Quickly and Easily Fix the "Error loading media" Issue on Chrome

Many Windows 10 users have reported frequently encountering the "Error loading media" issue when trying to play videos, audio, or watch movies on Google Chrome. This article will share with you the most detailed and quick ways to fix the "Error loading media" error.

Reinstall the Browser

Reinstalling the browser might be the first thing you should do when the "Error loading media" issue occurs. Here's how to do it: click on the three-dot icon in the upper-right corner, then select Settings. Next, go to Advanced to choose Reset and clean up under the advanced settings.

After completing these steps, reload Google Chrome and check if the issue has been resolved.

Disable Hardware Acceleration

Disabling hardware acceleration is another way to fix the "Error loading media" issue. Click on the three-dot icon in the upper-right corner of Google Chrome, then select Settings. Next, go to Advanced, where you will find the Use hardware acceleration when available option. Turn this off, restart Google Chrome, and check if the error still occurs.

Clear Cache and Cookies

Another cause of the "Error loading media" issue when watching videos or playing audio on Google Chrome could be that the browser's cache and cookies are full.

Clearing the cache and cookies removes unnecessary and corrupted data. Follow these steps to clear the cache and cookies:

Step 1. On the Google Chrome screen, click on the three-dot icon in the upper-right corner.

Step 2. Select Settings, then choose More tools and click on Clear browsing data.

Step 3. In the Clear browsing data section, a pop-up will appear, allowing you to select the time range for which you want to clear data. Choose All time to clear all unnecessary data, which helps Google Chrome run more smoothly.

Step 4. After completing these steps, restart Google Chrome to check if the error persists.

Update Google Chrome

The version of Google Chrome you are currently using might be outdated. You should update to the latest version to help improve the browser's loading speed and performance. Follow these steps to update your browser:

Step 1. On the Google Chrome screen, click on the three-dot icon in the upper-right corner.

Step 2. Select Help, then click on About Chrome.

Step 3. Click Update, and the browser will begin the process of updating to the latest version. Once the update is complete, restart the browser and check if the error still occurs.

Disable Extensions

Disabling extensions is a way to prevent Google Chrome from being overloaded. This can also help fix the "Error loading media" issue. Here's how to do it:

Step 1. On the Google Chrome screen, click on the three-dot icon in the upper-right corner.

Step 2. Select More tools, then click on Extensions.

Step 3. Disable all extensions.

Step 4. Restart Chrome and check if the "Error loading media" issue has been resolved.

Switch to Incognito Mode

Harmful data present in the browser, which users may not fully control, can also lead to the "Error loading media" issue. Therefore, using incognito mode may help reduce errors and ensure the safety of users' data and information.

If none of these methods resolve the "Error loading media" issue, you may need to contact repair services for assistance. Hopefully, the information provided in this article has given you useful knowledge to fix the "Error loading media" issue whenever it occurs.