YouTube TV Not Working: How to Fix YouTube TV Down Right Now

YouTube TV is a popular streaming service in the United States, which you can use to watch live TV. It covers more than 85 popular channels, including ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, AMC, Adult Swim, BBC, CNBC, CNN, Comedy Central, Discovery, Disney, E!, and ESPN. 

Unfortunately, the service is not infallible and many subscribers have reported playback issues on their devices. In some cases, this has even led subscribers to ponder on whether YouTube TV is worth it or not. If you have found yourself going down the YouTube TV not working rabbit hole, recently, there is no need to worry. We will walk you through everything you need to know and how to solve the issue.

Why Is YouTube TV Not Working or Down?

A wide range of factors can lead to functionality issues with this streaming service. Usually, it’s a problem on the server’s side. These types of issues should get resolved on their own by YouTube TV, which means that you just have to wait a while and then try again later.

However, if the issue persists, there might be an issue with your YouTube TV subscription, device settings, or internet connection. Whatever it is, you should be able to resolve it fairly and get back to enjoying your favorite TV channels in no time.

How to Fix YouTube TV Not Working

Before starting the troubleshooting process, it’s a good idea to check the YouTube TV live status. If there’s a problem on its end, then there’s nothing you can do about it except sit and wait.

Furthermore, you should reboot your device. It’s a simple trick that usually solves the problem, even when YouTube TV is not working on Firestick.

Otherwise, proceed with the following solutions to get YouTube TV working again. We’ve taking into account the Windows 10, macOS, Android, and iOS platforms.

1. Check the device limit

According to YouTube TV, you can’t connect more than three devices at the same time using the same account, whether we’re talking about a computer, smartphone, tablet, smart TV, or gaming console.

So, if you are currently logged in to more than three devices, you should disconnect the ones you don’t use. It’s also a good idea to check with your friends in case you are all sharing a YouTube TV subscription.

2. Restart the YouTube TV app

Stopping and relaunching the app might be the simple solution that YouTube TV needs to function normally again. However, you should make sure to properly close the app before restart. Here’s how:

How to restart the YouTube TV app on Android:

1. Go to the Settings section of your Android
2. Visit the Apps area and find YouTube TV
3. Tap YouTube TV and then Force stop
4. Go back to your home screen
5. Relaunch YouTube TV

How to restart the YouTube TV app on iOS:

1. Swipe up and and stop in the middle of the screen
2. Swipe left or right to find and tap YouTube TV
3. Swipe up to the app’s preview and close YouTube TV
4. Restart YouTube TV

3. Restart the web browser

If you’re using a desktop and a web browser for YouTube TV, make sure to restart it to fix any functionality issues with the streaming service. For example, you can effortlessly restart Chrome. Here’s how to do it properly.

How to correctly restart a web browser on Windows 10:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to start Task Manager
2. Remain in the Processes section
3. Select your web browser and click End task
4. Start your browser again
5. Check for YouTube TV errors

If Task Manager is unavailable, you can use Command Prompt:

1. Click the Start button, search for Command Prompt, and open this app
2. Run the tasklist command to view all currently running processes
3. Find the process name of your web browser in the list
4. Write taskkill /f /im task_name.exe /t and make sure to replace task_name.exe with the your browser’s process name. For example, if you want to terminate Chrome’s task, type taskkill /f /im chrome.exe /t. Press Enter
5. Exit Command Prompt
6. Launch your browser and see if you can use YouTube TV now

How to correctly restart a web browser on macOS:

1. Select your web browser’s window
2. Open the Apple menu from the top-left part of the screen
3. Click Force Quit
4. Fire up your web browser
5. Try to use YouTube TV now

4. Power-cycle your devices

If restarting the streaming app or browser doesn’t do the trick, you should power-cycle your devices if YouTube TV is not working. Here’s how:

1. Shut down all devices used for YouTube TV. This includes any desktop, laptop, tablet, smartphone, smart TV, or gaming console
2. Turn off your router and modem
3. Unplug all devices from their power source
4. Wait a few minutes
5. Plug everything back into their power outlets
6. Turn on all devices
7. Try to access YouTube TV now

5. Try using another device or Internet network

There might be something wrong with your device or its settings, which prevents YouTube TV from working properly. To put this theory to the test, try to connect to the TV streaming service using another device from your household.

