YouTube Not Working on LG Smart TV | Fixes

YouTube is an app where all people from every corner of the world post and enjoy videos. Being a multi-platform app, you can access YouTube TV on a smart TV, including LG smart TV. It delivers content like music, movies, news, fashion, beauty, lifestyle, etc., on your LG Smart TV. You can subscribe to your favorite channels to see your favorite videos repeatedly on your LG Smart TV. While it is a free app, YouTube Premium costs about $11.99 per month and offers a free trial to new users. Streaming services, including YouTube on LG TV, may not work for varied reasons. If you are experiencing this, you should identify the cause and the troubleshooting steps to resolve YouTube not working on LG Smart TV.

Why is YouTube Not Working on LG TV

If LG TV users aren’t able to use YouTube on LG TV, it may be due to the following reasons.

• Unstable internet connectivity
• YouTube server outage
• Corrupted file or cache data
• The device isn’t compatible with the app
• Outdated version of the app
• Geo-restrictions
• Outdated firmware
• Expired subscription

YouTube Not Working on LG Smart TV: Possible Fixes

Try out the fixes given here whenever you cannot access YouTube on LG TV.

• Check Network Connection
• Check Compatibility
• Check server
• Check for Age Restrictions
• Reset Location
• Update YouTube
• Check for YouTube Subscription
• Reinstall YouTube
• YouTube Not Loading
• YouTube Not Connecting
• YouTube Keeps Buffering
• Black Screen on YouTube
• No Sound on YouTube
• YouTube Error
• Delete Cache Memory on LG Smart TV
• Reboot LG TV
• Update LG TV
• Change DNS Server on LG TV
• Factory Reset LG TV
• Contact Support

Check Network Connection

Apps like YouTube do not work if there is no proper internet connection. To watch videos on YouTube without interruptions, you must have a good stable internet connection. Climatic conditions and various glitches that arise randomly can affect your network. So, you can restart your WIFI or modem can help to clear this issue. Also, check whether the HDMI cables are connected properly.

1. On your LG Smart TV, go to Settings.

2. Search for Network and Internet connection from the search bar.

3. You can see the details of your network connections on your LG Smart TV.

Note: You shall even disconnect other devices using the same WIFI as the LG TV to cut down the internet throttling issue.

Check Compatibility

Most apps like YouTube will work only on compatible devices. The initial step before downloading any app is to check if the app is compatible with your device. Luckily, you can access YouTube on LG Smart TV and also various other Android smart TVs. You can also stream YouTube on your LG Smart TV via Apple AirPlay on 2018 and webOS 4.0+ models. But unfortunately, YouTube is no longer supporting the older LG Smart TVs released before 2013.

Check Server Status

When the server of YouTube crashes or freezes, you may find YouTube app not working on your LG Smart TV. To rectify this, you can check the server status of YouTube on the official site called Downdetector. This site not only tells the server status but also tells us the difficulties and the problems quoted by the people who use YouTube. If the Downdetector shows any issues, you can continue with the next troubleshooting step. If not, you can skip this step.

Check for Age Restrictions

Luckily, we can see and enjoy the videos on YouTube, and it doesn’t matter in which country or region we are. But, kids under the age of 18 cannot watch most of the videos since YouTube framed age restrictions. YouTube also does not allow children who are under the age of 12 to create their own channels. Children between the age on 13-17 can open a YouTube channel with parental permission.

Reset Location

Some videos and content will not be available and cannot be accessed in your country or region. If it is not available, then it is said to be geographically restricted content. For instance, YouTube is blocked and banned in China and North Korea. If you want to access the unavailable video in your place, then you have to download a VPN on your TV, like ExpressVPN and NordVPN. You can download a VPN service instead of changing the YouTube Country. With this, you will not find notifications, like YouTube videos not available in your country notification.

Update YouTube

If you are still working with the older version of YouTube on LG Smart TV, you can find some difficulties in accessing certain features. In this situation, you have to update the YouTube app on your LG Smart TV.

