YouTube TV is an application that allows you to live stream a huge number of TV channels over the Internet. Not typical cable operators, but a new way to watch TV. It also contains all major TV networks including ESPN, Discovery, Fox, AMC and more.
YouTube TV is a great alternative to cable TV. Among other things, there are popular TV programs, films and news.
However, there will be times when YouTube TV won’t work. This can be annoying, especially if it’s one of your favorite activities.
However, there are various reasons why YouTube TV is not working: the program cannot play the video, the playback quality is poor, a particular channel cannot be played, there are problems with mirroring, or an error message is displayed, such as Playback Error.
Luckily, almost all issues that might cause the YouTube TV app to not work can be resolved. In this post, you will find a troubleshooting approach that will take you from the most common and likely case to the less common and more complex scenarios. YouTube TV should work again for you after this article.
The reason why the YouTube TV app is not working
We have compiled a list of factors that can cause this issue to occur on your device. All of them may not apply to your situation.
- Bad internet connection: YouTube TV requires a good internet connection, which is above average these days. Since the channel is live, the need for more bandwidth and Internet speed grows automatically.
- YouTube TV Server Down: YouTube TV is notorious for frequent outages. Because YouTube TV is more complex and sophisticated than regular YouTube, there are times when the service is unavailable or under maintenance.
- Update: YouTube TV recommends using the latest version of the program. It will not stream unless you have the most recent version of the software installed.
- TV not compatible: The YouTube TV app is only compatible with newer smart TVs. If you are using an earlier version, it may not be compatible or may not work properly.
- There is a problem with a certain channel. In some cases, a certain channel does not work. Typically this is a backend issue and there is not much you can do to get the streaming to work.
- Corrupted Configurations: There are times when the configurations themselves are corrupted or incorrect. The problem is usually solved by re-entering the program or resetting it.
- Long recordings: It may take some time to play long recordings on the TV. This is because longer records are retrieved from an earlier streaming database. You won’t be able to see the entries unless they are kept up to date.
- Checking your Internet connection. Since YouTube TV requires an Internet connection to function, there may be times when streaming fails due to a poor Internet connection or a configuration issue.
- Platform issue: The app may not run on the platform due to a platform issue. This happens frequently and the platform usually releases an update to resolve the issue.
Before moving on to the solutions, make sure you have a backup of your account information and your credentials in case you need to re-login to the app.
How to fix YouTube TV not working problem?
Here are the possible solutions to fix YouTube TV app not working issue:
- Check your internet connection
- Check YouTube TV Status
- Update the YouTube TV app
- Turn your device off and on again – TV/Chromecast/Computer
- Re-login to your account
- Check specific TV/Chrome/Roku model
- Wait for long records to become available
- Use an alternative if a certain channel is not working
- Update your YouTube TV host device
- Restart the YouTube TV app.
- Reboot your device
- Enable location permissions
- YouTube TV video quality setting
Now let’s go through the solutions one by one:
Solution 1 – Check your internet connection
Just like any other streaming platform, YouTube TV requires a sufficient internet connection to enable you to watch still videos on regular YouTube. When you have such an internet connection, you will be able to stream without any problems and you will not face the issue of YouTube TV constantly buffering.
Make sure your network connection meets the “fast”criteria. Check if your router is working. If not, you need to reset it by following the instructions below.
WiFi
- Turn off the router, as well as the TV and computer.
- Disconnect the power cable for each device. Now press and hold the power button on each gadget for about 4 seconds to drain all the energy.
- Wait a few minutes before reconnecting everything. Restart your computer and launch the YouTube TV app. Investigate the situation to make sure the issue is resolved.
Ethernet connection
- Disconnect the Ethernet cable from the TV or computer.
- Disconnecting the Ethernet cable. Reset the router if Ethernet is connected to it.
- Wait 2-3 minutes after turning off any device.
- Reconnect everything and see if the problem is fixed.
Depending on your usage, YouTube offers the following internet speeds:
- 3 Mbps: Sufficient for standard definition video streaming.
- 7 Mbps: This allows you to stream one high definition (HD) movie at a time. However, simultaneous streaming from many devices can cause problems.
- 13Mbps: Multiple devices can stream HD video at 13Mbps.
- 25Mbps: You can stream 4K videos or YouTube TV programs.
The first thing you should do is run a speed test to see how fast your internet connection is. The easiest way to do this is to search for “internet speed test”on Google.
To start the test, select Run Speed Test. Once the test is complete, you will be able to monitor the download and upload speeds on your network.
The Mbps download result should be taken into account. Make sure the speed result matches your YouTube TV consumption from the table above.