If that doesn’t solve the problem, try connecting to another Wi-Fi network, especially when you’re in public and using a public hotspot.

Or, if you have cellular data, connect to 3G or 4G to see whether YouTube TV is working or not. You don’t have to use up your mobile data, but it’s a sign that tells you there’s something wrong with your Internet connection. In that case, you should contact your ISP and ask for help.

6. Update the YouTube TV app

It’s a good idea to keep the TV streaming service updated to the latest version in order to avoid any functionality issues that may prevent you from enjoying your favorite movies and TV series. Here’s how to make it happen:

How to update YouTube TV on Android:

1. Open the Play Store
2. Go to your Google account and tap My apps & Games
3. In the Updates section, find YouTube TV and select Update
4. If it’s not on the list, it means the app is already updated
5. Relaunch YouTube TV and check for issues

How to update YouTube TV on iOS:

1. Launch the App Store
2. Locate YouTube TV and tap Update
3. If it says Open instead of Update, it means that it’s already updated
4. Restart YouTube TV to see if it works

7. Update your web browser

Your web browser should also be kept updated to the latest version if you use it to watch YouTube TV on your desktop, laptop or tablet. Normally, browsers find and install updates automatically. But if that doesn’t happen on your device, here’s how to update it manually.

How to update Google Chrome:

1. Launch Chrome
2. Open the More menu from the top-right corner
3. Go to the Help section
4. Click About Google Chrome. Or, you can visit chrome://settings/help
5. Wait for Chrome to find and install any updates
6. Click Relaunch when the update is over
7. Visit YouTube TV and try to connect

How to update Mozilla Firefox:

1. Open Firefox
2. Click the ≡ button next on the upper-right part
3. Go to Help
4. Click About Firefox
5. Wait until the browser installs any available updates
6. Restart Firefox
7. Check for YouTube TV errors now

How to update Microsoft Edge:

1. Fire up Microsoft Edge
2. Open the More menu on the upper-right corner
3. Visit the Help & feedback menu area
4. Click About Microsoft Edge (or visit edge://settings/help)
5. Wait until Edge applies any updates. Click Restart when it’s done
6. Try to watch YouTube TV now

8. Clear the app cache

Whether you’re using Android, iPhone or iPod, you should know that YouTube TV saves some data to cache in order to load content faster each time you use it. However, if the cache is full and doesn’t get emptied automatically anymore, it can lead to functionality issues. In some cases, YouTube TV stops working altogether. But you can easily fix it by clearing the app cache.

How to clear YouTube TV cache on Android:

1. Check out the Settings section of Android
2. Visit Storage
3. Go to Apps or Other Apps
4. Find and tap YouTube TV
5. Select Clear cache
6. Restart YouTube TV and see if it works

How to clear YouTube TV cache on iOS:

1. Visit the Settings area of your iPhone or iPad
2. Go to General and tap Storage
3. Select YouTube TV and tap Offload app
4. Relaunch YouTube TV and try to watch something

9. Clear the browser cache

Alternatively, if you’re using a web browser to watch YouTube TV, it’s a good idea to clear its cache in order to resolve any functionality problems with the streaming service. For instance, you can easily clear Chrome site data. Here’s what you should do.

How to clear Chrome cache on Windows and macOS:

1. Fire up Google Chrome
2. Click the More button on the top-right corner
3. Head over to Settings
4. Go to the Privacy and security section
5. Click Clear browsing data (or visit chrome://settings/clearBrowserData)
6. Choose the Basic area
7. At Time range, select All time
8. Enable the following options:
   • Browsing history
   • Cookies and other site data
   • Cached images and files
9. Click Clear data
10. Restart Chrome
11. Try to watch YouTube TV now

How to clear Firefox cache on Windows and macOS:

1. Launch Mozilla Firefox
2. Click the ≡ button on the top-right part of the window
3. Select Options from the menu
4. Go to Privacy & Security and click Clear Data…
5. Make sure to enable the next settings:
   • Cookies and Site Data
   • Cached Web Content
6. Disable all other options
7. Click the Clear button
8. Restart Firefox
9. Try to access YouTube TV now

