When you send a WhatsApp message containing video through Acoustic Campaign, the video may display an error on Android devices while working correctly on iOS. This article explains how to identify the cause and resolve the issue.

Symptoms

• WhatsApp video displays an error icon or message on Android devices
• The same video plays successfully on iOS devices
• Video does not load or play when the recipient attempts to view it

What causes this

Device-side issues:

• Insufficient storage space on the recipient's device
• Outdated WhatsApp application version
• Corrupted WhatsApp cache

Video format issues:

• Video format not supported by the Android WhatsApp client
• Video file size exceeds recommended limits
• Video encoding incompatible with Android playback

Troubleshoot recipient device issues

If recipients report video playback errors, ask them to try the following steps on their Android device.

Clear WhatsApp cache

1. Open Settings on the Android device.
2. Navigate to Apps > WhatsApp.
3. Tap Storage.
4. Tap Clear cache — do not select "Clear data" as this removes chat history.
5. Restart WhatsApp and attempt to view the video again.

Check available storage

1. Open Settings and navigate to Storage.
2. Verify sufficient free space is available — at least 500 MB is recommended.
3. If storage is low, delete unnecessary files or apps and try viewing the video again.

Update WhatsApp

1. Open the Google Play Store and search for "WhatsApp."
2. If an update is available, tap Update and wait for it to complete.
3. Attempt to view the video again.

Verify video specifications

Ensure your video meets WhatsApp's recommended specifications before sending.

Required:

• Format: MP4
• File size: 100 MB or less

Recommended:

• Video codec: H.264
• Audio codec: AAC
• Resolution: 1080p or lower
• Aspect ratio: Square (1:1) or vertical (9:16) for optimal mobile viewing
• Frame rate: 30 fps or lower
• Duration: Under 30 seconds recommended

Optimize your video

If your video is causing playback issues, optimize it before re-uploading:

• Compress the video using video editing software to reduce file size
• Lower the resolution if it is currently above 1080p
• Re-encode using H.264 for video and AAC for audio, exported as MP4
• Shorten the video duration if possible
• Test the optimized video on an Android device before uploading to Campaign

Test before sending

1. Create your WhatsApp message with the video attached.
2. Send a test message to both Android and iOS devices.
3. Verify the video plays correctly on multiple Android device models.
4. Confirm the file size remains under 100 MB after any compression.
5. Check that video quality is acceptable after compression before launching the campaign.

Still having issues?

If videos continue to fail on Android devices after following these steps, contact Acoustic Support with the following information:

• Message name or template ID
• Video file specifications (format, size, resolution, duration)
• Android device model and OS version experiencing the issue
• Sample phone numbers where the issue occurred