Youtube Not Working on Firestick? Here Are 10 Ways to Fix It

You subscribe and use Firestick on your TV to enjoy watching streaming videos. But it ruins your experience when YouTube does not work. You might have experienced freezing or video buffering issues. Or, faced “Something went wrong. Tap to retry” while using YouTube. 

Well, the issue isn’t as serious as you think because it is easily solvable with minor tweaks. Since overheating the firestick can be one of the reasons, rebooting it would be the best solution.  

So, from this article, let’s learn how to fix YouTube not working on Firestick. 

Youtube Errors You May Encounter While Using It

The possible errors you may encounter with YouTube not working are:

• Playback error
• Audio distortion error
• Freezing or buffering the video 
• YouTube application error
• Something went wrong. Tap to retry

Why is Youtube Not Working on Firestick?

How to Fix Youtube Not Working on Firestick

The first thing you can do is to check your network status. Streaming videos on YouTube requires a strong network. So, if your network shows a weak connection, you can try reconnecting it. 

If you don’t see the difference in signal, you can power cycle your Wi-Fi router. Not turning off the router for a long time can cause freezing and a lagging network. So, rebooting it would fix the minor problems. It will refresh the network and improve the network speed. 

However, if the issue still persists, there might be an issue with your device, not the internet. To resolve it, find out the fixes given below. 

Reboot Firestick

The firestick might overheat if you use Firestick on your TV for a long time. You are most likely to experience video buffering and freezing issues on YouTube. So, you can reboot the firestick to fix it. Since it will start the system from the beginning, it will refresh Firestick.

Moreover, we would recommend you avoid overheating the firestick. You can unplug it and let it cool down. Then, you can plug in back after some time.

Check YouTube Server

Your YouTube might not be working on Firestick if the YouTube server is down. You can try opening the app on your other devices to check if it works. Or you can also check the YouTube status on Twitter to know if other users are also facing the same problem. 

Clear YouTube Cache

Although cache data are extremely helpful in loading YouTube videos quickly, it can be a hindrance when it becomes corrupt. It happens when you have not cleared it at all. So, you need to clear it for better and improved performance. Follow the given steps below. 

1. From the main screen of Firestick, navigate to Settings > Applications
2. Click on Manage Installed Applications
3. Locate YouTube and open it
4. Click on Clear Cache
   
5. To refresh the changes, restart your Firestick TV

Update YouTube App

If you are still using an outdated version of the YouTube app, it might not work. YouTube troubleshoots errors and releases fixes with their new version. So, you have to use an updated version for a better experience. It should resolve any YouTube errors you encounter. So, follow the given steps to update it on Firestick TV. 

1. From the Firestick Settings, go to Notifications
2. Locate YouTube App Updates
3. Update YouTube. Or, if there are no updates, it means it is up to date

Update Firestick

If you are still using an older version of Firestick, it might cause unexpected errors such as unknown glitches and freezing. It might also be the reason your YouTube is not working. So, you need to update Firestick regularly. Although it updates automatically, sometimes it might not. You will have to do it manually. Check out the given steps below. 

1. On the home screen of Firestick, click on Settings > My Fire TV
2. Choose About from the menu
3. Select Check for Updates
   
4. Wait for some time. Then, click on the Install Update button
5. If it shows that Your Fire TV is up to date, you don’t have to update it. 

Adjust Accurate Time on Firestick TV

If you have set an incorrect time zone on your Firestick TV, it cannot detect your accurate location. YouTube might be geo-restricted on firestick in a few countries. So, it might be the reason for YouTube not working. So, it is extremely important for you to set an accurate time zone. Follow the given steps. 

1. Navigate to Settings > Preferences
   
2. Click on Time Zone
3. Select your Accurate Region

Re-register Firestick

You must sync your Firestick TV to your Amazon account to use YouTube. You might have input the wrong login credentials, which might not connect with the Firestick. Or, you might not have updated the changed Amazon password on TV. So, you can re-register on firestick. Then, try opening YouTube to see if it works. Here are the steps for it.  

1. From the main screen, open Settings
2. Click on Account and profile and choose Amazon Account
   
3. Then, select your Amazon Account and click on Deregister
   
4. Reboot your Firestick TV to refresh the changes
5. Again, go to the same tab and click on Register
6. Enter your Amazon account credentials and Log in 

Reinstall YouTube App

If you face a playback or application error, you can reinstall the YouTube app on Firestick. It will fix temporary app crashes, and your YouTube should start working again. Find out the steps below. 

1. Navigate to Settings > Applications
2. Click on Manage Installed Applications
   
3. Locate the YouTube app and click on it
4. Choose Uninstall
   
5. From the main screen, go to Find > Search Menu
6. Enter YouTube on the search bar and Install it
7. Sync YouTube with your Google account and start using it

Factory Reset Firestick

After attempting all the fixes, you can factory reset Firestick if you still encounter the issue. It is the last resort for fixing any issue. It will clear the viruses and unwanted malware. However, you must note that a factory reset will erase all contents of your Firestick. 

1. Open Settings > My Fire TV
2. Choose Reset to Factory Defaults
   
3. click Reset to confirm. Then, wait till resetting completes

Seek Support From Amazon Service

To avoid factory resetting Firestick, you can seek professional support. You can report your problem to Amazon Help Center. They will identify the error and provide a fix for it.