How to clear Microsoft Edge cache:

1. Start Microsoft Edge on your PC
2. Open the More menu and select Settings
3. Head over to the Privacy, search, and services section (or visit edge://settings/privacy)
4. At Clear browsing data now, click Choose what to clear
5. Set Time range to All time
6. Check the following options:
   • Browsing history
   • Download history
   • Cookies and other site data
   • Cached images and files
7. Uncheck all other options
8. Click Clear now
9. Restart Edge and check for YouTube TV errors

10. Reset browser settings to default

It’s possible that the customized settings of your web browser are causing functionality issues with YouTube TV. In this case, you should reset browser settings to default before attempting to watch TV on your computer. For example, you can easily restore Chrome settings to factory values. Here’s how.

How to reset Chrome settings on Windows and Mac:

1. Launch Chrome
2. Open the More menu on the top-right corner
3. Select Settings (or visit chrome://settings/)
4. Scroll down to the bottom of the page
5. Click Advanced
6. At Reset and clean up, click Restore settings to their original defaults
7. When asked again, click Reset settings
8. Restart Chrome
9. Try to watch YouTube TV now

How to reset Firefox settings on Windows and Mac:

1. Start Firefox
2. Open the ≡ menu on the top-right corner
3. Go to the Help menu and pick Troubleshoot Mode
4. Click Restart
5. When asked again, click Refresh Firefox to confirm
6. Restart Firefox and check for YouTube TV issues

How to reset Edge settings:

1. Fire up Microsoft Edge
2. Click the More button to open a menu
3. Go to Settings
4. Jump to the Reset settings section
5. Click Restore settings to their default values. Or, visit edge://settings/resetProfileSettings
6. When asked, click Reset for confirmation
7. After Edge resets, try to watch YouTube TV

11. Check location permissions

According to the YouTube TV help page, it’s essential to confirm your home area in order to avoid streaming issues due to geographical restrictions. While doing so, check that location permissions are enabled on your device for YouTube TV.

How to check location permissions on Chrome:

1. Launch Google Chrome
2. Open the More menu and go to Settings
3. Jump to the Privacy and security section
4. Click Site settings
5. At Permissions, pick Location
6. Make sure that the YouTube TV website is on the Allow list
7. Exit settings
8. Try to watch YouTube TV now

How to check location permissions on Firefox:

1. Open Mozilla Firefox
2. Click the ≡ button and select Options
3. Select Privacy & Security (or visit about:preferences#privacy)
4. At Permissions, click Settings next to Location
5. Search for the YouTube TV website in the list and allow it
6. Click Save Changes
7. Try to watch YouTube TV now

How to check location permissions on Edge:

1. Open Microsoft Edge
2. Click the More button on the top-right corner
3. Go to Settings
4. Switch to the Cookies and site permissions area
5. At All permissions, click Location
6. Make sure that YouTube TV is on the Allow list
7. Quit settings
8. Check for YouTube TV errors

12. Fix the HDCP error on Roku players

If YouTube TV is not working on your Roku player, you should make sure that your TV or AVR supports copy and content protection technology (HDCP). Once you clear this issue, verify your HDMI cable or connector for damages.

In case it’s faulty, you have to replace it, preferably with an HDMI cable with fewer than 6 feet. Otherwise, it’s a good idea to unplug and replug the HDMI cable into your Roku device.

13. Reinstall the YouTube TV app

There might be something wrong with the installation package of the YouTube app on your Android or iOS device. Or, perhaps it was affected by a recent system update. To resolve this problem, you should quickly uninstall and reinstall the app if YouTube TV is not working anymore.

14. Reinstall your web browser

If you’re using a web browser on a desktop or laptop to watch YouTube TV, you should also reinstall the application to get the streaming service to function normally again. Here’s what you need to do.

