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Troubleshooting Smart Slider 3 Video Issues: Common Problems and Solutions

23 threads Sep 10, 2025 Plugin → Smart slider 3

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Adding video to your sliders with Smart Slider 3 can sometimes lead to unexpected issues. Based on common community reports, this guide covers the most frequent video-related problems and their solutions.

Common Video Issues and Their Fixes

1. "ERROR This video url is not supported!" or MP4 Videos Not Working

Why this happens: The free version of Smart Slider 3 only supports YouTube and Vimeo videos through their dedicated layers. MP4 video support is a feature exclusive to the Pro version.

Solution: If you're trying to use an MP4 file, you'll need to either upgrade to the Pro version or upload your video to YouTube or Vimeo and use the provided URL with the appropriate layer (YouTube or Vimeo).

2. YouTube Thumbnails Not Showing or Videos Not Playing

Why this happens: This can be caused by several factors, including conflicts with other plugins (especially optimization/lazy load plugins), JavaScript errors from other page elements, or changes to YouTube's API.

Solution:

  • Disable conflicting plugins: Temporarily deactivate plugins like lazy load optimizers or caching plugins (e.g., WP Rocket, WP Fastest Cache) to see if the issue resolves.
  • Check for JavaScript errors: Open your browser's console (F12 → Console) and look for any red error messages. These might indicate conflicts with other scripts on your page.
  • Try muting the video: In the YouTube layer settings, enable the mute option. Browsers often block videos with sound from autoplaying.
  • Ensure plugin is updated: Occasionally, the Smart Slider 3 team releases updates to address API changes from YouTube.

3. Lightbox Functionality Not Available

Why this happens: The lightbox feature for opening videos in a modal is part of the Pro version and is not available in the free version.

Solution: In the free version, videos will play directly within the slider when clicked. For lightbox functionality, the Pro version is required.

4. Shortcodes Displaying as Text

Why this happens: Shortcodes from other plugins are executed on the frontend of the website, not in the Smart Slider 3 editor.

Solution: Publish your slider and view it on the frontend of your site. The shortcode should render correctly there. Note that shortcode support within Smart Slider 3 can be inconsistent depending on the specific shortcode.

Best Practices for Adding Video

  • Always use the YouTube or Vimeo layer for adding videos in the free version, not the general "Add video" option or by embedding code in a text layer.
  • For background videos or MP4 support, you will need the Pro version of Smart Slider 3.
  • If you encounter a problem, a good first step is to check for conflicts by temporarily disabling other plugins and switching to a default WordPress theme.

Most video issues can be resolved by ensuring you're using the correct layer type for your video source and checking for conflicts with other site plugins or scripts.

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