Also, reset your data connection to make sure your mobile internet connection is working properly. Open Settings on your Android device, tap Connections, and toggle Airplane mode on and off. Open Control Center and tap Airplane Mode to enable Airplane Mode on iOS. Touch it again to turn it off.
Solution 2 – Check YouTube TV status
You may come across a few isolated instances where YouTube TV had a bad day on the server side. This is a pretty typical circumstance that happens a lot (especially on YouTube TV, which is hard to track). The only option is to leave the platform for 10-25 minutes and come back to check.
You can also check other forums to see if anyone else has the same problem. If so, this may indicate that there is no problem on your end and that you need to wait. You can wait a day or two to see if the issue with YouTube TV is fixed, even if it’s a minor issue. There are also regional differences.
Solution 3: Update the YouTube TV app
If you’re using a cross-platform version of the YouTube TV app, we recommend updating it. YouTube TV sometimes malfunctions or contains errors.
To eliminate these difficulties, YouTube engineers will release an update. The issue you are experiencing may be widespread and may be resolved with a software update.
Take, for example, the YouTube app that doesn’t work on a Samsung TV. This issue can be resolved by updating the YouTube app on your Samsung TV.
- Go to Featured by pressing the Smart Hub key.
- Now find the YouTube TV app. Hold down the Enter key until the submenu appears.
- Click Update Apps when the submenu appears.
- Then click “Select All”on the right.
- Wait for your TV to update apps after clicking the Update All button. Reboot your TV after updating all apps and try launching YouTube TV again. Check if the problem with YouTube TV not working is fixed.
Solution 4: Turn off and on your device – TV/Chromecast/Computer
There are many scenarios where the device used for streaming is in an incorrect state. This is a common occurrence in the electronics industry. There is no need to worry. These systems generate temporary data and use it to perform their tasks.
You will have problems running the YouTube program if this data is corrupted.
- It would be helpful if you turn off the gadget properly and then unplug all the wires in this scenario.
- Then properly remove and disconnect the battery.
- Wait 2-3 minutes before reconnecting everything by pressing the power button for 1 minute.
When you’re done, all temporary device data will be deleted and new data will be created with default settings and stored in the new location. If there are any setup issues, this will fix the issue.
Solution 5 – Sign in to your account again
Another issue you may encounter is account data corruption or incorrect user settings in the YouTube TV app input. This is a relatively common issue that you may encounter with the regular YouTube app.
- In the upper right corner, click the YouTube TV app icon.
- A new drop-down menu will appear. Select Sign out now.
- Once logged out, follow the steps in Solution 4 above.
- When you return to the YouTube TV app, you will be prompted to sign in. Check if YouTube TV not working issue is resolved by entering your credentials.
Solution 6: Check your specific TV/Chromecast/Roku model
Another reason YouTube TV isn’t working is because your TV or the device you’re trying to watch on is out of date. YouTube TV has a few ground rules for devices that support it.
Since the application only broadcasts live TV over the Internet, some modules developed by Google are not compatible with previous versions of devices. If you have an outdated device or TV, you should consider replacing it.
Let’s say you have the latest TV or app; download and update all of them. Use Chromecast or Roku as an alternative to YouTube streaming if your TV is out of date. Continue only if you are sure that everything is in order with your device.
Solution 7 – Wait for long records to become available
Long YouTube recordings take a long time to stream or watch. This is due to YouTube’s requirement to process and save the recordings so you can view them later. As a general rule, a recording of less than 4 hours is acceptable.
On the other hand, longer recordings are subject to a variety of problems, including no playback at all, partial playback, and complete failure. You can prevent this problem by waiting for it to be resolved. After a day or two, the video should play normally again.
Solution 8 – Use an alternative if a certain channel is not working
It is possible that a certain channel will not be shown on your YouTube TV. This is a typical problem for large networks such as ESPN. Through official channels, YouTube TV acknowledged the situation.
YouTube says it’s investigating the issue and coming up with a solution so you don’t miss out on your program. You can use your YouTube TV credentials to sign up for a specific channel after downloading the app for that channel. After that, you will be able to watch the show until it is fixed behind the scenes by YouTube TV experts.
Solution 9 – Update your YouTube TV host device
Another issue that many users are facing is that their host devices like Chromecast, Roku, and others are unable to stream YouTube TV. If the issue is not resolved, YouTube will make an official statement that the host device, such as Roku, is aware of the issue and is working on a solution.
To fix deficiencies, the host device usually releases a small update. The steps to update your Samsung TV online are described in the next section. You can follow these instructions according to their architecture if you have additional devices.
- Select “Software Update”from the “Support”menu after pressing the “Settings”button.
