What to Do If YouTube Isn’t Working

YouTube is the most popular video platform, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t fail from time to time. It doesn’t matter if you’re using Windows, Android, or iOS, it can fail at any time. There are times when it’s not you, it’s YouTube, but how can you be sure?

Sometimes the fix is easy, and other times it takes a few more steps to find a solution. The solution is going to depend on the kind of problem you’re having, but hopefully, the following methods will get you on your way to watching your favorite videos.

Check If YouTube Is Down (All Platforms)

This may not happen very often, but there will come a time when YouTube has the problem, not you. For those times when you’re not sure if it’s you or YouTube, you can try DownDetector. It’s a free site that will let you know if there are any problems on the video platform.

As you can see at the bottom left of the image, there is also a button that will let you inform of any problems you’re experiencing. If for whatever reason you want to see any past issues YouTube has encountered you can click on the white button at the bottom right.

How to Fix YouTube Not Working on Android

If you’re having issues with YouTube on your Android device, there are some methods you can try. For example, you can try some basic fixes such as restarting your device, check your Internet connection, and you can also try making sure that your OS is up to date.

You can do this by going to Settings > About Phone and then select Download update manually. Your device should start to search for any new update available.

Clearing YouTube’s cache can also help fix YouTube. To clear the app’s cache go to Settings > Applications > Application manager > Storage > YouTube > Clear Cache. Also, make sure that all your apps are up to date and that the time is correct.

To check if you have any updates pending open Google Play and tap on the hamburger icon. Select my apps & games, and the app will open on any pending updates. Not having the correct time and date on your device can also be the cause. If the time on your device is off, you can adjust it by going to Settings > Date and time < Toggle off Automatic data and time.

YouTube Doesn’t Work on iOS

Clearing the cache for Youtube on iOS can also help and while you’re at it, you can also clear Safari’s cache as well. You can do this by going to Settings >  Safari > Clear History and Website.

As long as you’re in Settings, you can also try resetting network settings. To give this a try to go Settings > Reset > Reset Network Settings.

Other tips you can try are turning off the Bluetooth. Swipe down from the top right part of your iOS device and the Bluetooth option will be to the right of the WiFi one.

The YouTube app may have been updated, but not your OS. To check if there is an update pending go to Settings > General > Software update.

Sometimes, to fix an issue with almost any app can be as simple as restarting the device or freeing up space on your iPad/iPhone. These fixes may seem too simple and are often overlooked, but sometimes that’s all it takes.

YouTube Doesn’t Work on Windows

If you’re on your Windows computer, you can try updating Chrome. Click on the three dots at the top right and click on Help. A new menu will appear and when it does, select About Chrome. If the browser is up to date, you will see a message letting you know. If not, Chrome should start updating automatically.

An extension can also be the culprit. Go to chrome://extensions/ and try disabling one extension at a time and testing YouTube after you turn off each extension. This may be a little time-consuming since you’ll need to turn one off and text out YouTube after each one, but it’s worth it if it will fix YouTube.

Clearing Cache and Cookies may also help. To clear them go to chrome://settings/clearBrowserData. Click on the basic tab and in the Time range drop-down menu choose All time.

Conclusion

Google always aims to keep YouTube up and running, but when it fails, you can try the tips mentioned above. If I missed a suggestion, you use, share it with us in the comments.