YouTube not working on TCL Android TV

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Common issues:
Network conditions and internet connection
About the Author
Ben Schoon's favorite gear
Why is my YouTube not working on my Android TV?
How do I update YouTube on my TCL Android TV?
Why YouTube is not working on my smart TV?

You may experience streaming issues with the YouTube™ app for several reasons. This information is provided to help you resolve these issues.

Common issues:

The message YouTube is unavailable. Please try again later appears on the TV screen.
The message YouTube has stopped appears on the TV screen.
The app gets stuck on the start screen (doesn't launch).

Note: These issues may appear when trying to use the YouTube app immediately after the TV was in standby mode. Because the TV takes a few seconds to reconnect to your internet network, in this case, try selecting CANCEL or exit the app and then try again.

Network conditions and internet connection

Network conditions or your internet connection are often the cause of video streaming issues. Check the following:

There may have been a temporary network problem, try closing the YouTube app, then re-open it and try again.
Your internet connection may be running slow or experiencing a connection problem. Reset your modem/router by removing the power for about a minute, reconnecting power and turning it back on, and waiting until the connection is established before trying again.
Test your internet connection using another device (smartphone, tablet, computer, etc.) to verify your internet is working and the speed is fast enough for streaming YouTube content. For the YouTube recommended internet speed, check the YouTube support website
(Quick Settings) button, then select Settings → System → Restart → Restart
On the supplied remote control, press the HOME button, then select Settings → About → Restart → Restart
On the supplied remote control, press the HOME button, then select Settings → Device Preferences → About → Restart → Restart

Clear the app data and cache or initialize the YouTube app.

This issue may be resolved by clearing the app data and cache or initializing the YouTube app. These steps may vary depending on your TV model and the software version installed. If you need model-specific information to perform any step, check your manual. Manuals are posted on your model support page.

On the afternoon of April 12, 2022, it appears that both YouTube and YouTube TV are seeing a partial outage that has taken down some portions of each service.

Update: YouTube has fixed this outage.

As of around 8pm ET, YouTube says this issue has been fixed, with all features back up and running across smart TVs and other affected platforms.

All fixed – you should now be able to log in, switch between accounts, and use the account menu & navigation bar across all services (YouTube, YouTube TV, YouTube Music, YouTube Studio) and devices.
Thank you so much for your patience 🫶 https://t.co/ytjSVnytlP
— TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube) April 12, 2022

In our brief testing, YouTube TV appears to be fully functional on the web, and it’s also working just fine on Google TV. Meanwhile, YouTube itself is broken on the web with no sidebar navigation, though playback of videos seems to be working fine.

The app for smart TVs seems to be in the worst shape, with a “no internet connection” being the primary symptom shown of this outage through the app. This issue seems to be appearing across all apps, including Google TV, Samsung smart TVs, Roku, and even Nintendo Switch.

Update 4:25pm: Google has acknowledged YouTube’s outage, with a thread going over the most common issues.

Unable to sign-in or switch accounts
Unable to cast to your TV or use the app on a gaming console
Left-hand Navigation Menus and Setting menus are not appearing / not loading
‘No internet connection’ error message when watching videos

YouTube is working to fix the problem.

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About the Author

Ben Schoon

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Why is my YouTube not working on my Android TV?

Clear the app data and cache or initialize the YouTube app. This issue may be resolved by clearing the app data and cache or initializing the YouTube app. These steps may vary depending on your TV model and the software version installed. If you need model-specific information to perform any step, check your manual.

How do I update YouTube on my TCL Android TV?

How do I update pre-installed apps such as Netflix or YouTube™? (Android TV™).

Select Google Play store. ... .

Select your profile icon in the top-right of the screen..

Select Manage apps and games..

Select Updates..

You can select any listed app to update or select Update all..

Why YouTube is not working on my smart TV?

Check for app or device updates Check that you've installed the latest system updates for your device. Update to the newest available version of the YouTube TV app. Uninstall and reinstall the YouTube TV app.