1. Open the LG Content Store on your LG Smart TV by clicking the home button on your TV remote.

2. Click on Apps on your LG Content Store.

3. After that, search for YouTube by using the search icon at the top right corner of the screen.

4. When you find the YouTube app, click on Update if a new version is available.

Check for YouTube Subscription

If you have a premium version of YouTube, you should check if the subscription is active or not. An expired subscription will not allow you to stream videos from YouTube. So, the user should check and renew the subscription to stream videos without interruption.

Reinstall YouTube

If no other options work on your YouTube app, you can delete and reinstall the app on your LG Smart TV. If you don’t want to lose any content from the app, you can sign in with the newly installed YouTube with the previous mail id.

Uninstall YouTube on LG Smart TV

1. On your LG home screen, go to the LG Content Store.

2. From there, click on the Apps option.

3. Search for YouTube with the help of a search icon.

4. Click on the YouTube app and on your TV remote, press the Up Arrow, and choose the cross mark (X) to remove the app from LG Smart TV.

Install YouTube on LG Smart TV

1. Go to the LG Content Store on your LG Smart TV.

2. Using the search icon, search for YouTube.

3. Click on the YouTube app from the search results and install it.

4. At last, launch the app and complete the Sign in process.

YouTube Not Loading

YouTube may not load properly when your internet speed is too low. The average network speed needed for any streaming service like YouTube is 3MB/s. You need 5MB/s to stream the video on high resolution. You can also try to delete a cache memory on your TV and perform a hard reset on LG TV.

YouTube Not Connecting

This is the major problem reported by people regarding YouTube. Make sure that you installed the latest version of the YouTube app on your LG Smart TV. You can read the properties of the apps while installing them on your LG Smart TV.

YouTube Keeps Buffering

YouTube is a platform with a wide variety of videos and entertainment around the world. So, YouTube keeps buffering or YouTube not loading on LG smart TV occurs for different reasons.

Multiple Access

As YouTube contains uncountable videos, buffering is a common issue. Many people will be accessing YouTube at the same time. In that case, YouTube cannot overload servers, and it results in buffering.

Slow Internet Connection

As mentioned above, YouTube working on LG Smart TV needs an average of 3MB/s to run the videos smoothly. If you have a slow internet connection, it will result in buffering. You can also restart your modem or Wi-Fi to clear this issue.

Less Bandwidth

Good bandwidth is required for a better data transfer in the streaming services like YouTube. If you do not have enough bandwidth, it may affect you while streaming videos on YouTube. If you have too many devices connected, there is a possibility that buffering issues may occur.

Black Screen on YouTube

You can see a black screen on YouTube when you have a very bad internet connection. Moreover, black screen errors can occur when your TV’s firmware is outdated. You can clear this issue by considering some simple troubleshooting steps. However, before using the troubleshooting steps, you know the reasons why a black screen is occuring on YouTube.

• Add blocker plugins and apps
• Potential Malware
• Geo-restricted content
• Slow internet connection
• Not enough data
• VPN apps
• Corrupted Cache memories and files
• Unnecessary apps

No Sound on YouTube

You may experience YouTube volume not working issues at times. i.e., the volume will be muted sometimes. As a result, you cannot hear any sound while playing videos. You can also check the sound settings on your LG Smart TV and on your YouTube app. And make sure that the volume in your LG Smart TV is also high enough. You can perform a sound test on your TV. If it does not show any problem, then you can skip it. If it shows any problem, contact the support center of YouTube or LG Smart TV.

Perform a Sound Test

1. On your LG home screen, go to Settings.

2. Then, click on the Advanced option, which is resembled by three vertical dots at the bottom right corner of the screen.

3. From that, choose Sound and click on Sound Test.

Delete Cache Memory on LG Smart TV

The cache memory on your TV will contain all the unsaved and unwanted files which can affect the storage of your device. Deleting the cache memory will enhance the storage of your device and will also delete the unwanted files, which can run the videos on YouTube smoothly without any interruptions.