- When a new window appears, select Automatic Updates to install all updates as soon as they are available, or click Update Now.
After installing the update, restart your host device and return to YouTube TV. Check if the issue is resolved.
If you have a Roku player, you can now update the firmware by following these instructions.
- Select Settings from the main menu.
- Go to “System”and then to “System Update”.
- Click the “Check Now”button. Roku will then contact the update servers and help you download all the updates.
You must restart your device after installing the update in order to access YouTube TV. Then see if the problem goes away.
Solution 10 – Restart the YouTube TV app
Restarting your YouTube TV connection is the fastest way to get it back up and running. Close it completely if you are using a web browser to watch YouTube TV. Open a new browser window and go exclusively to YouTube TV (and no other websites).
If you’re watching YouTube TV on your phone or tablet, you’ll need to close and restart the app.
Swipe up from the bottom of the main screen on Android, find yt tv and press and hold the app icon. Select Application Details from the pop-up menu.
At the bottom of the application details window, select Force stop.
On the iPhone, it’s much easier. To find the YouTube TV app, swipe up from the bottom of the home screen to the right or left. To close the app, swipe up on the preview window. Slide up an app in the app switcher on iPad.
If you’re using the YouTube TV desktop app on a Mac or Windows computer, close it like you would any other software.
Reopen your browser or app after exiting YouTube TV to see if it works.
Solution 11 – Reboot your device
If you’ve come this far and still can’t figure out what’s causing the YouTube TV issue, try restarting the device you’re trying to use. Turning it off and on again is a proven troubleshooting tip.
Here’s how to reset your iPhone if you need a reminder. Many Android devices can be turned off by pressing and holding the power button for a few seconds, or by dragging the control center down from the top of the screen and finding the power icon. Unplug your smart TV or streaming media device from the network for two minutes before plugging it back in.
Solution 12 – Turn on location permissions
YouTube actively tracks the user’s location to ensure that the account is only used in certain homes and that it is not shared with other users in other locations. YouTube TV may not work if you have disabled the location feature on your mobile device.
YouTube allows you to travel to other areas and use location services for a short period of time, but you must have location enabled for this feature to work.
To see if this fixes your YouTube TV issues, turn on location detection on your device.
- On Android: Go to Settings > Location and make sure the toggle is On. included. Make sure the location is listed in the Permissions section of the YouTube TV app.
- On iPhone or iPad: Select “Privacy & Location Services”from the Settings menu on your iPhone or iPad. Make sure Location Services is turned on. Then, to get location permission, tap on the YouTube TV app and select While using the app.
If you’re using Google Chrome on a desktop or laptop, you’ll need to change your Google location settings.
- Select the three dots at the top right to open the menu, then Settings, Privacy & Security, and Site Settings from the menu on the left.
- Select “Location”under “Permissions”on the next screen.
- To view your location, scroll down to “Allowed”in the next field. Click the right arrow next to https://www.google.com:443. Make sure “Location”is set to “Allow”in the “Permissions”section of the next window.
Please restart your browser before trying to use YouTube TV.
Solution 13 – Adjust YouTube TV video quality
You can change certain settings in the YouTube TV app to make it work more efficiently if you don’t have enough broadband speed for YouTube TV to work properly.
- When starting a video, click the gear icon in the lower right corner of the player window.
- Select “Quality”from the list of options in the “Settings”menu.
- From the Quality menu, select a lower video resolution.
Lower video quality requires less data, so you can get by with a slower internet connection.
Similarly, you can adjust the video quality in the YouTube TV mobile app using the video settings menu in the YouTube TV mobile player.
It’s not ideal because lower video quality will look bad on larger displays.
Conclusion
After reading this article, I hope you now understand how to solve the problem of YouTube TV not working.
FAQ
Does YouTube TV have a guide?
YouTube TV provides over 70 live TV channels. However, they are not organized in any way. Thankfully, you can personalize the guide on the YouTube website or mobile apps, and the changes will appear on Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices.
How long is the free trial of YouTube TV?
A free YouTube TV trial usually lasts seven days. This is quite normal for free live TV trials. However, until January 15, new customers will receive a free two-week YouTube trial.
How to update YouTube on TV?
On your mobile device or web browser, update your current playback area:– Open YouTube TV in your browser.– Select a photo for your profile.– Select “Region”from the drop-down menu. Select Update from the dropdown menu. next to the current playback area.
Can YouTube TV be used in two different locations?
The geographic criteria remains the same if you share your YouTube TV subscription with a family group. The family manager determines the location of the house, and all family members must live in the same household. All family members must use YouTube TV at home regularly to maintain access.