How to Fix This Video File Cannot Be Played (Error Code: 102630).You keep getting the message “This video file cannot be played. (Error code: 102630)” when playing video content in a web browser? It could be a single video file causing problems, or it could be a site-wide issue affecting multiple videos.Error code 102630 can appear due to several factors such as your browser’s incompatibility with video, an outdated graphics driver, or a conflicting browser extension.
But don’t worry. This guide is all about troubleshooting error code 102630. We will look at several solutions to help you return to normal video viewing.
Update Your Web Browser
The best place to start is by updating your web browser to the latest version. New updates improve compatibility with web video formats and resolve known issues related to streaming errors.Your browser should automatically update, but you can always double-check by visiting its settings panel.For example, if you are using Google Chrome, open Chrome Menu, select Settings and select About Chrome in the sidebar. Then wait until Chrome is updated to the latest version. 
The exception is Apple Safari, where browser updates are tied to Mac system software updates. To update macOS, open the Apple Menuand select System Preferences > General > Software Update.
Enable Google Widevine
Many video hosting sites rely on Google Widevine (decryption engine) to provide digital rights management (DRM) on digital media content. This is not a problem with Chrome and Safari where the module is always active.However, if error code 102630 occurs in another browser such as Microsoft Edge and Mozilla Firefox, it is best to check and enable Google Widevine if it is not active.Microsoft Edge: Type edge://flags into the address bar and click Enter. In the Experiments screen that appears, enter Widevine DRM in the Search field. Then open the dropdown menu next to Widevine DRM and select Default or Enabled. 
Mozilla Firefox: open the Firefox menu and select Addons and Themes. When the plugin manager appears, select Plugins from the sidebar. Then select the Advanced icon (three dots) next to the widevine content decryption module provided by Google Inc. and select Always active.
Disable Virtual Private Networks
Virtual private networks (VPNs) improve online privacy, but tend to cause connectivity issues with video streaming services. If it is installed on your computer, turn it off briefly and confirm if it is the cause of the error.
Clear the Browser Cache
An outdated web browser’s cache can conflict with websites, prevent videos from loading, and cause playback errors. If error code 102630 persists, clear all cached data and try again.Google Chrome: open Chrome menu, select More Tools and select Clear Browsing Data. In the Clear Browsing Data popup, set Time Range to All Time, set check the boxes next to Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files, and then select Clear Data. 
Microsoft Edge: Open the Edge menu and select Settings. On the settings screen, select Privacy, search and services in the sidebar and Select what to clear in the Clear browsing data section. Then set Time Range to All Time, check the boxes next to Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files and then select Clear now.Mozilla Firefox: open the Firefox menu and select Settings. On the settings screen, select Privacy & Security in the sidebar, scroll to Cookies and Site Data > and select Clear Data. Then check the boxes next to Cookies and Site Data and Cached Web Content and select Clear.Apple Safari: Select Safari > Clear history in the menu bar, set Clear to all history and select Clear History.
Flush the DNS Cache
The DNS (Domain Name Services) cache may contain outdated URLs (or web addresses), preventing your browser from fetching video file data. Remove cached DNS data to force the system to solve everything from scratch.Microsoft Windows: Right-click Start Button, select Windows PowerShell/Terminal (Admin) and run the following command:Clear-DnsClientCache 
Apple macOS: open launcher, select Other > Terminal and run the following command:sudo dscacheutil -flushcache;sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
Disable Third-Party Extensions
Browser extensions enhance your online experience but sometimes interfere with web elements such as built-in media players. Go to your browser’s add-on management console and disable everything.
- Google Chrome: Open Chrome Menu, select Extensions and uncheck the boxes next to all extensions.
- Microsoft Edge: open Edge menu, select Extensions and disable all extensions.
- Mozilla Firefox: open Firefox menu, select Extensions & Themes and disable all checkboxes in the Extensions section.
- Apple Safari: Select Safari > Settings in the menu bar, go to the Extensions tab and uncheck all extensions.
If it helps, re-enable your extensions one by one until you identify the add-ons that are causing error code 102630. If you do, be sure to disable them the next time the error occurs.
Disable Hardware Acceleration
Desktop browsers like Chrome, Edge, and Firefox offload resource-intensive tasks like video decoding to the GPU or GPU. However, while this improves performance, it may result in playback errors due to driver incompatibilities and conflicts with other hardware components.Disable hardware acceleration in your browser and see if that fixes error 102630.Google Chrome: open Chrome menu, select Settings and select System in the sidebar. Then turn off the radio button next to Use hardware acceleration when available and select Restart. 
Microsoft Edge: open Edge menu, select Settings and select System and Performance in the sidebar. Then check the radio button next to Use hardware acceleration when available and select Restart.Mozilla Firefox: open the Firefox menu and select Settings. On the settings screen, scroll to the Performance section and uncheck the box next to Use recommended performance settings and disable Use hardware acceleration when available.Apple Safari: There is no option to disable hardware acceleration in Safari.
Update Your Video Card Drivers
The error may disappear after disabling hardware acceleration. But if this is at the cost of intermittent video performance, check if new updates for your graphics card fix the issue.On a PC, simply go to your graphics card manufacturer’s website – NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, etc. – and download and install the latest graphics card drivers. If necessary, check Windows Update for additional video hardware updates – right-click the start button and go to Settings. > Windows Update. 
On a Mac, updating your system software to the latest version should automatically update your video drivers – open the System Preferences app and select General > Software update.
Try a Different Web Browser
Different browsers have different capabilities – some handle video files and streaming protocols better than others. Try a different browser if none of the above solutions work. This approach can also help determine if the problem is with your browser or video source.If you need ideas, check out these alternative browsers you’ve never heard of.
Contact the Site’s Support Service
Finally, error code 102630 can be caused by corrupted or missing video files on the hosting servers. If the error occurs across multiple browsers and devices, your only option is to contact the site’s support team.
Back to Watching Videos Error-Free
Error code 102630 can degrade video streaming quality, but fortunately, there are many methods to solve this problem. Whether it’s updating your browser, disabling VPN or browser extensions, or updating your graphics card drivers, one of these methods is sure to get rid of it. Switch your browser or contact the site if all else fails.
How to Fix This Video File Cannot Be Played (Error Code: 102630)
How to Fix This Video File Cannot Be Played (Error Code: 102630)