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You may find that YouTube isn’t working on your TV. There are a few steps you can take if you’re having problems with the streaming service.
YouTube isn’t working on your TV – here’s how to fix it
If you’re trying to watch YouTube videos on your smart TV, you may find that the app isn’t working. But don’t worry: in most cases, the problem can be sorted out quickly.
- Outdated app version: Check whether your YouTube app is up to date. If necessary, download the latest version from the app store.
- Tip: Enable automatic app updates in the Google Play Store settings. This will ensure that the YouTube app always remains up to date.
- Poor internet connection: Check that your internet connection is strong enough. If necessary, restart your router to see if this resolves the issue.
- Optimise your Wi-Fi connection by placing the router in an elevated position and ensuring it is as unobstructed as possible within the room. Align the antennas correctly to improve signal strength.
- Switching from the 5 GHz band to the 2.4 GHz band (or vice versa) may also help, depending on your device.
- Cache issues: Clear the cache on your smart TV and the YouTube app. You’ll find the exact procedure in your device’s user manual. You’ll usually find the app settings in the main menu, where you can select the YouTube app and clear its cache.
- On Android TV or Google TV: Settings > Apps > See all apps > YouTube > Storage & cache > Clear cache.
- You can also clear cookies – this option is usually found under the advanced app settings.
- Incompatible TV models: Not all smart TVs support the YouTube app. Check whether your TV model is compatible. Older TVs, in particular, may no longer meet the necessary requirements for the app.
- For older devices, you can alternatively use streaming devices such as Chromecast, Fire TV Stick or Apple TV to still watch YouTube on your TV.
- YouTube server issues: Sometimes YouTube’s servers are unstable due to a fault or maintenance work. In such cases, you’ll be able to launch the app and log in, but videos won’t play. So the problem isn’t on your end. Check an outage tracker to see if there are any current disruptions.
