When watching videos online using your web browser of choice, you may have come across an error that says, “This video file cannot be played (Error Code: 224003).” This error usually takes place on Chrome and Safari browsers and can seriously put a damper on your video streaming experience.
The usual reason for this error code has to do with an outdated Flash Player, but other factors could cause this. If or when you see this error, there’s no need to panic or get too upset. There are troubleshooting steps you can do to try and fix the problem.
How to Fix Playback Error Code 224003
There are several ways you can attempt to fix Error Code 224003. If one of these doesn’t work, try the other troubleshooting techniques until the issue is resolved.
Check For Unnecessary Extensions
Sometimes, a third-party web browser extension can end up restricting video streaming. If you’re using Google Chrome, follow these steps to check if you have unnecessary add-ins installed. Other browsers such as Safari or Firefox should have a similar process, too.
Launch Google Chrome and click on the three vertical dots found on the upper right side of the screen. This will lead you to Chrome’s customize and control section. Then, head over to More Tools and click Extensions.
Check all the third-party extensions installed on your browser and make sure they’re all necessary. If you find one you don’t really use, click the Remove button.
Disable Hardware Acceleration Feature
If removing extensions didn’t work for you, one other thing you can try is to disable Chrome’s hardware acceleration feature. This feature was integrated into the browser to redistribute the GPU’s processes seamlessly. However, some Chrome users have found that this feature tends to restrict video streaming.
To disable this feature, open up your Chrome browser and click the three vertical dots found on the upper right side of the screen. Select the Settings option.
Scroll down until you have the option to expand the Advance settings. In the System section, turn off the “Use hardware acceleration when available” option.
Click the Relaunch button to restart Chrome and then check if you’re still getting the same problem.
Clear Browsing History
If you don’t clear your browsing history and cache, this could accumulate as time passes. If your web browser has too much cache data, you could end up experiencing performance issues such as Error Code 224003. It’s important that you maintain your Chrome browser by regularly clearing your browser cache and history.
Head over to Settings once again by clicking the three vertical dots.
Scroll down to Privacy and Security and click Clear Browsing Data.
Go to the Advanced tab and choose which data you want to clear. After choosing, tap on the Clear data button at the bottom.
Update Your Browser
If none of the other techniques work, here’s your last option: make sure your web browser is running on the latest version.
Click on the three vertical dots on your Chrome browser and select the Help tab. This will open up another set of option. Click About Google Chrome.
Your browser will then automatically check if you’re running the latest version.
Conclusion
Before panicking that you’re seeing an error or asking the help of technicians, follow these troubleshooting steps first because they’re most likely going to fix the issue. That being said, it’s a completely different story if the video itself has become corrupted.
