YouTube won’t load on your iPhone and you don’t know why. No matter what you do, you can’t watch any videos! In this article, I’ll explain what to do when your iPhone won’t play YouTube videos.
YouTube Is Not Working On My iPhone: Here’s The Fix!
Close And Reopen Your YouTube App
If your iPhone is not playing YouTube videos, the first thing you need to do is to troubleshoot a potential problem being caused by the app you’re using to watch YouTube. There are lots of free and paid apps you can use to watch YouTube videos on your iPhone, none of which are perfect. Closing and reopening your YouTube app has the potential to fix minor glitches, which could be the reason why your iPhone won’t play YouTube videos. It’s a quick way to give YouTube a fresh start.
First, open the app switcher on your iPhone. If your iPhone has a Home button, double-press it. If your iPhone doesn’t have a Home button, swipe up from the very bottom to the center of the screen.
Then, swipe your YouTube app up and off the top of the screen. Wait a few seconds, then reopen your YouTube app to see if it’s working again.
Troubleshooting Internet Connection Issues
YouTube requires an internet connection to work. If YouTube isn’t playing videos on your iPhone or iPad, your internet connection may be to blame. To see if your internet connection is the problem, try loading a webpage in Safari. If the webpage loads, your internet connection isn’t the issue.
If the webpage doesn’t load, there may be an issue with your internet connection. Check the four sections below to troubleshoot your internet connection
Turn Wi-Fi Off And Back On
If you are using Wi-Fi to watch YouTube videos on your iPhone, simply turn Wi-Fi off and back on. This will give your iPhone a second chance to connect to your Wi-Fi network, which could resolve a minor software problem.
Open Settings and tap Wi-Fi. Then, tap the switch next to Wi-Fi at the top of the menu. Wait a few seconds, then toggle Wi-Fi on again.
Restart Your Router
Sometimes the internet isn’t working because of an issue with your Wi-Fi router, not your iPhone. You may need to restart your router.
First, unplug your router from the wall. Wait a few seconds and plug it back in. Your router will boot back up and start to reconnect. Be prepared, this might take some time!
Turn Cellular Off And Back On
If you are using Cellular Data to watch YouTube videos on your iPhone, simply turn Cellular Data off and back on. Turning Cellular Data off and back on can sometimes fix minor connectivity issues. Open Settings and tap Cellular. Then, turn off the switch next to Cellular Data. Wait a few seconds, then turn it on again.
Turn Off Your VPN
It’s possible your VPN is causing an internet connectivity issue, or your VPN is making your iPhone appear as though it’s located in a country that has banned YouTube. Open Settings -> General -> VPN & Device Management -> VPN. Then, turn off the switch next to Status. You’ll know your VPN is off when it says Not Connected.
Open YouTube and see if the app is playing videos again. If YouTube still isn’t playing videos on your iPhone, move onto the next step!
Restart Your iPhone
Restarting your iPhone can fix a variety of minor software bugs that could be causing issues with YouTube. All of your iPhone’s processes and programs shut down naturally and get a fresh start.
The way to restart your iPhone varies depending on the model you have:
- iPhone 8 or older: Press and hold down on the power button until you see "slide to power off" appears on the screen. Swipe the power icon from left to right to shut down your iPhone. Press and hold the power button again to turn your iPhone back on.
- iPhone X or newer: Press and hold either volume button and the side button until "slide to power off" appears on the display. Swipe the red and white power icon from left to right to turn off your iPhone. Press and hold the side button to turn your iPhone on again.
Check For Updates: Is There An Update Available For The YouTube App?
It’s possible YouTube is not working on your iPhone because you’re using an old version of the app. Developers issue app updates to introduce new features and fix known bugs. Making sure YouTube (and your other apps) are up to date will help keep your iPhone or iPad running smoothly.
Open the App Store and tap on your account icon in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. Scroll down to the Updates section to see a list of your apps with available updates. If you see YouTube on this list, tap Update to its right, or tap Update All at the top of the list.
Delete & Reinstall your YouTube app
Deleting and reinstalling your preferred YouTube app may fix a deeper software problem or corrupted file within the app. Don’t worry — your YouTube account won’t be deleted when you uninstall the app.
Press and hold your YouTube app icon until the menu appears. Then, tap Remove App -> Delete App -> Delete. This will uninstall YouTube on your iPhone.
To reinstall your YouTube app, open App Store and tap on the Search tab in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. Then, type in "YouTube" or your preferred YouTube app.
Finally, tap the Install button to the right of your YouTube app. Since you’ve previously downloaded your preferred YouTube app, the Install button will look like a cloud with an arrow pointing down out of it.
Check YouTube Server Status
A lot of the time, YouTube stops working because their servers have gone down. When YouTube’s servers go down, it affects almost everyone. Check the status of YouTube’s servers and see if they’re up and running. If several YouTube services are experiencing some sort of issue (Maintenance, Notice, Incident, Outage), that’s likely the reason why YouTube videos won’t play on your iPhone.
Unfortunately, when YouTube’s servers experience problems, there’s not much you can do other than wait it out. YouTube’s team is aware of the problem and they’re working on a solution.
YouTube Is Working On Your iPhone!
YouTube is working again and you can go back to watching your favorite videos. Next time your iPhone won’t play YouTube videos, you’ll know exactly what to do! Feel free to leave us any other questions in the comments section down below.
