fitness videos "cannot play video"

I removed one download and reloaded it and it works but really what a waste of data and time, seemingly you cannot replay a workout more than around 3-4 times. What is the point in being able to download them if you can’t keep replaying them? It is my loss if I keep repeating a workout since I pay for the app but I have a limited data package so when I’m running low I use the downloads.

I was having the same issue. I removed the downloaded video from my iPad in apple fitness+ and was then able to play the video. Perhaps if I download the video again it may work but I have not tried that yet. Bizarre that the downloaded videos won't play...

Had the same problem on my iPad. Removed all the downloads and then re-downloaded. Problem fixed. I imagine they do this because they want to keep track of how many times the videos are played?

Greetings julieemb!

From your post we see you are having some trouble with playing videos in Fitness+. We can absolutely understand how that would be troublesome and want to help! Does this issue occur on multiple devices? Try testing with Wi-Fi and with cellular data if possible on your iPhone to see if the trouble is network related. A simple but effective step for many issues such as this is to restart the device as well: Restart your iPhone.

Also, do you have two-factor authentication enabled for your Apple ID? You can read more about this here:

Two-factor authentication for Apple ID

Have a great rest of your day!

I’ve tried all this too and it made no difference. The only thing that seems to work with me is to delete the individual workout file and re-download which really negates the whole point of the original download. This is obviously an Apple bug that needs fixing.

Apple wants to keep track of how many times the videos are watched which they cannot do after downloading. Therefore, if it says you can't play the video you have to remove the download and re-download.

i with this were true. Unfortunately, it is not. I have “Remove Download” directly on the Fitness app and then I even deleted from the Settings-General-IPad Storage-Downloaded Videos and then reinstalled. Nope didn’t work. Very frustrating.

I have several spin classes downloaded as I have poor signal in my home gym, I’ve been away on holiday and when I have gone to do one of the classes it won’t play, it seems more like they are set to expire access after a given time period. Which isn’t very good, I have three favourite classes that I like to do and was using them as a measure of fitness gains. Now I cannot use them, it’s a right pain

I would speak to them directly if I had that option.

you’d like to think that as an official Apple Support Forum, someone from the company would drop in but obviously it’s a self help group

I am trying to play a downloaded workout video. I turned off Cellular for Fitness+ as I have bad service in my gym, and wifi is spotty as well. Aren't the downloaded videos supposed to work without Cellular or Wifi?

Started getting the same error, mostly on the workouts I have played 3 or more times, I am also on a limited data package so removing and downloading them again is a bit of a pain. My Apple Watch also stopped recognising some of these workouts so I have to select a workout manually 🤷🏻‍♀️

As you can see by the many more people that are experiencing the same issue the “unplug and restart it” standers answer isn’t working. There is a reason you download a workout, a song, a video. It’s so that you do NOT need data to watch or listen. Looking for real solutions.

Same issue. We lost power at our house. I wanted to get in a workout and remembered I had downloaded my favorite routines. They show up as downloads but the green bar shows “try it”. Nothing happens when pressed. What’s the point of downloading if you need WiFi?

It is even more annoying they don’t seem to have any kind of Apple fitness support or way to contact and relay problems! Surely they will lose customers without customer service? I bet you could contact Les Mills if you had an issue with playback?

Furthermore I have now established without WiFi NO downloads will play on my iPad unless I share a personal hotspot from my phone which means it’s still using data which is SO ANNOYING yet my iPhone would play a download even when mobile data was completely turned off! Arghhhh 😫