Smart TVs are traditional television sets that have the built-in capability to connect to the internet. This provides users easy access to amazing apps like Disney, Netflix, and Youtube.
However, sometimes these apps malfunction.
In this article, we will discuss what to do when the YouTube app stops working on your smart TV. Whether you are experiencing buffering issues or the app is crashing or not opening at all, there are a few troubleshooting steps you can try.
Is YouTube not working on your Smart TV?
If YouTube is not working on your smart TV, below we list some of the most common reasons why.
- No internet connection
- Your Smart Phone isn’t on the same wifi as the TV
- You have an outdated version of the YouTube app
- Your TV needs updating
- The YouTube app is down
Whether you have a Samsung, LG, Panasonic, or another brand of Smart TV, YouTube should work on all smart televisions. Therefore if your YouTube app isn’t working, these quick and easy troubleshooting steps should get you back up and running.
Fix 1. Update your YouTube app
Most TV apps are updated automatically, especially the ones that come with the TV. Which can include YouTube a lot of the time.
However, if your TV did not come loaded with any apps, or you believe your version of YouTube isn’t working correctly, updating it is the way to go.
If you’re unable to do so, here are some easy steps to update your YouTube app on any Smart TV.
How to update apps on Android Smart TV
- Open up the apps section on your Android TV
- Scroll to the right to open the Google Play Store
- Choose my apps, then scroll down to find the app which requires an update e.g. YouTube
- Press the update button, followed by accepting when asked for app permissions
- Finally, wait for it to download and then try opening your YouTube app again.
Fix 2. Reinstall your YouTube app
If you’ve updated your app but there isn’t a difference, we’d recommend deleting the app from your TV and then reinstalling it.
However, Smart devices before 2012 are no longer able to support YouTube, therefore if you delete it you may be unable to get this back. Google advises this is due to the focus needing to be on updates for newer devices.
If your TV is from 2013 onwards, you can delete your YouTube app via the following information. Start by selecting apps > My apps on the top left side > Choose YouTube > Then uninstall.
However, if you are unable to delete it that is down to the app being built into the TV.
Once you’ve deleted your YouTube app, you need to reinstall it. Head back to my apps and choose download as opposed to uninstalling them.
Fix 3. Check your internet connection
Unsure why YouTube isn’t working on your TV? You can find out if your internet is causing a problem by checking your internet connection.
To require the information on whether your TV is having issues or if your internet is down, we’d recommend using an internet speed checker such as Ookla. Who can provide you with information on your internet speed.
If you notice these are lower than usual, we’d recommend rebooting your router. To do this, you need to switch off your wifi router via the mains, then plug it back in and allow a few minutes for your router to reboot.
Fix 4. Find out if YouTube is down
Are you unsure as to whether YouTube is down or not? The Down Detector is a great indicator as to whether an app or site is having issues. By checking this you will save yourself a lot of time if you find out it is in fact a known error.
Unfortunately, if YouTube is down for users at the time of your check, no troubleshooting methods are likely to work. Therefore you will be unable to do anything on YouTube until this is rectified.
Fix 5. Use YouTube on a web browser
If you’ve found that none of the above solutions works, you can attempt to watch YouTube on your TV’s web browser. However, this can be quite glitchy, so not always an ideal fix. To find a web browser to download on your Smart TV, here’s how you do so:
- On your TV remote press the home button
- Next, use the keys to navigate your way around the apps on your device
- Then search for web browser
- When your browser has downloaded search YouTbe at the top of the screen.
- Then be sure to watch your favorites on your web browser.
YouTube not casting from Smart Phone to TV
If your Smart Phone isn’t allowing you to cast from your phone to the TV this can be frustrating. However, it’s worth looking into the following issues:
- Check both devices are connected to the same wifi, as this will not work without being on the same network
- Restart your phone and try again
If you’re still having luck, try to reconnect your phone to your Smart TV. If you’re unsure of how to do this, here are some quick and easy steps to fix your TV not working with YouTube.
- Head on to your phone’s YouTube app.
- Then choose settings, followed by ‘watch tv’
- Enter the code provided on your TV into your phone
- Once you’ve done this you should be able to control YouTube from your phone.
Conclusion
Watching YouTube on your Smart TV provides a whole new watch experience. However, when things don’t go to plan with your Smart TV, we hope these troubleshooting fixes have been helpful.
If you are still experiencing issues with watching YouTube on your Smart TV, we’d recommend casting to another device that can connect via HDMI to your TV. Although this isn’t an ideal method, it works as a temporary fix.
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