How to reinstall Chrome or Firefox on Windows 10:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager
2. In the Processes tab, select the entire process tree of Chrome or Firefox
3. Click End task
4. Right-click the Windows 10 Start button and go to Apps and Features
5. Find and select Chrome or Firefox
6. Click Uninstall and then again to confirm
7. Proceed with the removal operation
8. Download Chrome or get Firefox from the official website
9. Install the web browser
10. Try to watch YouTube TV now

How to reinstall Chrome or Firefox on macOS:

1. Select the Chrome or Firefox application
2. Open the Apple menu
3. Select Force Quit
4. Launch the Finder app
5. Visit the Applications folder
6. Locate Chrome or Firefox
7. Drag and drop the browser folder to the Trash
8. If asked, specify your administrator username and password to confirm
9. Open Finder and select Empty Trash
10. Download Chrome or get Firefox from the official website
11. Set up the web browser
12. Log in to your YouTube TV account and check for issues

15. Disable VPN or proxy tools

Many users turn to VPN or proxy tools to unlock YouTube TV content that’s not normally available to their region. However, if you’re using a free service, it’s possible that YouTube TV is detecting your VPN and blocking your access as a result.

Unless you’re willing to invest in a premium VPN for YouTube TV, you should turn off your free VPN or proxy service and let the streaming service identify your true location. Or, perhaps you accidentally left your VPN turned on and that’s why YouTube TV local channels are not working anymore.

How to disable VPN and proxy on Windows 10:

1. Right-click the Start button and go to Network Connections
2. Select VPN on the left side
3. Disable any currently running VPN connections
4. Switch to the Proxy section on the left
5. Turn off Automatically detect settings and Use setup script
6. Scroll down and also disable Use a proxy server
7. Restart your computer
8. Try to watch YouTube TV now

How to disable VPN and proxy on macOS:

1. Open the Apple menu
2. Click System Preferences
3. Select Network and switch to the VPN section
4. Switch off any active VPN connections by clicking Disconnect
5. Select your Internet connection and click Advanced
6. Go to the Proxies section and disable all options
7. Click OK
8. Restart your Mac
9. Check for any additional YouTube TV problems

16. Flush your DNS servers

Emptying the cache of your DNS servers is a simple way to refresh your Internet connection and fix any connectivity issues that may cause YouTube TV to stop working properly. Here’s what you need to do:

How to clear the DNS cache on Windows 10:

1. Click the Start button, search for Command Prompt, and launch this app
2. Copy and paste the following lines (press Enter after each one):

   • ipconfig /flushdns

   • ipconfig /registerdns

   • ipconfig /release

   • ipconfig /renew

   • netsh winsock reset

3. Quit to the desktop and restart your PC
4. Try to watch YouTube TV now

How to clear the DNS cache on macOS:

1. Launch the Terminal app
2. Run the sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder command
3. If prompted, type your admin username and password
4. Restart your Mac
5. Check for YouTube TV issues

17. Change your DNS servers

If DNS flushing won’t do the trick, perhaps the DNS servers assigned by your ISP are too slow to handle streaming. What you can do is change your default DNS servers to something else. For example, you can use Google Public DNS.

How to set Google Public DNS servers on Windows:

1. Sign in to Windows 10 using an administrator account
2. Right-click the Start button and select Network Connections
3. Click Change adapter options
4. Select your Internet connection, right-click it, and go to Properties
5. In the Networking tab, double-click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) to view its properties
6. In the General tab, select Use the following DNS server addresses
7. At Preferred DNS server, type 8.8.8.8
8. Set Alternate DNS server to 8.8.4.4
9. Enable Validate settings upon exit and click OK
10. Try to watch YouTube TV now

How to set Google Public DNS servers on macOS:

1. Open the Apple menu
2. Go to System Preferences
3. Select Network and click Advanced
4. Switch to the DNS area
5. Click + and type 8.8.8.8
6. Click + again to add 8.8.4.4
7. When you’re done, click OK and exit
8. Check for YouTube TV errors

18. Check for system updates

Your operating system should always be updated to the latest version, whether we’re talking about Windows, macOS, Android, or iOS. It ensures that your device is equipped with the newest features, improvements, hotfixes, and security patches.

If YouTube TV stopped working due to an operating system error, you will surely fix it by checking for system updates. Here’s what you need to do:

How to update Windows 10:

1. Right-click the Start button and go to Settings
2. Select Update & Security
3. Go to Windows Update on the left side
4. Your operating system should automatically start looking for updates. If it doesn’t, click Check for updates
5. Wait a few minutes until the search is over. If the download doesn’t autostart, click Download
6. Your PC will probably restart to finalize the update installation
7. Try to watch YouTube TV now

How to update macOS:

1. Click the Apple button to open a menu
2. Select Software Update
3. Patiently wait while macOS checks for updates and installs anything it finds
4. Enter your admin username and password if asked to confirm the install
5. Reboot your Mac
6. Check if you still have issues with YouTube TV

How to update Android:

1. Make sure that your Android isn’t low on battery. Otherwise, plug it into a power socket
2. Select Settings
3. Go to System and tap Advanced
4. Select System Update
5. Wait while Android downloads and installs updates. When it finishes, reboot the device
6. Open the YouTube TV app and check for errors

How to update iOS:

1. Check the battery of your iPhone or iPad
2. Visit the Settings section
3. Tap General and go to Software Update
4. Tap Download and Install
5. If you’re running on low disk space, iOS will ask to remove apps. Tap Continue to agree. Your apps will be added back to your device later
6. Tap Install
7. Authorize the update by using your password or fingerprint
8. When the update is complete, restart your iOS device
9. Check the YouTube TV app for additional errors

19. Check your device drivers

If your devices aren’t properly installed on your computer, this could cause functionality issues with streaming services such as YouTube TV. It’s also possible that your device drivers are incompatible or obsolete. Whatever the issue may be, you can easily fix it.

How to reinstall drivers on Windows 10:

1. Press Win key + R, type control panel, and press Enter
2. Select Device Manager
3. Expand all categories and look for any devices with a yellow exclamation mark
4. Right-click the device and select Uninstall device
5. Open the Action menu and click Scan for hardware changes
6. Restart your computer. Windows will auto-reinstall the missing devices
7. Try to watch YouTube TV now

How to update drivers on Windows 10:

1. Go back to Device Manager
2. Select a device, right-click it, and choose Update driver
3. Click Search automatically for updated driver software
4. If the online search doesn’t return anything, click Search for updated drivers on Windows Update

If you don’t know which drivers should be updated, we suggest paying a special attention when it comes to the graphics and network drivers. Better yet, use a driver update application.

It’s the type of tool that automatically detects all outdated drivers on the PC, finds newer versions on the Internet that are actually compatible with your computer, and then installs the required drivers.

On Mac, your drivers are updated automatically when you update your operating system.

If you accidentally installed an incompatible driver that’s causing streaming issues, you should roll it back immediately.

How to roll back drivers on Windows 10:

1. Go to Device Manager
2. Right-click a device and select Properties
3. Select the Driver section
4. Click Roll Back Driver and proceed with the driver removal. If the button is greyed out, it means that you can’t perform the rollback because no previous driver version exists on your PC
5. Restart your machine
6. Try to watch YouTube TV now

20. Check your Internet connection

Various Internet connectivity issues can hamper your streaming experience and prevent YouTube TV from working properly on your device. Here are some suggestions to check your Internet connection and make it faster:

• Reboot your router and modem
• Try moving your device closer to the router to get a better signal
• If your router has dual-band support, make sure to connect to the 5Ghz network (not 2.4Ghz) since it’s faster
• Temporarily switch from Wi-Fi to Ethernet (wired) mode
• Run a ping test between your computer and the YouTube TV website when staying connected in wired and wireless mode to check for packet loss
• Test your Internet connection by measuring your download speed. You should have at least 3 Mbps to ensure an optimal streaming experience
• If your computer is connected to IPv6 although your network doesn’t support IPv6, make sure to turn it off and stick to IPv4 only
• Run the Internet connection troubleshooter on Windows 10 to resolve common connectivity problems
• Close all other applications with Internet access to allocate more network resources to the YouTube TV app or web browser
• Discover all devices connected to the Wi-Fi network and kick the ones you’re not currently using
• Switch your mobile data connection off and on
• Lower the video quality by clicking the More button in the video player and then Quality

21. Log out and into your YouTube Account

Sometimes the reason for YouTube TV not working is just a bug and you can fix it by logging out of your YouTube account and logging back in. Follow these steps:

1. Open the YouTube TV app or website on your device.
2. Click on your profile picture in the top right corner of the screen.
3. Select Sign Out in the menu.

4. Close the YouTube App or your browser.
5. Open it again and click on Sign In.
6. Enter your Email and Password.
7. Now check to see if the problem is gone or not.

22. Check the Limit for Simultaneous Streams

YouTube TV allows only 3 simultaneous streams per account. So if your streams are blocked and the YouTube TV app not working for you, it can be that you have exceeded the limit for simultaneous streams. To make sure that you have not exceeded the limit, try signing out of your YouTube TV account on other devices. Moreover, there is a way to log out of other YouTube TV devices remotely from another device. To do this, follow the steps below:

1. Using a browser, go to your Google account and select Manage your Google Account.
2. Now from the menu on the left side, select Security.

3. Scroll a little bit down and you’ll be able to see the connected devices. Click on Manage all devices.

4. Now select one or more devices that you don’t use and then click on Sign Out.

23. Disable Ad Blockers or Extensions

Ad blockers and some extensions can interfere with YouTube TV and stop you from accessing YouTube streams. This can be an issue when you are using a browser to access YouTube TV and not the official App. Try disabling ad blockers and extensions that you have recently installed to see if the issue gets fixed. The steps for disabling extensions, including ad blockers are similar in different browsers:

1. Go to the Extensions section in your browser and click on the three dots in front of the extension you want to disable.

2. Now you can pause the extension on the YouTube TV website or completely remove it from your browser. Both of these actions can solve your problem. First, try pausing the extension, and if the problem persists, try removing it.

24. Check the Parental Controls

Your access to YouTube TV may be restricted because of parental controls. So see if there are any restrictions on your YouTube TV account. To check it, simply open your YouTube TV app or the website, go to the settings, and find the Family Sharing option. Now, you can disable any previous restrictions and test if you can now watch content on YouTube TV or not.

25. Contact YouTube Support

The last solution is to contact YouTube TV support and ask them why is YouTube TV not working for you. Here’s how you can contact the support:

1. Go to the YouTube TV Help page.
2. Describe your issue in the search box and you can find useful guides to fix the issue.

3. To get help from the Support team, scroll down and click on Contact Us.

4. Fill out the form and describe your problem, and a support specialist will contact you to provide help.

5. You can ask the community for help. Simply click on the Community option in the top left corner and describe your issue to the community.

You can fix YouTube TV when it’s not working anymore

To recap, YouTube TV is likely experiencing functionality issues due to a server problem that will soon get resolved by the streaming service, so you just have to wait it out. If it doesn’t, there might be a problem with your device settings or Internet connection.

You should check the YouTube TV device limit, restart and update the YouTube TV app or web browser, power-cycle your devices, connect to another device or wireless network, empty the app, browser and DNS cache, change your DNS settings, as well as restore browser settings to default.

It’s also a good idea to check location permissions, fix the HDCP error on Roku players, reinstall the YouTube TV app or browser, disable any VPN or proxy tools, change your DNS server settings, update your operating system, check your device drivers, and improve your Internet connection.

How did you get YouTube TV to work on your device? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What should I do if YouTube TV keeps crashing?

If your YouTube TV app keeps crashing, you can fix it by restarting your device, updating the app to the latest version, reinstalling the YouTube TV app, and clearing the app’s cache and data.

• Can YouTube TV be blocked by VPNs or Proxies?

Yes, due to licensing restrictions, YouTube TV actively monitors VPN and proxy activities, and if it finds out that you’re using a VPN or proxy, your YouTube TV will be blocked. YouTube TV is only available in the US, so if you have to use a VPN or proxy, only connect to US servers to prevent blocks.

• How do I check if YouTube TV servers are down?

Visiting websites such as Downdetector can help you find out if there is a widespread outage of YouTube TV servers and if other people are experiencing the same problem or if it’s a problem with your account, connection, or device.

• How can I fix YouTube TV showing a black screen?

This can be caused by different elements. Try these methods:

• Check your internet connectivity.
• Close the YouTube TV app or website and open it again.
• If you are using a TV, check your HDMI cable and make sure it doesn’t have any problems.

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1 Comment

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