Last updated on January 23rd, 2024 at 02:17 am
This post will show you ways to fix YouTube not working on PC and Android.
You’re excited about watching a YouTube video on your laptop. However, when you try to load the video, it will not play.
You try other videos on YouTube. They, too, will not play.
You may face this problem on your Android, too, at times.
If so, here are ways to fix YouTube, not working on PC and Android.
The fixes as shown below range from the simplest to the most advanced.
Let’s get started on how to fix YouTube not working on PC and Android.
Web Browser Problem
More often than browser issues may cause YouTube to stop working. Here are some fixes you can undertake.
Refresh Page
Sometimes refreshing a web page will get YouTube working. If you’re on Google Chrome, Press CTRL + F5 to refresh the YouTube site.
The same keys apply to Microsoft Edge, Opera and Firefox.
HTML5- Compatible Browser
Are you using an HTML5-compatible browser? Your browser must support HTML5 to display YouTube videos.
You may be using an older browser that supports only Flash video, If this is the case, upgrade the browser to the latest version.
YouTube Video Quality
The default video quality set for YouTube may prevent videos from playing,
Say you have a slow Internet connection. If the video quality is set to 4K or 1080p.
You can check the video quality by clicking on the gear icon on the YouTube video player. Try reducing the quality to the lowest resolution possible.
If your video starts playing, raise the quality to a higher resolution.
Relaunch Browser
Close your browser by clicking on x at the top right. This will close all the pages.
Wait for a few moments. Then launch the browser again.
This may fix YouTube videos not playing on your browser.
Try a Different Browser
Switch to another browser. This will help you determine whether your browser is really the cause of YouTube videos not playing.
If you are using Chrome, try switching to Microsoft Edge to see if the problem persists.
Anyway, it’s always advisable to have at least two browsers installed on your computer. This would be useful for testing purposes.
Browse Privately
Every browser comes with a private browsing mode. On Chrome it’s called the Incognito mode.
Accessing it by pressing the CTRL + Shift + N keys.
Microsoft Edge calls it InPrivate browsing mode.
On Opera and Firefox, it’s called Private Browsing.
If YouTube works in private mode, then the issue may be with a plug-in or extension.
To find out, go back to normal browsing mode. Then disable the extension one by one to determine the ‘culprit’.
Clear Browser Cache
Your browser cache may prevent YouTube from loading. To fix this, clear your browser cache.
On Chrome, press the CTRL + Shift + Delete keys.
When the window pops up, clear the cookies and cached files.
Then close the browser and relaunch it.
Internet Connection
Sometimes your WiFi icon shows but there may not be an Internet connection. Try loading other web pages. Then you can find out whether it’s an Internet problem that’s causing the YouTube issue.
Also, check whether your connection is on Airplane mode. In this mode, Wi-Fi is turned off.
If so, turned it back to WiFi mode.
Check with Another Device
Do you have another computer? Try using it to access YouTube. See if YouTube works fine on it.
If it works fine, then the issue is with your computer.
Is YouTube Down?
Sometimes the issue may be with the YouTube service itself. To confirm this, check any of the following services:
Restart Your Computer
Close your browser and restart your computer. If updates are being installed, wait until it’s completed.
If YouTube not playing is a computer-related issue, then restarting your machine may solve the problem.
YouTube Not Working on Android
Try the following fixes if YouTube doesn’t work on your Android device.
Internet Connection
The issue could be with your Internet connection. If you’re using mobile data to connect to the Internet, try using a Wi-Fi connection.
Also, you may want to connect to a different network, if it’s available.
Clear YouTube App Data
Sometimes your YouTube app data may be corrupted. In this case, clearing the app cache may fix the problem.
To do this, go to Settings > Apps.
Select YouTube. Next, select Storage > Clear Cache.
When you clear the cache, temporary files used to run YouTube are removed.
There isn’t a clear cache option on iOS devices. However, there are apps that would do the job. If you don’t fancy the app option, by all means, delete the YouTube app and reinstall it.
Use Mobile Browser
If your YouTube app acts up, try using your mobile browser to view YouTube videos.
Restart Your Phone
You may also want to try restarting your phone to see if it resolves YouTube not playing on Android.
Remove and Reinstall App
As a last resort, uninstall the YouTube app and reinstall it.
This usually resolves the problem.
You’ve learned the various ways to fix YouTube not working on PC and Android, Now, go ahead and give the steps a try in the order mentioned.