1. From your LG home screen, go to Settings.

2. Click on the Application Manager option.

3. From the list of apps available, choose YouTube.

4. At last, click on the Clear Cache button.

Reboot LG TV

Through rebooting, you can refresh the entire content in your LG Smart TV. No data and files get deleted when you reboot or restart your LG Smart TV. For better performance, you have to reboot your LG Smart TV at least once a month. Rebooting/restarting is similar to a hard reset where it clears minor errors without deleting any files in your TV.

1. Find the power button on your LG Smart TV and long press it for almost 5-10 seconds.

2. Unplug the main cable from the power outlet as soon as your TV turns off.

3. Wait for a few minutes and let the LG Smart TV power cycle and finish the restarting process.

4. After some time, plug back the power cable to the power outlet and turn on your TV. Then, check whether the YouTube app is working on your LG Smart TV.

Update LG TV

The latest software version of webOS for LG Smart TV is version 6.1. If you have an older version of LG Smart TV, streaming services like YouTube will not work as they intended to. Updating your TV will make the apps perform smoother.

1. On your LG home screen, go to Settings.

2. Choose About this TV and check for updates.

3. If the update is available, install it on your LG Smart TV.

Some software installation and updates actually require you to restart your smart TV to complete the process. So, give a quick restart after updating the newest version.

Change DNS Server on LG TV

DNS (Domain Name System) often causes issues in the apps on LG Smart TVs. You may see apps disappearing, showing error messages, and the launcher bar refusing to open. All these issues are caused by the DNS server. Upgrading to a better DNS Server can make your search faster and more secure.

1. Bring up the launcher bar on your LG home screen by pressing the home or smart button on your TV remote.

2. Click on Settings and choose all settings. It is present at the bottom right corner of the screen.

3. On the left side of your screen, choose Network and click on Wi-Fi connection.

4. Choose Advanced Wi-Fi settings at the bottom of the menu.

5. Click on the Edit button and uncheck the box named set automatically.

6. Select the DNS Server box and enter 8.8.8.8 or 8.8.4.4 and click on connect.

Factory Reset LG TV

A factory reset will delete all the downloaded and saved content on your LG Smart TV. To save any important files or data, sync it with your Google account.

1. Open the menu on your LG Smart TV using the remote.

2. Open All Settings and choose Support.

3. Click on the General option and choose Initial Settings.

4. Confirm the reset and factory reset are done on your LG Smart TV.

YouTube Errors

You could notice errors while watching videos on YouTube. There are different types of errors on YouTube with solutions.

YouTube Playback Error – This error will arise if the internet connection is not good enough to load the contents on YouTube. There will be a few solutions to clear this error. Pause the video and change the resolution of the video. Clear cookies and caches on your browser etc.

YouTube 500 Internal Server Error – This error will occur if your YouTube servers are down for a while or hacked by others. Try refreshing the YouTube video page, clear the data or load the video after some time.

YouTube Error 503 – If you receive this error, it means the server of this site is not available when the data is overloaded in the server and cannot handle a high volume of traffic. To solve this, tap on the retry button and check the internet connection.

YouTube Error 400 – This error will occur when you send a bad or illegal request to load the servers. The request is not exactly bad, and it does not contain the required keyword or syntax. To solve this, check for the errors in the URL, delete cookies on YouTube or reinstall chrome.

YouTube Error 504 – You will see this error when your web server does not receive a response faster in time while loading the content. To solve this, reboot your internet connection, or change your DNS Server.

YouTube Error 429 – The error 429 appears if you send more requests to access the video. If it still continues, the user will be banned temporarily or permanently by the YouTube community. To solve this, powercycle your internet router, change the VPS protocol, or force use IPV4.

Contact Support

You can contact the support center of LG Smart TV or the support center of YouTube if your issue still did not resolve. You can also call the toll-free number 1800-315-9999 to solve YouTube videos not working on LG smart TV issue.

Related Troubleshooting Articles

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• YouTube Not Working on Sony TV – Best Fixes
• How to Fix YouTube Not Working on Android Smart TV
• Fixes for YouTube TV not Working on Samsung Smart TV

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