Playback & viewers
The video won’t play in a viewer’s browser
Quick answer
If the viewer sees a message, it’s access, not the browser. If the player stays black or keeps loading, check the stream first, then the browser.
Check this first
- 1Look for a message
A sign-in, subscription, ticket or device message means access. See “A viewer can’t play a video or event”.
- 2Play it yourself
Open the same page in a private window, signed in as a viewer, on a different network if you can.
- 3Check a live event’s source
For a live event, “Connecting to live stream…” means the picture isn’t arriving. Check the event’s card in Studio → Feed Console → Event Hub.
- 4Rule out the browser
Ask the viewer to reload, update the browser, and open the page in a private window, which switches off most extensions.
Likely cause → fix
| What you see | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| “Connecting to live stream…” | The broadcast isn’t arriving yet | Fix the source. The page starts playing on its own when it arrives. |
| It plays for you but not for one viewer | Their browser, an extension or their connection | Private window, updated browser, another network or device. |
| It plays, then stalls again and again | The viewer’s connection | If the player shows a quality menu, choose a lower quality than Auto. |
| Nothing plays for anyone, on any page | Code pasted into Header Code or Footer Code is breaking the page | Remove the newest snippet in Studio → System → Settings → Integrations → Custom Code and reload. |
| Every public page shows a holding page | Maintenance mode is on | Click Bring site back online in Studio → System → Settings → System → Maintenance. |
| Your logo disappears in iPhone full screen | Expected: the phone’s own player takes over | Nothing to fix. |
The full guide
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