YouTube is one of the biggest video-sharing platforms. There’s a YouTube video for almost anything, whether you want to find the recipe for your favorite dish or information onhow to clean your wireless earbuds. YouTube works on many devices, including yourbudget Android phone, PC, smart TV, or Google Nest Hub.
Sometimes, YouTube may not work as intended. There are several reasons why YouTube may face issues, and troubleshooting them to find a solution is easy. Start by updating the YouTube app, restarting your device, and clearing the cache. Here are some tips and tricks to try when YouTube is not working.
Check if YouTube is down
Start by checking if YouTube is down. If the YouTube app or website fails to load or a video won’t start, it could be because YouTube’s service is down or offline. Check YouTube’s social media handles for any announcement regarding an outage. Websites likeDowndetectormay also help determine if YouTube is down.
If YouTube is down, all you can do is wait. It will likely be back online soon.
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Restart your device
Restarting your device is a basic troubleshooting step, and it fixes most issues. This isn’t a factory reset. It’s a simple reboot using the power button or software options.
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Check your internet connection and router
YouTube needs an internet connection to work. Videos buffer or don’t load when you have a poor internet connection. Check if your mobile data is turned on from the quick settings menu. Turn it on if it isn’t. Turn off flight mode if you activated it by mistake. Also, open other apps to check if they’re working.
If you’re connected to Wi-Fi but can’t load YouTube videos, the problem may be with your router. Make sure all cables are plugged in and connected, then restart your router by turning it off for a few seconds and turning it back on. If your internet is still down, check if your internet provider is facing an outage.
Update your YouTube app
YouTube may not work if you have an outdated app on your phone. The latest version of the YouTube app may need to run on your device to connect to the YouTube servers for streaming videos.
How to update the YouTube app on an Android phone
How to update the YouTube app on an iPhone
Clear the YouTube app’s cache
If updating didn’t help, clear the YouTube app’s cache. Clearing the cache fixes certain problems, like loading or the black screen. However, it’s only applicable to Android users. There isn’t an option to clear the app cache on an iPhone. Instead, delete the YouTube app from your device and reinstall it from the App Store.
How to clear the cache on Android
Use a different browser
If you have trouble with the YouTube website, switch to a different browser. If you use Google Chrome, open the YouTube site using an alternative web browser such as Microsoft Edge or Mozilla Firefox. If the website can be accessed in the alternative browser,clear the cacheand cookies stored by Chrome from the Settings page. TheseGoogle Chrome tips and tricksmay also help.
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Update your operating system
An up-to-date operating system ensures your apps work properly. If YouTube doesn’t work for you, install the latest system update on your device.
How to check for updates on Android phone
How to check for iPhone updates
How to check for Chrome updates on PC
If you use YouTube on your Windows or Mac PC, updating to the latest software is always advisable. However, updating your web browser is better when troubleshooting YouTube issues, as there isn’t a PC app for YouTube. We show you how to check for updates on Google Chrome.
Keep watching your favorite videos
The tips we discussed help you troubleshoot most YouTube problems. If you still have issues, go to theYouTube support page. you may also post your problem on YouTube’sHelp Communityor contactYouTube customer support. If your YouTube is up and running, trythese secret featuresto make the most out of it.
