Is YouTube not working? Have no fear, we'll get you back to watching those cat videos soon enough. It's possible that YouTube is down for everyone, but the problem is more likely on your end.

Whether videos are endlessly buffering, the YouTube app isn't loading, or something else entirely, our troubleshooting steps for desktop and mobile should help you get YouTube working again.

First, Check If YouTube Is Down

The first thing to check before anything else is whether the problem is with YouTube itself, rather than anything on your side. It's rare for YouTube to have a complete outage, but it does happen.

Downdetector crowdsources user reports showing you what issues are being reported and from where in the world. It's a handy way to see if YouTube is down for everyone or just you.

YouTube page on Downdetector

When YouTube has major downtime, news outlets will report on it. The quickest way to check is by going to Google News and searching for "YouTube down" or "YouTube outage".

Additionally, browse YouTube's social media channels, like @TeamYouTube on Twitter, for first-hand updates from the company.

If YouTube is down, all you can do is wait it out. Otherwise, have you established that YouTube is working for others? If so, crack on with these troubleshooting steps.

How to Fix YouTube on Desktop

If you're using YouTube on a desktop browser, follow these steps to try to fix YouTube.

1. Update Your Browser

You should always use the most up-to-date version of your browser. Most popular browsers like Chrome and Firefox should automatically update, but it's always best to double-check this.

For Chrome, paste chrome://settings/help into the URL bar and press Enter. You should see "Chrome is up to date." If you don't, the latest build will automatically download. Once it's finished, click Relaunch.

about chrome settings page

For other browsers, see our guide on how to update your web browser.

2. Clear Your Cookies and Cache

Try clearing your cookies and cache to clean out the browser.

On Chrome:

  1. Paste chrome://settings/clearBrowserData into the URL bar and press Enter.
  2. On the Time range dropdown, select All time.
  3. Check Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files.
  4. Click Clear data.
chrome clear browsing data

For other browsers, read our guide on how to delete internet cookies.

3. Disable Your Extensions

Browser extensions can cause compatibility problems with YouTube.

To view your extensions in Chrome, paste chrome://extensions/ in the URL bar and press Enter.

google chrome extensions

For each extension in turn, toggle the slider left to disable it. After each, try YouTube again and see if the issue is resolved. If it is, keep the extension disabled and contact the developer to see if they can patch the issue.

For other browsers, check out our guide on how to clean up your browser extensions.

4. Update Your Video Drivers

If your video drivers are outdated, it can cause issues playing videos. Try updating them to see it resolves the issue.

If you're using Windows 10 or 11, first grab the latest drivers from your graphic card manufacturer's website (likely AMD, NVIDIA, or Intel.)

Then do the following:

  1. Press Windows key + X and click Device Manager.
  2. Double click Display adapters.
  3. Right-click your graphics card and click Update driver.
  4. Click Search automatically for drivers and follow the wizard through.
windows device manager update graphics

For more support, refer to our guide on how to update your Windows graphics drivers.

On macOS, you just need to ensure you're using the latest operating system version. Do this via Apple logo > System Preferences > Software Update.

5. Troubleshoot Your Internet Connection

Even if you can access other websites, it doesn't mean your internet connection isn't at fault. It might not be stable enough to stream YouTube.

Windows has a native troubleshooter to detect and resolve problems. To find it, press Windows key + I to open Settings, then:

  • On Windows 10, go to Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters > Internet Connections > Run the troubleshooter.
  • On Windows 11, go to System > Troubleshoot > Other trouble-shooters > Internet Connections > Run.

If this doesn't work, see our article on diagnosing a network problem for more advice.

windows 11 other troubleshooters

If you're using a Mac, follow the steps in our macOS internet connection troubleshooting guide.

How to Fix YouTube on Android and iOS

If you're using YouTube on an Android or iOS device (like an iPhone or iPad), try these troubleshooting steps.

There are many versions of Android. When following the instructions below, you may find that some menu items have slightly different labels. If you struggle to get to the right screen, use your device's search function.

1. Update the Operating System

Your operating system may be outdated and thus YouTube is unable to run correctly.

On Android, open Settings and look for Software update (or System update.) It might be within an About phone section. If there's a new version available, download and install it.

On iOS, go to Settings > General > Software update and download and install an update if there's one available.

2. Update the YouTube App

You should always use the latest version of the YouTube app so that you benefit from new features and bug fixes.

On Android, open the Play Store, tap your profile icon, and select Manage apps and device. Next, tap Updates pending and, if YouTube is here, tap Update.

On iOS, open the App Store, tap your profile icon, and scroll down to Available Updates. If you see YouTube on this list, tap Update.

3. Clear the YouTube App Cache and Data

If you've used the YouTube app for a while, a large amount of cache and data may have accumulated and be causing issues.

On Android, go to Settings > Apps > YouTube > Storage. Tap Clear cache and see if it fixes the problem. If not, return to the same screen and tap Clear data.

On iOS, the best way to do this is to uninstall and reinstall YouTube. Press and hold the app on your home screen and tap Remove App > Delete App. Then head to the App Store and download YouTube again.

4. Sync the Date and Time

The YouTube app can be glitchy if your device's date and time is out of alignment with that of the YouTube server. The best way to resolve this is to allow your network to automatically handle the date and time.

On Android, go to Settings > General management > Date and time and slide Automatic date and time to On.

On iOS, go to Settings > General > Date & Time and slide Set Automatically to On.

5. Reset Your Internet Connection

YouTube might not work if your internet is struggling to connect properly. On Android, go to Settings > Connections. On iOS, open Control Center.

First, turn Flight mode on and off. This can often refresh your network settings and solve the problem. Next, switch your connection method to Wi-Fi or your cellular network (whichever one you aren't currently using.) If this doesn't work, disable Bluetooth.

Still no luck? You can reset your network connection entirely. On Android, go to Settings > General management > Reset > Reset network settings.

On iOS, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Reset > Reset Network Settings.

If All Else Fails, Contact Google

Now you've followed these instructions, hopefully YouTube or the YouTube app is working again. If it isn't, contact Google for further support.

If this experience has soured your view of YouTube, there are plenty of alternative video sites ready to drain your time.