If you're having trouble playing a video in your FOREVER® account, there could be a few reasons why. Here's how to check what’s going on and how to fix it.
Please note that to play videos in your Storage, your account needs to have an active Video Streaming service. If you do not have a currently active streaming service you will want to start a subscription or permanent plan to have access to watch your memories within your account.
💡 Note: You can always download your video and watch it on your device for free, even without a streaming plan.
What is happening with my video?
If you have a streaming plan, but still get a “Playback Unavailable” message, the issue might be related to the video file itself.
Possible reasons:
-
Unsupported video codec
FOREVER supports many common video formats. But each format uses different methods to store and compress the video data (called codecs), some of which our system doesn’t support yet. -
Corrupted video file
This can happen during transfer or if the original file was damaged. Symptoms include:- The video doesn’t play even when you download it back to your device
- It cuts off early, glitches, or skips around
- Audio is out of sync or completely missing
-
Wrong file extension
Sometimes, a file might look like a video (such as .mov or .mp4) but is actually a different type like a photo or document. These files won’t play properly since it's supposed to be a static image.
Here at FOREVER we’re constantly working to improve compatibility with ever-evolving changes in technology, and appreciate your understanding as we continue to refine the system!
How can I fix this?
-
Check Your Internet Connection
A slow connection can stop videos from loading to be able to watch them online. Use an internet speed test and aim for at least 50 Mbps download speed for smooth playback. -
Try a Different Web Browser
We currently recommend Chrome or Firefox and, although it can be used, we do not recommend Safari. If you're still having issues, try clearing your browser's cache and cookies. -
Download and Play Locally
Download the video to your device and try to play it:-
If it plays fine, the issue may be with the upload or playback system—contact us for further troubleshooting
-
If it doesn’t play, the video file is likely corrupted or in an unsupported format
-
What if I'm still having issues?
If you're encountering issues with video playback (like shown in the photo above), it’s likely because the video you've uploaded uses a codec that isn’t supported by our system at this time. To try correcting this, please convert the video to a more widely supported format (like MP4 using the H.264 codec). You can do this by:
- Bring your video into a desktop editing software to edit then save in another format; or
- Search online for "video converter" or something similar to use a free online system
If your video is corrupt, it can’t be fixed through FOREVER. You’ll need to find the original, working file and re-upload it. This corruption often happens due to:
- Interrupted uploads (e.g., internet disconnects)
- Damaged or too full storage on the capture device
- Device malfunctions
Sometimes a file will have a wrong extension (this is the short string of characters after the file name to tell the computer what file type it should be, such as .mp4 or .jpg). Unfortunately, if the original file type was missing from the file name then this isn't always accurate after uploading to FOREVER. To check:
- Download the file
- Try opening it using your device (computer or phone)
- If you get an "invalid format" error, the file extension may be wrong
- You can use a metadata reader such as ExifTool to find out what the original file type is supposed to be and change the extension name back to that
Still running into issues playing videos in your FOREVER account? You can reach out to Client Care by using the chat system on our website, emailing support@forever.com, or by calling 1-888-FOREVER (367-3837). Please include a share link to the video and a description of the issue when contacting us.