How to Fix YouTube TV Is Not Working? (9 Ways!)

YouTube TV is an excellent substitute for cable television. It provides popular TV network programming, movies, news, and other content. However, there are times when YouTube TV does not work.

This can be aggravating, especially if it’s one of your favorite forms of entertainment. Fortunately, nearly every problem that can cause YouTube TV is not working can be resolved.

This article will walk you through the troubleshooting process, starting with the most common and likely scenario and progressing to the less common and more complex ones. YouTube TV should be operational again by the end of this article.

WHY WON’T YOUTUBE PLAY ON MY SMART TV?

There are numerous possible causes for the YouTube won’t play on smart TV issue, and the majority of them have something to do with either an incorrectly installed YouTube app or incorrect internet connection protocol settings.

Of course, if you’re watching a YouTube video that you’ve downloaded, the video format could be incorrect.

1. APP IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH TV MODEL

The most likely cause of YouTube not playing on smart TV is an incorrectly installed YouTube app. Different models of TV sets, as well as TVs from different brands and manufacturers, may require different versions of apps on the TV platform.

So, if the YouTube app does not match the brand or model, it is very likely that the app will not run properly, resulting in the YouTube not playing issue.

2. POOR INTERNET QUALITY

If you’re certain that it’s not the cause of your YouTube app, or if you believe the app is functioning properly but you still can’t watch any YouTube videos, the problem is most likely caused by the internet connection protocol settings. If that’s the case, simply changing the settings should be enough to solve the problem.

3. UNSUPPORTED OR CORRUPTED FILE

If you try to play a downloaded YouTube video file and it fails, it could be because the format is unsupported or the file is damaged.

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YOUTUBE TV IS NOT WORKING: HOW TO FIX?

1. SMART TV YOUTUBE WON’T DOWNLOAD/UPDATE

If YouTube does not download or update on your Smart TV, your network may need to be reset. To do so, unplug your modem or router from the power source and leave it unplugged for 60 seconds. After that, reconnect the device and let it reboot.

2. YOUTUBE NOT CASTING/STREAM TO SMART TV

If YouTube is not casting or streaming to your smart TV, make sure that both the device from which you are trying to stream and your TV are connected to the same network. To see what network you are connected to, navigate to settings and Wi-Fi on both devices.

3. SMART TV YOUTUBE NOT SHOWING UP/AVAILABLE/FOUND

If YouTube does not appear, is unavailable, or cannot be found on your smart TV, it is very likely that the app is not supported by your device. Older smart TVs lack the capabilities to support the app, which means that the app cannot be found or is not available when searched for.

4. SMART TV YOUTUBE NO SOUND/AUDIO

If you can’t hear or see anything on YouTube on your Smart TV, make sure the TV isn’t accidentally muted. If you’re casting from a smart device, check the video you’re playing and make sure it’s not muted from within the app as well.

5. SMART TV YOUTUBE BLACK/BLANK SCREEN/NO PICTURE

If YouTube on your Smart TV displays a black or blank screen with no image, sign out of the app and then sign back in. Simply log out of YouTube, then relaunch the app, enter your username and password, and check to see if you are still met with a black screen.

6. SMART TV YOUTUBE LOGIN/SIGN IN PROBLEMS

If you’re having trouble logging in or signing in to YouTube from your smart TV, make sure you’re using the correct login information for this platform. Log in to YouTube using a different device to see if the same login information gives you access.

7. CAN’T FULLSCREEN YOUTUBE

If YouTube is not full screen on your smart TV, take your remote and, from within YouTube, tap the full-screen mode icon at the bottom of the video player. When you click this, the video should immediately expand and you should be able to watch content in full screen mode.

8. IS YOUTUBE DOWN?

Check to see if the YouTube TV website is completely unavailable to all users. You can check this using well-known services such as Downdetector or Outage Report. There is nothing you can do if these services show a YouTube TV outage. The problem is on YouTube’s end, and you’ll just have to wait for the service to be restored.

9. IMPROVE THE INTERNET SPEED

The speed and quality of your home or mobile network can influence how smoothly YouTube videos play and whether they play in HD. Examine the resolution of the YouTube video as well as the recommended speed for the video to play.

The table below shows the recommended speeds for each video resolution. You will be unable to play YouTube videos if your internet speed falls below the minimum.

OTHER ISSUES THAT MAY AFFECT YOUTUBE PLAYBACK

If the solutions above do not work, you can look into this section of some special situations that may also result in YouTube playback failure.

SITUATION 1: AGE-RESTRICTED CONTENT

Sometimes content does not violate YouTube’s policies, but it is inappropriate for viewers under the age of 18. Users who are under the age of 18 may be unable to view age-restricted videos.

• Are under 18 years of age
• Are signed out
• Are watching YouTube videos embedded on most third-party sites

SITUATION 2: RESTRICTED MODE

Restricted mode is an optional setting that prevents potentially mature content from being pushed to you or others who use your devices. When Restricted Mode is enabled, comments may be hidden. Restricted mode can be enabled or disabled.

SITUATION 3: ACCOUNT ERROR ISSUES

Certain content is unavailable when there is an account error. If you’re having trouble signing in with your YouTube username, try entering your full email address instead. Then enter the same password you’ve been using to access YouTube.

Conclusion 

So, if you are unable to resolve Youtube not working on my smart TV using the steps outlined above, you can contact customer service. When this solution works for you, please leave a comment. Subscribe to our blog for more troubleshooting tips.

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