Strange observation with MP4 files on external flash drive & SSD displayed as empty folder.mp4

Posted:
in iPad edited April 2023

Since after the last iPadOS 16.4.1 update, I have observed that all .MP4 files saved on an SSD and on an USB stick-C, on my iPad Pro 3rd generation, changed to empty folders but with a .mp4 extension, as attached screenshots. There was no video file inside the folder and hence no video to play.

Strangely though, the same video files when copied to the internal storage of iPad, are correctly displayed and I am able to watch them. 

Order file formats like avi, MKV, MOV are not behaving erratically and playing very well while stored in external drive.

I switched the external SSD with a flash drive-C stick from SanDisk who claim that it’s for iPad. I copied the same mp4 file on to the USB-C flash drive. Same problem  

Then I copied the “empty mp4 folder” from the flash drive on to my iPad internal storage and lo behold - the video started to play.

Finally, I used the SHARE option in the menu to send the “folder.mp4” folder to VLC Player and also to Infuse Player. Surprisingly they played properly. 

I spoke with Apple. They are also confused. 

I have come across only one such post with similar problem of mp4 files showing as empty folders but that’s with a Windows computer. 

Any help would be appreciated.

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