced accidentally.
Use Supported Browsers and Devices
LinkedIn videos require a compatible web browser or device to play properly. Make sure you are using current versions of supported browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge when trying to view LinkedIn videos.
Additionally, the LinkedIn mobile app must be installed to play videos on iOS or Android devices. Using outdated or generally incompatible browsers can prevent successful video playback.
Here are some of LinkedIn’s officially supported environments:
If videos aren’t loading in your particular device and browser, try updating to the latest version or switch to a known good environment like Chrome or Firefox on desktop. Videos should load fine when using a fully supported browser.
Check for Plugin Blocking
LinkedIn’s embedded video player relies on browser plugins to function correctly. Ad blockers and privacy extensions sometimes interfere with and block these plugins by default.
Try disabling any Adblock, Ghostery, Privacy Badger, or similar extensions temporarily to see if that fixes the issue. These plugins can sometimes block the legitimate functionality required for playback.
You may need to add exceptions for LinkedIn’s domain and video player URLs to allow the necessary content through firewalls and blockers. This allows the plugins to load properly without otherwise compromising privacy or security in general.
Test Video Outside of LinkedIn
A quick way to isolate the root cause is testing whether the video plays correctly outside of LinkedIn.
Download the video file and try opening it directly on your local device. See if it loads fine in your regular video player application. This verifies the file is not corrupted and can playback normally.
If the video fails here as well, it indicates a deeper problem with the file itself. You’ll need to re-export or re-encode the video into a properly functioning format before re-uploading.
However, if the video plays fine locally but still fails on LinkedIn, the issue lies with the uploading or embedding process. Follow the other troubleshooting steps to identify and correct where LinkedIn is having problems with an otherwise working file.
Clear Browser Cache and Reload
In rare instances, cached browser data may be interfering with video playback on LinkedIn. Try clearing your browser cache and reloading the page to eliminate any problematic remnants or temporary glitches.
Here are the steps to clear the cache in common browsers:
Chrome
Firefox
Safari
After clearing the cache, reload LinkedIn and try loading the video again. This often resolves intermittent browser-related playback failures.
Contact LinkedIn Support
If you’ve tried all the troubleshooting suggestions but your LinkedIn video still does not work, reach out to the official LinkedIn support team for further assistance.
You can contact LinkedIn support through:
When contacting LinkedIn support, provide detailed information like:
LinkedIn can investigate issues with your account, permissions, or settings that may resolve inconsistencies with video functionality. Their technical team may also request to review your video files to identify potential problems.
With sufficient information provided, LinkedIn support can get to the bottom of most video playback failures and restore proper working functionality.
Conclusion
Troubleshooting LinkedIn video issues involves methodically checking for the most common problems like incompatible formats, privacy settings, embed codes, blocked plugins, unsupported devices, and cached files. Clearing browser data and testing videos externally can help isolate where the failure arises.
For difficulties persisting after exhausting self-help steps, LinkedIn’s customer support team can provide additional assistance. They have internal tools to diagnose problems and correct permissions or account settings disrupting your video functionality.
With the right encoding settings, visibility configuration, embed code implementation, compatible browser environment, and support from LinkedIn as needed, you can get your LinkedIn videos working again for effective social media marketing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my LinkedIn videos buffering or slow to load?
Buffering and slow video load times on LinkedIn are most often caused by the viewer’s internet connection speed. High-quality video requires substantial bandwidth availability that some connections lack. Testing speeds with sites like Fast.com can confirm if slow internet is the root cause.
Do LinkedIn videos work on mobile?
Yes, LinkedIn videos fully support mobile platforms through the official LinkedIn app. The iOS and Android apps include embedded players that can load LinkedIn-hosted videos. Without the app, videos may fail to load on the mobile site.
What are LinkedIn’s video length limits?
LinkedIn allows videos up to 10 minutes in length and up to 10GB in file size. Longer or larger videos may fail to properly upload and process. Shorter videos under a few minutes are recommended for optimal engagement.
Can I edit a video after uploading on LinkedIn?
No, LinkedIn does not currently allow users to replace a video file after publishing. The only way to modify the video is to delete it fully and re-upload a new file. You can adjust privacy settings and captions without affecting the source video.
How do I download a LinkedIn video?
You can save someone else’s public LinkedIn video to your device using a downloading extension or website. Download helpers for Chrome like Video Downloader Professional can grab LinkedIn videos. But downloading may breach usage terms in some cases.
Does LinkedIn support 360-degree VR videos?
At this time, LinkedIn does not have built-in support for 360-degree VR-style videos. Standard flat 2D videos in supported formats are recommended for now. VR functionality may be added eventually.
Can I upload videos longer than 10 minutes?
LinkedIn’s limit for video length is strictly enforced at 10 minutes maximum. Attempting to upload videos longer than this duration will result in an error when processing completes. You must condense or split your content into segments under 10 minutes.
Why does my uploaded video have no sound?
If your video loses audio after uploading, it likely means the source file has incompatible codecs or incorrectly encoded multi-channel audio. Fully re-encoding the video using LinkedIn’s recommended settings before re-uploading can correct this.
How do I appeal if LinkedIn blocked my video?
If your video was blocked unexpectedly by LinkedIn, click the “Request Review” link on the video processing error notification. Explain why you feel the blocking was unwarranted, and the content team will review your appeal.