Fix 0x80070016 error in Movies & TV app in Windows 11

If you see a 0x80070016 error in the Movies & TV app while playing a video on your Windows 11 computer, then this post can be helpful to fix this issue. Instead of playing the media file, a blank screen may be visible or the video is stopped and then the error box appears. This can happen if the app does not support the file format or the problem is with the Movies & TV app. I recently received this error code and so decided to write about it.

Can’t play
Please try again. If the problem continues, visit https://support.microsoft.com to check for guidance.
0x80070016

Fix 0x80070016 error in Movies & TV app on Windows 11/10

You can use the following solutions to fix this 0x80070016 error in the Movies & TV app in Windows 11/10. Before that, play the video again (if not already) and see if it works. If not, use these solutions:

Manually update Movies & TV app
Run Video Playback Troubleshooter
Install a Media Codec Pack tool
Reset the Movies & TV app
Use another media player.

Before you begin, close and re-open the Films & TV app and see if this simple step makes the problem go away. If not, follow these suggestions.

1] Manually update Movies & TV app

To update Microsoft Store apps manually:

Open the Microsoft Store app
Navigate to Library from the left panel
Click on the Get updates button
If you see an update offered for Movies & TV app ( or Films & TV app), click on the Get Update button.

2] Run Video Playback Troubleshooter

Windows 11 has built-in troubleshooters for solving issues like Bluetooth, network adapter-related issues, recording audio trouble, and more. A separate troubleshooter is provided for an individual issue. You just need to run a troubleshooter in Windows and that helps in finding the problem(s) and providing solutions. A Video Playback troubleshooter is also available in Windows 11 that can help you fix this error 0x80070016 in the Movies & TV app. Here are the steps:

Open Windows 11 Settings app using Win+I hotkey or any other way you want
In the System category, click on the Troubleshoot section
Select the Other troubleshooters
Scroll down the page
Use the Run button for the Video Playback option
In the Video Playback box, select I want to continue with this troubleshooter option.

Now, the Video Playback troubleshooter will start detecting problems (including display, HEVC codec status, unsigned driver, etc.). Based on the detected problems, it will either automatically fix the issues or provide easy fixes.

3] Install a Media Codec Pack tool

An issue with a video file can occur on the Movies & TV app if the app does not support the video format or the required codec is not found on your Windows 11 PC. So, if the error 0x80070016 occurs in the Films & TV app because of the missing codec, then you should install a media codec pack tool to fix the issue. K-Lite Codec Pack, Windows Codec Pack, etc., are some good and free media Codec Packs for Windows 11/10 that you can download and install.

In the opposite case, an error in playing a video file on the Movies & TV app can also occur if you have installed a third-party codec pack. This can create a conflict for the file format(s). For example, the codec version could be different, or the codec could be installed improperly. So, if this is the cause, then you need to uninstall the third-party media codec pack, restart your computer, and check if the problem is solved.

Read: Fix 0x10100be error, This file isn’t playable in Movies app or WMP

4] Reset the Movies & TV app

As we mentioned in starting, the problem might be with the Films & TV app itself. In such a case, if you don’t get any help, then you should reset the Movies & TV app. This will wipe all the data of the app and you will start afresh. Here are the steps:

Open Windows 11 Settings app using the Win+I keyboard shortcut
Select the Apps category
Select the Installed app option
Look for the Movies & TV app
Access the Advanced options of the app using the three dots icon
Press the Reset button
In the confirmation pop-up, again press the Reset button.

5] Use another media player

If all these above options don’t help in any way, then you should use another media player. There exist some free media players for Windows (like 5K Player, DivX Player, etc.) that you can use. Such tools also come with required codecs and many other features.

Also read: Fix Error Code 0xc00d6d6f when opening Media files

How do I fix a codec error in Movies and TV?

As we already know, a codec is required to play a media file. So, if you encounter a missing codec error in the Movies & TV app in Windows 11/10, then you should install a media codec pack that can solve this issue. K-Lite Codec Pack is one of the popular tools that you can use to install codecs required to play different media files on your system.

How do I fix Movies and TV on Windows 11?

If the Films & TV app or Movies & TV app is freezing, not working, or opening on Windows 11/10, then you can use the following fixes:

Reset the app
Restore Default Libraries
Clear the Temp folder
Verify your system settings, etc.