YouTube is not working We’ll get you back to watching cat videos quickly enough, so don’t worry. YouTube may be down for all users, but it is more likely that YouTube is experiencing an issue on your end.
YouTube may not be loading properly, videos are constantly buffering or the YouTube app isn’t loading. Our troubleshooting tips for mobile and desktop should help you get YouTube working again.
First, check if YouTube is down
YouTube is not prone to experiencing a complete outage. However, it has happened before. Before you do anything else, it is important to determine if the problem is YouTube or your own.
Outage. Report are two websites that can help you with this. Crowdsourcing user reports allow you to see what issues are being reported from around the globe.
News outlets will report on YouTube’s major downtimes when they occur. You can quickly check by visiting Google News, and searching for “YouTube Down” or “YouTube Outage”.
Are you able to see that YouTube is working for other people? These troubleshooting steps will help you to confirm that YouTube is working for others.
How to fix YouTube on a Desktop
These steps will help you fix YouTube if you are using YouTube from a desktop browser.
1. Keep your browser up to date
Always use the latest version of your browser. While most browsers, such as Firefox and Chrome, should automatically update, it is always a good idea to double-check.
For Chrome, paste chrome://settings/help into the URL bar and press Enter. Google Chrome should now say “Google Chrome is updated”. The latest version will download automatically if you don’t. After it finishes, click Relaunch.
2. Clear Your Cookies and Cache
Clear your cache and cookies to clear out your browser.
On Chrome, paste chrome://settings/clearBrowserData into the URL bar and press Enter.
Select All-time from the Time Range dropdown. You can check Cookies, Cached images, and files. Click Clear data.
You can also read our guide on how to delete Internet cookies for other browsers.
3. Extensions can be disabled
YouTube compatibility issues can be caused by browser extensions
Copy chrome://extensions/ into the URL bar, and then press .
Click the slider to turn gray for each extension. Try YouTube again to verify that the problem has been resolved. If the problem persists, disable the extension and contact the developer to resolve it.
4. Updating Video Drivers
Video drivers that are out of date can cause problems when playing videos. To resolve the problem, you can try updating them. Start by downloading the most recent drivers from your manufacturer’s site (e.g. AMD, NVIDIA, or Intel).
Next, press Windows Key + X then click Device Management. Double-click Display adapters. Right-click on your graphics card, and then click to update the driver. Follow the wizard by clicking Search automatically to find drivers.
5. Verify Your Internet Connection
It doesn’t necessarily mean that your internet connection is not at fault. You might not be able to stream on YouTube. To detect and fix problems, use Windows’ native troubleshooter.
To open Settings, press the Windows key + I
- Windows 10: Go to Security > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters > Internet Connections > Use the troubleshooter.
- Go to System on Windows 11. Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters > Internet Connections.
How to fix YouTube on Android and iOS
These troubleshooting steps will help you if YouTube is not working on your Android or iOS device.
1. Upgrading Your Operating System
YouTube may not work correctly because your operating system is outdated.
Open Settings on Android and search Software Update or System Update. You might find it in the About phone section. Download and install the latest version if it’s available.
For iOS, navigate to Settings >General > Software Update to download and install any available updates.
2. Updating the YouTube App
You should ensure that YouTube is always running the most recent version to take advantage of the latest features and fix any bugs.
Open the Play Store on Android. Tap your profile and then select Manage applications and devices. Next, tap Latest. If YouTube is present, tap update.
Open the App Store on iOS and tap the updates tab. Tap Update if YouTube is listed in this list.
3. Clear the YouTube cache and data
A large cache or data buildup could be a problem if you’ve been using YouTube for a long time.
Go to Settings > Android > YouTube > Storage. To resolve the issue, tap Clear cache. Tap Clear data if it doesn’t work.
YouTube can be uninstalled and reinstalled on iOS. Hold the app’s icon on your home screen, and then tap to delete. Next, go to the App Store to download YouTube again.
4. Sync the Time and Date
YouTube can experience problems if the date and time on your device is not in line with the YouTube server. This can be fixed by allowing your network to handle the date/time automatically.
Android: Go to Settings >General Management > Date and Time, and then slide Autodate and Time to on.
Go to Settings >General > Date & time on iOS and change Set Automatically To On.
5. Verify Your Internet Connection
YouTube may not work if the internet isn’t working properly. Go to Settings > Connections on Android. For iOS, go to Setting.
First, switch Flight modes ON and OFF. This will often reset your network settings and resolve the problem. Next, connect via Wi-Fi (or your phone network) (whichever one isn’t being used by default). If that fails, disable Bluetooth.
Are you still having trouble? Resetting your network connection can be done. Go to Settings >General Management > Reset >Reset Network Settings.
iOS: Go to Settings > General Setting > Reset > Reset Network settings.
Add Extensions to YouTube for a better experience
These instructions should have helped YouTube or the YouTube app to work again. For further assistance, contact Google
YouTube seems to be working again. Why not improve it? YouTube extensions and web apps allow you to add notes, clip videos and search text in videos.
