WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion active users worldwide. A key feature of WhatsApp is the ability to send and receive photos and videos. However, recently many users have been reporting issues with sending and receiving videos on WhatsApp.
What are the main video issues on WhatsApp?
There are two primary issues that people have been experiencing with WhatsApp videos:
- Videos not sending or uploading
- Videos not playing or displaying
For many users, when they try to send or upload a video to a chat or group, it gets stuck at various percentages and fails to complete sending. The video remains grayed out and never actually delivers.
Other times, a video may successfully upload and send, but then fails to play or display properly to the recipient. The video thumbnail may show up but when clicked on, the video fails to load and play within WhatsApp.
Why is WhatsApp having issues processing videos?
There are a few key technical reasons why WhatsApp seems to be struggling with videos at the moment:
File size limits
WhatsApp has a file size limit of 16MB per video. This is quite small compared to other messaging platforms. If you try to send a video that exceeds 16MB, it will fail to send. WhatsApp compresses videos when uploading but the compression isn’t always enough for longer or HD videos.
Format compatibility issues
WhatsApp has strict formatting requirements for videos. Only certain video codecs and containers are supported. Common formats like AVI, MKV, and MOV are not supported. If your video is an unsupported format, WhatsApp cannot process it.
Server overload
With so many users exchanging videos, WhatsApp’s servers are likely overwhelmed. This results in slower upload speeds, failed uploads, and playback failures. WhatsApp’s infrastructure may be struggling to keep up with demand.
Buggy code
There may also be underlying bugs and technical issues in WhatsApp’s code that handles videos. Bugs could be corrupting videos during processing, crashing during uploads, or failing to properly load them for playback.
How widespread is the problem?
Based on reports from users online, the video issues seem to be quite widespread and persistent. Here is a snapshot of the problem:
- Users across the globe reporting problems – suggests issue on WhatsApp’s end
- Issue ongoing for several weeks/months – not a temporary glitch
- All platforms affected – Android, iOS, Web – points to back-end issue
- Happens on Wifi and cellular data – not just limited networks
- Various device models affected – not device specific
This points to some fundamental issue with how WhatsApp handles videos globally across its infrastructure and apps. It’s not isolated or user specific.
What steps can users take?
If you are experiencing video issues on WhatsApp, here are some troubleshooting steps to try:
- Update to the latest WhatsApp version in case it’s a bug fix
- Clear your WhatsApp cache to remove corrupted files
- Reinstall WhatsApp to clear out all data
- Reduce video resolution if the file size is too big
- Change the video format to a compatible codec
- Crop long videos into smaller segments
- Try sharing videos at small file sizes
- Limit number of videos shared at once
- Use WiFi instead of cellular data
- Free up storage space on your phone
However, if the root cause is WhatsApp’s infrastructure, these client-side fixes will only help so much. Users may just need to wait for WhatsApp to resolve the underlying issues.
What is WhatsApp doing to fix the issues?
WhatsApp has not made any official public statements yet acknowledging or addressing the widespread video problems. Here are a few things they may be working on privately:
- Optimizing video compression algorithms
- Expanding cloud storage and transcoding capacity
- Updating media processing code
- Enabling new video formats
- Fixing bugs and glitches
- Throttling usage during peak times
- Adding media guidelines for users
However, rolling out infrastructure improvements takes time. And if the code issues are deep enough, it may require a prolonged engineering effort to prevent bugs and crashes.
When will video issues be fixed?
WhatsApp has not provided any timeline on when these video problems may be resolved. Some speculate it may take weeks or even months to fully fix, given the endemic nature of the issues. If the root causes are hardware capacity and software bugs, quick fixes seem unlikely.
Hopefully WhatsApp devotes sufficient resources to address the problems promptly. Users may need to be patient as improvements are incrementally rolled out. WhatsApp will need to carefully balance adding capacity while optimizing expenses and engineering workload.
In the meantime, users should manage expectations around sending videos, especially longer or larger files. Compressing videos and using alternatives like YouTube for sharing may be necessary temporarily.
Will this hurt WhatsApp’s growth?
These pervasive video issues could definitely impact WhatsApp’s growth and retention if they persist. Here are some potential consequences:
- Lower activation rate from new users having trouble with videos
- Increased churn and switching to rival apps without video problems
- Less overall engagement as users share fewer videos
- Loss of revenue if ads affected by lower video usage
- Brand damage if seen as outdated and buggy
On the other hand, WhatsApp’s network effects and lock-in may protect it. And users understand bugs happen and can be fixed. But the longer the issues last, the more it risks user trust and retention.
Should you stop using WhatsApp?
While these video issues are frustrating, WhatsApp still likely meets most users’ messaging needs. Switching apps can have high friction due to network effects. Nevertheless, here are some questions to consider:
- Do you heavily rely on sending videos daily? If so, alternatives may serve you better currently.
- Do your contacts also use other messaging apps? Switching may be easier if your network does.
- Do you need WhatsApp for work? You may be locked in if teams use it.
- Are your videos time sensitive? Frequent failures could disrupt your needs.
Weigh how severe your usage is affected and if alternatives like Telegram or Signal can meet your needs. Jumping ship has a cost but may be worthwhile temporarily.
Conclusion
WhatsApp’s video issues seem to stem from infrastructure limitations, format compatibility, bugs, and sheer demand overload. With billions of users, scaling up to meet capacity and fixing deep technical issues takes time. There are workarounds like file compression, but ultimately WhatsApp must improve its backend engineering.
The company risks losing engagement, growth, and trust while these problems persist globally. But its network effects and lack of public alternatives may protect it for now. Expect some growing pains and limitations around videos in the near term. But hopefully WhatsApp can optimize its architecture to fully deliver on video’s promise.