[FIX] “Sorry, We Can’t Play This File On Your Phone” In Windows Phone 8.1

This article will show you the way to fix error "Sorry, we can't play this file on your phone" while playing music in Music app for Windows Phone 8.1.

Kapil Arya
11x Microsoft MVP · Admin
2 min read
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Recently, we told you about the Windows Phone 8.1 new features and improvements which you can read here. With the arrival of Windows Phone 8.1, we have the same Xbox Music app in our phone which was available with Windows 8.1 operating system without any variations. Actually, Microsoft has tried to provide unified experience to their users across various devices, as a result of which, we can find same apps with similar GUI for our phone and computer/laptop/tablet. Meanwhile in the Xbox Music app, today we came across following error while trying to play any song:

With Windows Phone 8, we had never faced this hitch, but after upgrading to Windows Phone 8.1 which brought the enhanced Xbox Music app, also brought this error. We tried to restart the app, even the phone, but this didn’t fixed the issue either. Well, after playing with different options inside the Music app itself, we eventually got a working solution to fix this problem, which is mentioned here:

FIX: “Sorry, We Can’t Play This File On Your Phone” In Music App In Windows Phone 8.1

1. Go to Start Screen, tap the Music app tile.

2. In the Music app screen, tap and then tap settings option.

3. Finally, in the below shown SETTINGS screen for Music app, turn Off the option Show streaming music in my collection.

This worked for me and we hope it will fix the issue for you too!

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Kapil Arya
11x Microsoft MVP · Admin

Kapil holds Microsoft MVP title in Windows IT Pro expertise, 11-times in a row (2014-2025). He is 8-times Windows Insider MVP as well, and author of 'Windows Group Policy Troubleshooting' book. In 2015, Microsoft India accomplished him as 'Windows 10 Champion'. Being passionate Windows blogger, he loves to help others on fixing their system issues. Kapil has worked with official Microsoft Community Engagement Team (CET) on several community projects. You can subscribe him for news/updates and fixes for Windows.

9 Comments
Badal singh

There is no such option like show streaming music in my collection to turn it off….your version is 2.5 and mine is 2.6

Kapil Arya Author

^^ Yeah, just checked the changelogs and it seems like the issue is fixed by app team, that’s why the option is removed. Well still if you’re facing the issue, I suggest you to reboot phone, or re-enter SD card and see if that helps.

Avery Andrews

With the lastest update (some time prior to Nov 8 2014), there is a more sporadic version of a bug sort of like this, whereby only *some* file appear to play. I have managed to fix this individual cases sometimes by converting the file to .ogg and back to .mp3 (with Audacity), or, in other cases, by sightly changing the song name tag!! Perhaps an obscure bug in indexing, or some daft and bungled attempt to enforce copyrights?

This update also seems to have destroyed the capacity of the phone to continue to play a playlist when put into standby, which is an extremely annoying regression. Microsoft ought to consider it a company emergency to get Xbox Music working correctly and not getting trashed by updates, lest the discourage people from entrusting their critical activities to its productions.

Avery Andrews

to moderator, in above: fail to play <- appear to play

Kapil Arya Author

^^ Yeah, agreed. The app has too many bugs in the newer versions. Like if you play music via this app in background, then even after closing the app, music is still playing.

jacass

It really sucks when it doesn’t work

Amber

I want to watch YouTube what do I do?

edmar

But if go to setting in music there is no turn off or on . 😐😐😐

kofi-adjei

There is no turn off or on in music settings
please help me

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