Why Is Youtube Not Working & How To Fix It
YouTube has become an absolute monster of the online world.
More than 2 billion users watch YouTube videos every month, which proves that when it comes to online videos, this platform has virtually no competition.
Nevertheless, even with all the success that YouTube has had in recent years, there are still some YouTube problems that need to be fixed right away.
So, Is YouTube not working properly for you? There’s got to be a solution for that, and we are going to show it to you.
Continue reading this guide so you can go back to watching your favorite YouTube videos! We’ll give you precise information about:
- What to do if YouTube is not working as it should;
- How to identify multiple error statuses when YouTube is failing;
- Is YouTube not working? Understanding why this happens and proven solutions for all the issues.
Check if YouTube Servers are Down
First things first: it’s crucial to determine if there is a YouTube outage happening right now.
Luckily, outages are not the common denominator for this site, which is why it is easy to identify if the apps work properly or not.
If, for any reason, you can’t check the YouTube app or website, you can rely on other site data specialized in identifying outages.
Of course, for practical and informational purposes, we will only recommend you two of the most reliable websites out there for this matter.
Downdetector.com
Many users consider Downdetector to be the number one site where they go when any app is failing.
Is TikTok Not Working? Check Downdetector.
Is YouTube not working either? You’ll find all the answers you need here.
It’s a great way to know whether the problems are caused by your devices or not.
IsItDownRightNow.com
IsItDownRightNow is yet another trustable source to check if YouTube is not working.
The good thing about this site is the fact that you can check when the most recent outage took place.
That way, it’s easy to identify any problem directly related to YouTube servers.
5 Most Common YouTube Issues
Now, we are going to talk about the most common issues related to the YouTube platform.
Some of them can be easily solved, and some can’t.
That’s why it’s fundamental to understand what’s causing the error before working on a fix to solve it.
1. YouTube Black screen
If you open a video and the loading sign is spinning nonstop, then you’ve got a problem here.
This issue is mostly caused due to problems with your internet access.
In some cases, there might even be a hardware problem, but it’s hard to identify this at first sight.
2. Youtube Videos Not Available in Your country
If you live in the United States or Europe, then you might have never encountered this issue before (or you might as well have.)
The thing is that this error is purely caused because the owner of the video restricted your specific geographical location.
In this case, there are extensions and more tools that can help you solve this problem, but some of them might end up being harmful apps.
Thus, we recommend using extensions and more tools only at your own risk.
3. YouTube App Playback Error
A message that says “Video Playback Error Tap to Retry” often occurs because the platform has trouble syncing with your device.
In this case, to get YouTube working back again, it’s fundamental to check the app info on your phone.
Worry not - we will further elaborate on this subject.
4. YouTube Video With No Sound
If you start playing YouTube videos and you can’t hear anything, but other users can, then we are talking about a problem with your speakers.
Maybe the drivers are not correctly updated.
In case you are watching videos on your iOS or Android device, then the problem might be caused due to hardware damage.
It’s fundamental to correctly check if you can indeed hear the sound of videos using another device.
5. YouTube Server Error
If the app data is not loading by any chance, and you see other users talking about a possible outage, then there is a server error.
The alternatives are limited if this happens.
If you open the website and YouTube is not working due to a server outage, you need to wait - there’s nothing else you can do.
Do not despair - outages on this platform usually don’t take more than just one hour.
Besides, remember that YouTube is owned by Google, and Google’s servers are one of the best of them all.
That’s why your YouTube history is directly linked to your Google Search History.
So, if you ever wondered, “why is Youtube not working?” there you’ve got all the answers!
Is YouTube Not Working? How to Fix all YouTube Issues
It’s time to open YouTube and solve all the problems that might happen once and for all.
Let’s get YouTube working back again! Depending on the issue you are facing, the solution might take a couple of minutes or more.
Still, if you follow these tech tips, you will go back to enjoying the YouTube app sooner than you imagine.
How to Fix YouTube on a Web Browser
Even though using the mobile YouTube app is common these days, many users also love to watch videos on their computers, which is totally fine.
If you are one of those users and YouTube is not working as it should, then let’s get to the bottom of the problem.
Fix 1: Check Your Internet Connection
This is step 1. You can’t ignore this step - if your Internet connection is failing, then nothing that you do will solve the issues you are facing.
That’s why it’s fundamental to check your Internet connection before proceeding.
