If you are a Roku user and are finding YouTube not working on Roku, you’re not alone. Many people have experienced this issue, and it can be quite frustrating.
In this article, we’ll discuss some of the most common reasons why YouTube may not be working on your Roku device and provide some tips for troubleshooting the issue.
Why Is YouTube Not Working On Roku?
Roku’s problems with the YouTube app can also be in their nature. Sometimes the app (or channel) will fail to launch entirely, while other times, it simply fails to play the videos.
Some users run into an issue logging on to their YouTube accounts. Sometimes these issues seem to start spontaneously, even though the YouTube app on the Roku has been previously working without issues.
There are a number of causes for all of these YouTube app problems on Roku, including problems with the YouTube app itself, the Roku device, or the internet connection in your home.
In most of these cases, there are handy and simple solutions that can be applied to remedy the problem.
Is YouTube Down?
Before jumping into steps to see why your YouTube app is not working on Roku, it is important to validate that the problem is on your end and is fixable from your side.
In other words, if the YouTube app itself is down (which is rare but does happen on occasion), then there is not much to do but wait for the problem to be resolved.
An easy way to find out about large-scale or even localized outages of the YouTube app is to visit Downdetector.com and check on whether there is a large number of users reporting outages.
This will be a good indicator that the problem is with the YouTube app itself.
How to Fix YouTube Not Working on Roku
The best way to fix YouTube not working on Roku is to start with simple solutions and gradually move on to more complex ones if the initial solutions do not work.
For example, you could check if the internet connection is working and check if your Roku and the YouTube app are updated to the latest software version.
If these solutions do not work, you can try more extreme solutions, such as resetting the Roku device.
1. Check Your Home’s Internet Connection
The inability to launch the YouTube app or play any videos could have to do with your internet connection.
Nearly every app on Roku requires some form of internet connection for streaming, so if your internet connection is down, you will not be able to use it.
The following steps should help isolate the problem to the app, the Roku, or your internet connection.
- Try to launch any other streaming apps from Roku. If other apps don’t work, it makes it more likely that your internet connection is to blame.
- If other apps do launch, try seeing if YouTube will work on another streaming device, smart TV, or even from a PC or smartphone browser. If it does, the issue is likely with the app just on your Roku. If not, there is likely a problem with the YouTube service.
Reset Your Modem or Router
If it seems likely that the internet connection is at fault, you can reset your modem and/or router.
You can do this by unplugging it from its power source and plugging it back in 15 to 30 seconds later. This will allow for the initialization protocols to run and try again.
If the YouTube app launches, but the videos are not starting or stopping frequently, you may have an internet connection that is too slow to allow sufficient buffering to occur.
One solution for this is to reset your router or modem. Another one is to disconnect some other devices in your home that use your WiFi.
Finally, you can also pause the video and give it a few minutes to buffer ahead, though if this is the approach, you will likely have to interrupt your watching to do this repeatedly every few minutes.
2. Reinstall the YouTube App
There may be a problem with the YouTube app itself. Most of the time, any of these issues can be overcome by reinstalling it on the Roku device.
Most glitches, caching issues, and other various bugs are overcome by uninstalling the application from your device and reinstalling it.
This fix also works when popular apps like Prime Video and Hulu don’t work on Roku.
To remove the YouTube channel, follow these steps:
- Open the Youtube app.
- Long press the center Start button, and a menu with options will appear
- Select the Remove Channel option.
- Confirm your action by selecting Remove on the subsequent prompt, and the channel will be removed from the menu.
To reinstall the YouTube app, follow these steps:
- From Roku’s Home menu, navigate to Streaming Channels
- Search for the YouTube app.
- Select the channel (app)
- Choose the Add Channel option, then confirm with Ok.
3. Restart Your Roku
If the Roku is indicating problems beyond the YouTube app (like app launch issues or error messages), you can restart the device itself.
To do so, navigate to the device’s settings and select the restart option.
- Navigating to the System menu
- Selecting System Restart
- Selecting the Restart option
If your Roku is frozen, you can press the Home button on the remote 5 times, then the up arrow, then the Rewind Button, and finally the Fast Forward Button.
If you do not want to go through all of that, simply unplug your Roku from its power source for a few minutes and plug it back in, allow it to load, and try again.
4. Update Roku Firmware
Outdate Roku firmware sometimes causes the inability to operate effectively in certain apps.
While many Roku devices update automatically, you may be in an interim period between updates, though still needing a new available firmware update.
You can trigger a firmware update by:
- Navigating to the System menu
- Choosing System
- Selecting System Update
Selecting the Check Now function. If a new firmware update is available, this will download it and prompt you to install it.
I hope this assisted you in fixing Youtube not working on your Roku. If you fixed the problem with any other solution, please share it in the comments section.
