How to Fix ‘An Error Occurred while Loading a Higher Quality Version of This’ on iPhone?

When you try to open any photo or video on your iPhone, do you see this message “An Error Occurred While Loading a Higher Quality Version of this”? Let us check out why this error happens on the iPhones and what we can do to fix it?

iPhones are powerful devices that utilize modern technology to capture high-quality photos and videos. Often due to other technical issues on the iPhone, the photos and the videos that it has captured cannot be displayed in their original resolutions. If the iOS version has bugs on it that may hinder the videos from playing back in the best-supported resolution. It often results in the above-mentioned error.

Reasons Why iOS Fails to Load Higher Quality of Photo or Video?

Most iPhone users prefer to save the highest quality of photos and videos to the cloud backup. On their device, they save the videos in optimized resolution. They do this to save the storage space on the iPhone. Also, if the camera settings have become corrupt, it may stop iOS from loading the highest quality of images and video contents for preview.

In some cases, if the users have copied the photos or videos from other sources to the iPhone then this error occurs. Usually, the copying process was not executed properly or was interrupted in between thus corrupting the files. All of the above conditions make way for the “An Error Occurred While Loading a Higher Quality Version of this” issue on the iPhone.

Best Ways to Fix Unable to Load Video or Photo on iPhone

Let me take you through the various possible fixes that you can utilize to fix An Error Occurred While Loading a Higher Quality Version of this Video on your iPhone.

1. Update to the latest version of iOS

Irrespective of whether you are using the public beta of iOS or private, it is always wise to install the latest version of iOS. This will ensure that you are constantly fixing the bugs and other technical problems on the iPhone.

To look for a new iOS update

1. Launch the Settings app.
2. Then tap on General.
3. Next, tap on Software Update.
4. The device will start searching for a new update.
5. If an update is available the build will show up and you will be notified to download it.
6. Tap on Download and Install to begin the update installation.
   

Once you fix the bug the video and images on your iPhone should load smoothly in the best possible resolution.

2. Restart the iPhone

If you are coming across this error message out of the blues, then try to restart the iPhone. This trick always works in fixing the random snags on the iPhone.

1. Press the side button on the iPhone.
2. Slide to Power Off will appear on the screen. Do as per the instruction.
   
3. The iPhone will switch off. Wait for a few seconds.
4. Now, again, press the side button and turn on the iPhone.
5. Play your videos and view the images. They should now open in their respective highest resolution.

3. Disable and Re-enable iCloud Photos Sync

If you have saved the high-resolution images to iCloud, then may be due to network issues the photos cannot be fetched in their highest resolution. In this case, disabling and enabling the photos to sync to iCloud does the trick in fixing the error.

1. Launch the Settings app.
2. Then tap on the Apple ID.
3. Navigate to iCloud and tap on it.
   
4. Next, tap on Photos.
5. Under that disable the iCloud Photos option.
6. Then immediately tap on the same switch again to enable backup of iCloud Photos.
   
7. I suggest restarting the iPhone and then checking if the photos can be previewed without any error messages and in high quality.

4. Add and Remove the Problematic Video from Favorites

While silly it may sound but this trick has worked for a few iPhone users. Simply add the video that is throwing the “Error Occurred while Loading a Higher Quality Version” message to favorites. Then immediately remove that video from the favorites.

1. Open the Photos app.
2. Navigate to the video that is showing the error.
3. Tap on the heart icon to add it to the favorites.
   
4. Now, in a few seconds, again tap on the heart icon to remove that video from the favorites.
5. Try to play the video now and you should not see any error messages.

5. Tweak the Multimedia Modules via Editing

Sometimes when you try to access and preview a video or image file, the iOS may not respond swiftly. This I’m saying when you are trying to open a huge file of the highest quality. iOS itself is very responsive but with other resource-intensive tasks open or during low battery, videos and images may not open.

The multimedia modules of the photo or video get messed up. Either you can retry opening the app or video/photo or try this trick I have explained below.

1. Open the Photos app.
2. Access the concerned photo or video which is not opening.
3. Tap on the Edit button to open the editing console.
4. Do some minor editing and close the edit interface.
5. Again tap on Edit and you will see the option Revert.
6. Confirm the action by tapping on Revert to Original.
   

Now, try to access the video file and it should run without throwing any error message.

6. Allow iOS to use Compatible Camera Format

If you wish to view the images in the highest quality of JPEG and preview video in H.264 then make the necessary changes in the camera settings.

1. In the Settings app, go to Camera and tap on it.
2. Tap on the option Formats.
3. Under the Camera Capture tab, select the option, Most Compatible.
   

7. Enable Smart HDR in Camera Settings

Having the smart-HDR enabled on iOS will unite separate exposures into a single image bringing the best possible quality. You have to enable it to view the images in a high-quality resolution.

1. Open the Settings of iOS.
2. Navigate to the Camera and tap on it.
3. Scroll to Smart HDR and tap on the switch beside it to enable the feature.
   

8. Set Video Resolution for Recording to 4K at 60 FPS

For high-efficiency video recording and playback, you have to change the video recording resolution to 4K at 60 FPS. You can make the changes in the camera settings of iOS.

1. Go to Camera within iOS Settings.
2. Tap on Record Video.
3. select the 4K at 60FPS Resolution. For a one-minute video shot on 4K at 60 FPS, you will have to spare 400 MB of storage space.
   

9. Reset the iPhone

Lastly, if none of the above tricks help in loading the images and videos on your iPhone in their best quality, then it is time you reset your iPhone. This will remove all the settings and make it like a new device when you first unboxed it. You need to first backup your device data to iCloud or create a backup to iTunes.

To reset your iPhone,

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Then tap on General.
3. Next, tap on Transfer or Reset iPhone.
   
4. Now, tap on Reset.
5. From the menu, select Reset All Settings.
   
6. Enter the passcode of the iPhone when asked.

The iPhone will reboot after the reset process is over. Retrieve your backup and try to play your videos or view the images. You should be able to view it in its best quality.

Conclusion

We all know the high-quality image and video output that iPhones produce. If you are a content creator that relies on the iPhone for creating HD videos and shooting photos with the best possible picture resolution it is important to fix the “Error Occurred while Loading a Higher Quality Version of this” issue. Hence, I hope this guide comes in handy for you.