First, check on another device
Many "not playing" reports come from one device's settings, not the shop. Open the page on another phone or computer.
The causes, most common first
| Cause | What happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Reduced motion is on on the device | The picture shows instead of the film | Nothing to fix: the theme respects the visitor's choice |
| Low Power Mode (iPhone) or data saver | The phone does not start films by itself | Nothing to fix; it plays when the setting is off |
| A section that shows stills on phones | The curved carousel's cards show their first frame on phones, to save battery | Expected; check on a computer |
| The film is still processing | Right after upload, Shopify prepares the film | Wait a few minutes and reload |
| Wrong format | A .mov or .avi file may not play everywhere | Export as MP4 (H.264) and upload again |
| The file is very large | It plays late or stutters | Keep full-width films under 20 MB (films) |
| A link instead of an upload | A film link must point to the .mp4 file itself, not a page | Use the file's direct address, or upload it |
Still not playing?
Note the page, the section and the device, then contact support with a screenshot or a short screen recording.
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