If you use the Windows Operating System, Go to “Update and Security,” “Troubleshooters,” “Internet Connection,” and press enter:
Fix 2: Update Google Chrome Browser
You might be using another browser instead of Google Chrome, such as Firefox and Safari, but it isn’t a secret for anyone that YouTube simply runs better on Chrome ( check this link for more info.)
To update Chrome, you first need to check if there’s an actual update waiting for you.
In the Google Chrome URL bar, paste “chrome://settings/help” and a message indicating if there’s a possible update will appear.
Instead of using the address bar, you can also go to the Chrome Browser settings and check if the app is outdated:
Fix 3: Disable all Browser Extensions
The Chrome Extensions might be messing with the YouTube website.
Open Chrome, go to Settings, and find the “Chrome Extensions” option:
You can also paste “chrome://extensions/” in the URL bar to get here.
Then, it’s fundamental to select “disable all the extensions,” press enter and then try to use YouTube again.
Fix 4: Clear Browsing Data
Open Chrome, go to Settings, and find the option to clear data.
Here, it’s vital to clear all the browsing data - no exceptions.
In the “Clear browsing data” screen, click on “Clear cache,” “Clear cached images and files,” and “Cookies and other site data.”
This will also clear the DNS cache, and you can try to use YouTube back again.
Fix 5: Update Graphics Driver
Maybe your graphics driver is outdated and it’s necessary to fix it in order for your computer to play videos.
Go to the Device Manager on Windows, find the option that says “Display Adapters,” and right-click it:
Check if there’s any software update that could fix the issues you are facing.
Note: If your PC is not good enough, there might be a problem related to the “Hardware Acceleration” setting. In case this happens, you need to manage the Hardware Acceleration setting, so the performance of your computer doesn’t get compromised by the YouTube site settings.
How To Fix YouTube On an Android or iOS Device
At this point, all the problems related to the desktop YouTube site should be solved by now.
However, if you use the YouTube app on a daily basis, you need to try different alternatives.
Fix 1: Update Your Mobile Phone Before You Access YouTube
First, make sure you are logged in to your YouTube account.
It’s fundamental to know if your iOS devices or Android devices are using the latest version of their operating systems.
If not, you need to update them.
Check the settings of your Android phone or iOS device and download the latest software in order to use all apps properly.
Fix 2: Update the YouTube App
Go to the Google Play Store App (if you use Android) or the App Store (if you use iOS) and update the YouTube app.
You should be able to find the latest version of the app on the App Store and Play Store.
Update YouTube and check if that solves the problems.
Pro Tip: Make sure that you have the “Automatic Date” setting active on your phone. Otherwise, YouTube might not load at all, and this might even affect other mobile apps.
Fix 3: Clear the App’s Cache and Other Data
Both on Android and iPhone it’s necessary to go to settings and find the YouTube app.
On Android, just tap “Clear Cache,” as shown in the following image:
To clear data on iPhone, you must do the same procedure, and instead of tapping on “clear cache,” you need to select the “Offload App” option - that should do the trick in no time.
Fix 4: Check and Reset Network Settings
Once again, your internet connection might be the source of all problems.
On Android, go to Settings, General, Reset, and tap on “Reset Network Settings:”
On iOS, go to Settings, General Management, Reset, and then again tap on “Reset Network Settings.” As simple as that!
Fix 5: Check if There’s a Hardware Problem with Your Mobile Devices
At this point, if none of the fixes we have given to you in this article have worked for you, then it’s time to check your device.
Hardware problems are pretty common these days.
Maybe your phone isn’t as new as you would like it to be, and that’s why it’s failing.
Either way, take it to repair and hope for the best. If you found this article helpful enough, don’t forget to share it with your friends! Check GrowFollowing for more amazing pieces of content such as this one.
YouTube Not Working FAQ
Is YouTube Offline Right Now?
The only way to know this is by checking DownDetector or IsItDownRightNow. Alternatively, you can also check the comments of other users on social media platforms.
Why Can’t I Access My YouTube Account?
Maybe your account got banned. In that case, you will receive an email from YouTube explaining what happened to it.
Why Doesn’t the Load Sign Disappear On Youtube?
There are two possible factors that might be causing this issue: a bad internet network or a problem with YouTuber servers.
Either way, we just showed you what to do in case this happens, so you are covered now!
Karen is a senior technical writer and copywriter here at GrowFollowing. Her area of expertize are social media apps and new media.