YouTube is one of the best entertainment apps that comes preinstalled on all Android TV models. However, many users reported that they have issues accessing the YouTube app for some reason. If YouTube on Android TV is not working, it will display messages like, “YouTube is unavailable, Please try again later” (or) “YouTube has stopped” on the TV screen. These error messages are very common on all devices, so no need to worry. If you have encountered an error for some reason, we have some workarounds that can help you fix the issue instantly.
Why is YouTube Not Working on Android TV
If the YouTube app keeps stopping while playing any videos, it may be due to the following reasons.
- Due to an unstable internet connection, the YouTube app may not be loading.
- The YouTube server may be down due to technical issues on their side.
- Because of a corrupted cache, YouTube may become unresponsive or won’t play videos.
- Due to outdated Android TV firmware, the YouTube app will have compatibility issues.
- If the YouTube app is not updated, you will have issues while playing YouTube videos.
DIY Fixes for YouTube Not Working on Android TV
Android TV users can try these troubleshooting methods to fix the YouTube not working issue.
Check the Internet Connection
The first thing that you have to check is your Internet connection. A poor internet connection can cause the YouTube app to slow down and buffer. As a result, you won’t be able to stream any content on the YouTube app.
1. On your Android TV, launch the Settings menu from the home screen.
2. Click on Network and Internet → Network Status.
Tip: For some Android TVs, you have to click on Network, click Advanced, and choose Network Status.
3. There you can check if your internet connection is working fine or not.
If you find that the internet connection is poor, you can use another one. In addition, you can try restarting your router. Turn off the router for a few minutes and then turn it back on to fix the issue.
Restart the YouTube App
You must ensure that the issue is not with the YouTube app. For the same, it is advised to restart your YouTube app.
1. Close the YouTube app on Android TV if you think the issue is with the application.
2. After waiting for a few minutes, launch the YouTube app again.
3. Make sure to close apps on Android TV if too many apps are running in the background.
After that, open the YouTube app and check if you can stream videos without any errors.
Log In to the YouTube App Once Again
Some Android TV users have found that logging out and logging back into the YouTube app helped to fix the issue. So, let’s try the same hopefully, it works. For this, log out of your Google account in the YouTube app. Wait for a few minutes, and then log into your account once again. Check if your app is still coming up with issues. If you find that the app is still buffering, you can go on to the next step.
Force Stop the YouTube App
Force stopping is very effective to fix if the YouTube app keeps misbehaving while using the app. Furthermore, it will clear the storage space which will help the background processes to run properly.
1. From the Android TV home screen, launch the Settings menu.
2. Go to the Apps section and highlight the YouTube app.
3. Next, choose the Force Stop option on the menu that appears on your screen.
4. Also, confirm the Force Stop by clicking on the OK option.
5. Wait for a few seconds and launch the YouTube app again.
If the issues with your YouTube app have not been resolved, you need to move on to the next troubleshooting method.
Update the YouTube App
As we already know, when you leave an app with a pending update, it might cause issues with its performance. You can update YouTube on your Android Smart TV to fix the not working issue.
1. On your Android TV, launch the Google Play Store.
2. Click on the Settings option and choose the Auto Update Apps option.
3. Enable the Auto-update apps at any time option.
4. It will automatically update all the apps, including YouTube.
5. Now, you need to launch the YouTube app and check if the issue has been fixed. Else, move on to the next method.
Delete the YouTube App Data
If the YouTube app data are corrupted, you might face issues with the app on your Android TV. Keep in mind, it will log you out of your YouTube account. So, you need to log in again to fix the issue.
1. On Android TV, launch Settings and click on the Apps section.
2. Highlight the YouTube app and press the menu button on the remote. Select the Delete Data or Clear Data option.
3. Next, confirm the same by clicking on the OK option.
Turn on the YouTube App Permissions
If you haven’t enabled the necessary app permissions, then you won’t be able to use YouTube with voice commands. To fix this, you need to turn on the microphone permission for YouTube on Android TV.
1. Highlight the YouTube app in the Apps section using the TV remote.
2. Once YouTube is highlighted, press the Menu button on the Android TV remote.
3. Scroll through the options and click on Permission.
4. Turn on the Microphone by switching a toggle.
From now onwards, you can search for videos on YouTube using Google Assistant on the remote.
Update Android TV
Sometimes, the issue you are facing might be because of a pending software update. Since we have eliminated all issues from the YouTube app, we need to update the Android TV firmware. You will be notified on the top right corner of the home screen whenever a software update is available. Once you see it, click on it and choose the Update option. On the next pop-up, click on the Details option and choose the Update Now option.
Disable and Enable the YouTube App
We can disable and enable any apps on Android TV to overcome unexpected errors. Similarly, you can try this trick if you have problems accessing the YouTube app.
1. Click on Apps on the Android TV home screen.
2. From the installed apps, highlight the YouTube app icon and long press on it with the remote.
3. Tap Disable from the pop-up window that appears on the right.
4. After a few minutes, repeat step 2 and choose Enable.
Power Reset Android TV
Power cycling is yet another best way to fix if the YouTube app suddenly stops working without any reason. This may be due to a flea power which can be fixed by the following steps.
1. Turn off your Android TV/Box with the help of its remote.
2. Remove the TV cord from the power source.
3. Keep the device unplugged for at least 60 seconds.
4. After 60 seconds of the interval, you can reconnect the TV cord to the power source.
5. Turn on Android TV Box without a remote and check if the YouTube app is now working without any problems.
Note: As Android TV/Box has a built-in app for YouTube, it is advisable to avoid sideloading via Downloader or Aptoide TV.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is important to turn on Auto-update apps on the Google Play Store of your Android TV. If not, the YouTube app will not update automatically.
You can follow these same troubleshooting methods to fix the YouTube app not working issue on Google TV.
It is due to the outdated version of the YouTube app. You can update the app to the latest version if you have a problem signing into the YouTube app on Smart TV.
