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- Why a downloaded Facebook video won’t play (and the fix)
Why a downloaded Facebook video won’t play (and the fix)
Black screen, audio only, “unsupported format”: it’s almost always the codec, not a broken file.
What changed
To save bandwidth, Facebook encodes newer uploads in AV1 (and some older ones in VP9) for its highest qualities. Its ready-made HD/SD files are still H.264. In our October 2026 tests, every 2026 NASA upload we checked had AV1 as its top stream.
Who can play AV1?
- Recent Chrome, Edge, Firefox; VLC; Windows 11 with the free AV1 extension; Android 10+ on most phones.
- iPhone 15 Pro and newer, and M3 Macs or newer, decode AV1 in hardware. Older iPhones may not play AV1 files in Photos.
- Many editing apps, WhatsApp and smart TVs still expect H.264.
Three fixes
- Tick Convert to H.264 before downloading the Best quality. Your device re-encodes it (roughly real time or faster on modern hardware).
- Pick the HD instant file: H.264, plays everywhere, usually 720p.
- Play the original in VLC.