QuickTime for Windows

Movies Display a White Screen or Error Message

SUMMARY: If QuickTime or iTunes movies show up as a white screen or with an error message, try these tips.
 

	These instructions were written for QuickTime 7.2. Instructions and screenshots for other versions may vary.

In some circumstances, displaying movies in QuickTime for Windows, such as those downloaded from iTunes, results in either a white screen or an error message. If this occurs, try following this checklist to solve the problem:

* Make sure you are using the latest version of QuickTime for Windows by doing an update. Some newer movies may not play in previous versions of the software.

* If you downloaded a video from iTunes, your computer must first be authorized to play the video. Apple has more information about authorizing computers to play iTunes movies.

* Try enabling QuickTime's video safe mode by following these steps:

1. Open the QuickTime for Windows Control Panel applet.

2. When the "QuickTime Preferences" multi-tabbed dialog box appears, click the "Advanced" tab.

3. Underneath "Video", click the "Safe mode (GDI only)" radio button".

4. Click "OK" to close the dialog box.

* Try playing a different movie. Perhaps the movie you are trying to view was compressed with a codec (a multimedia encoding/decoding algorithm) your computer does not have. The video may identify itself as a QuickTime movie but actually be a movie of a different file type.
 

 
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