YouTube generally works smoothly on devices like smartphones or tablets. However, some users state that YouTube is not working on their TV. If YouTube isn’t working on your smart TV, it is likely due to minor issues. The leading cause of these issues is your internet connection working unstably. Now, we will discuss some precautions you can take, starting with checking if your internet is working healthily.
Why Won’t YouTube Open on TV?
Internet Connection Issue
One of the most common reasons for YouTube not working on a Smart TV is an unstable internet connection. This could be due to a problematic modem, too many devices connected to the network, or interference caused by other nearby electronic devices.
Browser-Related Issues
If you are using an old web browser or a browser not supported by YouTube, it may cause content loading issues. Additionally, if you have enabled certain security settings in your browser, these settings might prevent YouTube videos from loading and lead to other problems.
Software Updates Not Installed
Outdated software on your device can cause problems with video playback and other tools associated with YouTube. Installing regular updates ensures everything runs smoothly and any bugs or issues are fixed quickly. It is important to stay up to date for your device to work optimally.
Too Much Data Storage on the Device
Over time, our devices fill up with data, and this eventually affects how the device works and its performance. This issue includes streaming YouTube videos.
Insufficient Memory Allocation for Apps
When installing apps on our devices, we generally need to remember how much space each app has when trying to access data from online sources or load content. Make sure you have allocated sufficient memory for applications.
Solution Suggestions for YouTube Not Working on TV Issue
Check Your Smart TV Model Before Troubleshooting
First, you must check if the smart TV model you own is compatible with YouTube TV. If it is not compatible, YouTube TV will not work no matter what you do.
For example, old Samsung models are not compatible with the YouTube TV app. Generally, models released before 2016 cannot run YouTube TV. Therefore, if you have a Samsung TV purchased before 2016, the YouTube TV app will likely not work on it. You can access the list of YouTube Compatible TVs published on Samsung’s official website.
If your smart TV is compatible, you can move on to other solutions.
Check Your Internet Connection
If YouTube is not working on the smart television, the first thing you should do is check if the problem is specific to YouTube. If you cannot access any website, you can try restarting your modem.
If you can access other sites but cannot access YouTube, this is likely a problem with the site itself. Therefore, there is nothing you can do but wait for Google to fix it. However, if you can access YouTube and other sites smoothly (on other devices), your problem is likely related to your television. In this case, continue looking at the methods below.
Check Cable Connections
Make sure all cables between devices are securely plugged in. These cables include the power cable and all HDMI or ethernet cables.
If the problem persists despite checking these cables, try using different cables. We recommend considering this suggestion to ensure they are not damaged in any way. Additionally, you can try connecting your television directly to the modem via cable instead of WiFi.
Restart Your Device
Restarting your device is at the top of the list of things that can be done to solve many software problems that cause intermittent errors or freezing. So, before doing anything else, this method is definitely worth a try.
To restart an Android TV, press and hold the Home button for 10 seconds until the screen goes black. Or, after opening the power menu from the home screen, you can select Restart.
Check for Updates
If your YouTube app is not up to date, it may not work with the current version available. Most smart televisions have automatic software updates. However, if your device does not update automatically, check for updates manually.
You can follow these steps for this:
- Open the Settings menu.
- Select Software Update.
- Now select Update (or a similar option).
Clear Cache
Clearing the cache can help you resolve issues with your YouTube app. When the app won’t open, crashes, freezes, or becomes unresponsive, clearing the cache can help.
This process will vary depending on which device you use. Therefore, you can do this by checking the user manual or doing a quick search on the internet.
Delete and Reinstall YouTube
Cached data in your YouTube app may prevent your app from working stably. When you delete and reinstall the app, you make a fresh start.
If an update is available, some smart TVs update their apps automatically. If your YouTube app is up to date, nothing else needs to be re-downloaded when you delete and reinstall it.
Wait for Long Recordings
Publishing and watching long videos on YouTube can take time, and this can sometimes create the impression that YouTube is not opening on the TV. This is because YouTube needs to process the uploaded videos and make them available for use. Processing long recordings, especially those exceeding 4 hours, may take more time.
This lengthy processing may cause the video not to play immediately or for some parts to be rejected while loading. When you try to open YouTube on the TV and the video you want does not appear immediately or does not play at all, it may be because a long recording has not yet been fully processed. In such cases, it is recommended to wait for the issue to resolve. Usually, the video will become playable normally a day or two after it is uploaded. Therefore, if YouTube is not opening on your television and you have recently uploaded or are trying to watch a long video, waiting for the video processing to complete may be the solution.
How to Reset YouTube on Smart TV?
Your smart television works on apps, as you likely already know. Like the apps on your smartphone or tablet, these apps can also be updated.
Depending on the app, these updates may include new features. Updates include bug fixes or security improvements. But what if you want to go back to your previous version? For example, if updating the app breaks YouTube? In such a case, we will touch upon how you can perform the YouTube reset process on your smart television.
First, make sure you have signed out of your YouTube account. Go to the profile icon in the right corner and select “Sign Out” and then “Sign In”.
To reset the YouTube app on your Smart TV, you can also clear cache data. This allows you to remove all saved information regarding your YouTube account. This includes your watch and search history.
To do this, go to the Settings menu from the YouTube app on your smart TV. From there, go to Clear Browsing Data (or a similar phrase). Then check the boxes for Cached Images, Files, and Cookies and Other Site Data.
After clearing the cache, try using YouTube again and check if the problem is resolved. Otherwise, uninstalling and reinstalling the YouTube app on your smart TV will also do the trick.