A section's background video plays by itself, muted and on a loop, with no controls. When it can't play, the section shows its Background image in its place, and without one the area stays empty.
Phones and computers have an accessibility setting that reduces motion on screen. Checkmate follows it. For those visitors, a background video does not play, and the section shows a still image instead. For a video you uploaded, the still image is the Background image, or the video's own cover image when the Background image is empty. For a YouTube or Vimeo video, it is the Background image.
You can recognize this cause when the video plays on one device and not on another. Turn on reduced motion in your own device's accessibility settings to see what these visitors see.
There is nothing to fix for these visitors. Choose a Background image so they see a photo rather than an empty area.
The video file link doesn't point to an MP4 file
Video file link plays only a direct link to an MP4 file, such as https://example.com/videos/background.mp4. A link to a page that shows the video, such as a share link from a file storage service, does not play. You can recognize this cause when the link, opened in a new browser tab, shows a web page with its own buttons rather than the video alone.
When Background video holds a video, the section plays it and ignores Video file link.
The YouTube or Vimeo video can't be embedded
With Background type set to YouTube or Vimeo, Video URL takes a link to the video's page, such as https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abc123 or https://vimeo.com/123456789. The video plays only when its owner allows it to show on other websites. You can recognize this cause when the link plays on YouTube or Vimeo and not in the section.
On YouTube, the "Allow embedding" box of the video must be checked in YouTube Studio, as described in YouTube's guide to embedding.
On Vimeo, a video with the Private privacy setting can't be embedded, and neither can one whose embed setting is Nowhere. Vimeo's guide to embedding lists the settings.
No video is chosen
When Background type is Video but neither Background video nor Video file link has a video, or YouTube or Vimeo has no Video URL, the section shows its Background image. You can recognize this cause in the editor: the field that matches the Background type is empty. Add the video to that field, then click Save.
Contact support
If the video still doesn't play, write to us through Contact support and include:
A section's background video plays by itself, muted and on a loop, with no controls. When it can't play, the section shows its Background image in its place, and without one the area stays empty.
Rule out the cache and the wrong theme
If your other recent changes don't show on your store either, start with My changes don't show on my store. A video added by an app follows that app's settings. What the theme controls and what Shopify controls explains the difference.
The visitor has reduced motion turned on
Phones and computers have an accessibility setting that reduces motion on screen. Checkmate follows it. For those visitors, a background video does not play, and the section shows a still image instead. For a video you uploaded, the still image is the Background image, or the video's own cover image when the Background image is empty. For a YouTube or Vimeo video, it is the Background image.
You can recognize this cause when the video plays on one device and not on another. Turn on reduced motion in your own device's accessibility settings to see what these visitors see.
There is nothing to fix for these visitors. Choose a Background image so they see a photo rather than an empty area.
The video file link doesn't point to an MP4 file
Video file link plays only a direct link to an MP4 file, such as
https://example.com/videos/background.mp4. A link to a page that shows the video, such as a share link from a file storage service, does not play. You can recognize this cause when the link, opened in a new browser tab, shows a web page with its own buttons rather than the video alone.Upload the video to Shopify instead:
In your Shopify admin, go to Online Store.
Next to Checkmate, click Edit theme.
Select the section with the video.
Under Background type, select Video.
In Background video, upload or choose your video.
Click Save.
When Background video holds a video, the section plays it and ignores Video file link.
The YouTube or Vimeo video can't be embedded
With Background type set to YouTube or Vimeo, Video URL takes a link to the video's page, such as
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abc123orhttps://vimeo.com/123456789. The video plays only when its owner allows it to show on other websites. You can recognize this cause when the link plays on YouTube or Vimeo and not in the section.No video is chosen
When Background type is Video but neither Background video nor Video file link has a video, or YouTube or Vimeo has no Video URL, the section shows its Background image. You can recognize this cause in the editor: the field that matches the Background type is empty. Add the video to that field, then click Save.
Contact support
If the video still doesn't play, write to us through Contact support and include: