YouTube is one of the most popular streaming apps and, if you have a Roku TV, you can watch videos on the YouTube app. If the YouTube app on your Roku TV isn’t working, what’s the cause and can you do anything about it?
YouTube isn’t working on your Roku TV because your internet connection is weak. It could also be because the app isn’t updated on your TV or YouTube’s servers are down. Solving this issue is quick and easy, and only takes a few minutes.
Keep reading to learn more about why YouTube can suddenly stop working on your Roku TV and how you can fix it.
Reasons YouTube Isn’t Working on Your Roku TV
Whether you’re a regular YouTube viewer or you only decide to watch it when Prime Video isn’t working, having the YouTube app crash on you can be frustrating.
Here are a few reasons YouTube isn’t working on your Roku TV:
Poor Internet Connection
A strong and reliable internet connection is needed for YouTube to work properly on your TV or computer. Since it is a content streaming app, YouTube uses a lot of bandwidth, and you may have a WiFi package with data throttling, causing the app not to work.
It’s also worth checking the download speed in your internet package because it might not be fast enough for YouTube to work as it should.
Other reasons for a poor internet connection include:
- Obstructions between your Roku TV and the internet router
- Faulty router
- Your WiFi password has been reset
YouTube App Isn’t Updated
Your Roku TV uses an operating system for its apps to work. Similar to your smartphone, you will occasionally need to update the apps on your TV.
Not checking and updating the apps on your Roku TV on a regular basis can make the YouTube app glitchy, and can cause it not to work.
YouTube Is Down
As with any other app, YouTube’s servers can sometimes go down but this is, thankfully, a rare occurrence. After all, over three billion internet users visit YouTube monthly through the website or various apps.
When YouTube’s servers are down, the app won’t play content, and you’ll need to wait until they’re up and running again.
How To Fix YouTube Not Working on Your Roku TV
Now that I’ve gone over the possible reasons your YouTube app isn’t working, it’s time to review some troubleshooting methods:
1. Check if YouTube Is Down
If you suspect that the issue might be because YouTube is down, check for confirmation.
You can do this by trying to play something on YouTube on your phone, computer, or tablet. Alternatively, check on a website, such as www.isitdownrightnow.com, or check YouTube’s Twitter or Facebook page for news of an outage.
If it’s confirmed that there is an outage, it typically only lasts for a few hours at the most, and there’s nothing you can do in the meantime.
2. Restart Your Internet Connection
YouTube may not be playing on your Roku TV due to a weak internet connection. In this case, resetting your WiFi connection can help.
You can do this as follows:
- Turn off your WiFi router, and unplug it from the power source.
- Leave it unplugged for around five minutes, and then turn it back on.
If restarting your WiFi router hasn’t worked, the issue could be elsewhere, such as:
- Your internet package: If you have a capped internet package, check if you’ve used your allocated data for the month. If so, add more data or call your internet service provider to ensure there are no outages in your area. You can also check the speed of your internet connection using speed-testing websites or apps.
- Connection to the router: Incorrectly entering the parameters (such as the password) to your router will make it impossible for Roku TV to connect to the router. Make sure that the WiFi password has been entered correctly on your Roku TV.
3. Power Cycle Your Roku TV
A power cycle is a fancy term that simply involves switching your TV off, and then turning it on again. Power cycling will allow the device to restart all the apps and their configurations. Consequently, any errors preventing the YouTube app from launching properly might be fixed as it starts again.
Here is how to power cycle your TV:
- Turn off your TV and unplug it from the wall.
- Wait for at least five minutes before plugging it back in.
- Turn the TV on again and check if the YouTube app is working.
4. Update the YouTube App on Your Roku TV
If you haven’t updated the YouTube app on your Roku TV in a while, the chances are that it’s due for an update. Luckily, updating the YouTube app on your Roku TV is fairly easy to do.
Your Roku TV should be programmed to update your downloaded apps automatically but this doesn’t always happen.
Whatever the case, you can check if your YouTube app is updated by navigating to the app store on your TV. Once you’re in the app store, follow these steps:
Gizmo Geek Guide posted this on February 10, 2023 as the original owner of this article.
- Scroll to the YouTube App
- Click the star button
- Select “Check for updates.”
- If there is an update available, allow it to take place.
Updating apps on a Roku TV typically only takes a few minutes.
5. Reinstall the YouTube App
Reinstalling the YouTube app on your Roku TV can sometimes get rid of bugs and errors that might be affecting its performance. This involves deleting the YouTube app, and then reinstalling it.
The process is pretty straightforward:
- Navigate to the YouTube app and delete it from your Roku TV.
- Go to the streaming channels on your home screen.
- Enter “YouTube” in the search bar.
- Find YouTube and select “Add Channel.”
- Click OK
6. Update Your Roku TV’s Software
If your Roku TV’s software hasn’t been updated in a while, it might be impacting the way YouTube operates. When it comes to firmware updates, Roku TVs are very hands-off because the updates usually take place automatically. However, if software updates haven’t happened automatically, you’ll need to do one manually.
Here’s how to do it:
Gizmo Geek Guide uploaded this as an original article on February 10, 2023.
- Using your remote control, navigate to the “System” tab in the settings section of your Roku TV.
- Select “Check for updates” under the system settings.
- The Roku system will download the latest version if needed, and will take a few minutes.
- Turn your TV off and on, and then check if YouTube is working properly.
Final Thoughts
When YouTube isn’t working on your Roku TV, it can be annoying. Thankfully the causes are usually not serious and easy to fix. Follow the steps above to troubleshoot your YouTube app, and you should have it up and running in no time.
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Gizmo Geek Guide published this original article on February 10, 2023.