YouTube is the biggest and most popular online video platform right now that offers videos from almost every genre. Whether we want to try a new recipe, watch music videos, or even educational content, YouTube is the most preferred choice for everyone. But, what if YouTube stops working on your iPhone/ iPad? 

If you’re someone who binge-watches YouTube, will understand how frustrating it is when YouTube throws an error. There can be instances when YouTube won’t play videos on the iPhone or throws a Playback error on your iPad. Also, many iOS users have reported YouTube not working on iOS 15 problems. If you’re facing similar issues, you’ve arrived at the right place. Today, we’re here with our detailed troubleshooting guide on how to fix YouTube not working on the iPhone or iPad issues.

We’ve mentioned 14 productive ways to fix Youtube issues on iOS devices.

Please note that the steps mentioned in this article will also help you fix other problems like the YouTube app won’t open, YouTube videos not playing on my iPhone, YouTube not working on iPhone Safari, or YouTube sound not working on iPad. 

Why is YouTube not working on my iPhone or iPad? 

Here are the common reasons why YouTube won’t play videos or YouTube not working on iOS 15.

• You’re using an older or outdated version of the YouTube app
• Poor network connection
• Software glitches
• Running an older version of iOS
• Issues with YouTube server
• Accumulated cache memory
• In-app errors

No matter what the reason is, this guide will help you fix YouTube problems on your iPad and iPhone. The steps listed below will work for any iPhone, starting from the older iPhone 6s to the latest iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro, and 13 Pro Max. In addition to iPhones, this guide will let you fix YouTube not working issues on iPad Mini, iPad, iPad Air, and iPad Pro models.

So, without having any time, let’s get started with our guide on how to fix YouTube won’t play videos on the iPhone/iPad problem. 

Disclaimer: Proceed at your own risk, TechieTechTech will not be responsible if anything goes wrong with your device.

YouTube not working on iPhone/iPad?

Here are 14 effective methods to fix YouTube not working, YouTube videos won’t play on iPhone or iPad, and other issues. Let’s get started. 

1. Check if YouTube is down

If you and your family or friends are facing YouTube issues, you must take a moment and check if the YouTube server is temporarily down. Put this method in the first place because if the YouTube server is down, its services won’t be available on iPhone, iPad, or any other platform. When services are out of action, nothing can be done at your end to fix YouTube not working iPhone 13 problem. Several websites can help you know if the server of an online service is down or not. We’ve used Downdetector here. It offers you real-time problems and outage monitoring. Head to Downdetctor.com and type YouTube in the search box. It will display outage data for the past 24 hours. If the YouTube server is down, there’s nothing much you can do except wait for the YouTube team to fix those issues.

If there are no issues with the server and YouTube is not working on your iPhone or if YouTube videos won’t play on your iPad, move to the steps mentioned below.

2. Close and re-open the YouTube App

If YouTube is not working on your iPhone or iPad after you’ve updated software, you must close the app and then re-open it. Sometimes, these problems are caused by minor app glitches and bugs. Fortunately, closing and reopening the app can help you fix them easily. Also, there can be instances that you’ve left an app suspended/running in the background while you were installing the update. In such a case, the app can crash or get corrupted after the update has been installed. Therefore, if YouTube videos won’t play on iOS 15 or iPadOS 15, quit the YouTube app and open it again.

To close the YouTube app on iPad without a Home button and iPhone X (or newer models)

Visit the Home Screen, Card Up, and hold in the middle. Then, locate and card up the YouTube icon to close it.  

To close YouTube on iPads with a Home button and iPhone 8 (or older models)

Double press the Home button. Your device will show you the recently opened apps. Then, card up on the YouTube app to close it.

Once you’ve waited for a few seconds, open the YouTube app to see if it’s working properly. 

Also Read: iOS 16 vs iOS 15: Should you update?

3. Have you checked your Internet connection?

To use the YouTube app, you must have a stable internet connection (Mobile Data or Wi-Fi) on your iPad or iPhone. Also, if YouTube is not working on iPhone Safari, you must make sure that your device is connected to the internet. To verify, you can open a website. If Safari says you’re not connected to the internet or the site doesn’t load, it’s evident that you’ve got some internet issue on your device. In such cases, YouTube videos won’t play on your iPhone or iPad.

Here are some tried and tested methods to fix the internet issues on your iOS devices. 

Using Mobile Data?

If you’re using mobile data, follow the steps mentioned to fix YouTube not working on your iPhone 12, or any other model. Follow the same steps to fix the YouTube app won’t open or won’t work problem on any

iPad, iPad Air, or iPad Pro models.

1. Toggle Mobile Data 

Firstly, you must toggle Mobile Data to clear out minor network glitches and errors. This will help you any fix data-related issues on your device. 

Head to Control Center and find & tap the Mobile Data icon. Then, you need to wait for 5-10 seconds before you tap the icon again.

Otherwise, you can head to Settings and choose Mobile Data. Then, turn OFF the Mobile Data slider. Wait for 5 seconds before you turn the slider ON.

2. Check your Current Data Plan 

Sometimes, you can run out of data, and that’s the reason why YouTube is not working on your iPhone 11 or iPad Air. To verify, you can open a website on Safari or head to your mobile carrier’s official app and check the data plan. If the app or website isn’t loading, you’ve could have run of mobile data. 

In case you’ve got an active plan and enough data, check for network issues.

3. Network Issues

If YouTube is not working on your iPhone 11 or you can’t play YouTube videos on iPad Pro, there could be some network or data issues. To understand the exact situation, you can ask your friend or a family member who’s using the same network. If he/she is also unable to use Mobile Data, there could be some network issues. In such situations, you can either wait for some time or use a Wi-Fi network (if it’s available).

Using Wi-Fi?

If YouTube is not working on your iPad mini, and you’re using Wi-Fi, there can be issues with the Wi-Fi network and not your device. To cross-check, you can toggle the Wi-Fi on your iOS device or forget and reconnect to the Wi-Fi network. These are amongst the easiest and most effective ways to fix Wi-Fi issues. 

For detailed steps, head to our guide on how to fix Wi-Fi not working on the iPhone problem. You can follow this guide to fix Wi-Fi-related problems on any iOS and iPadOS device.

4. Check Content Restrictions on your device

If you’re unable to find the YouTube app on your iPhone/iPad or if just can’t play YouTube videos on your iOS device, you must check Content restrictions on your device. There can be instances when you’ve handed your iPad to your kid to play games or gave your iPhone to someone to make a call, and you’ve enabled some restrictions so they don’t snoop into other apps on your device.

If you have done so, the apps and services on your iPhone may become limited or completely hidden on your iPhone/iPad. It’s also a smart way to

hide apps on your iPhone or iPad, but make sure to loft up those restrictions on your device, when you don’t need them.

Here’s how to disable Content restrictions on iOS 12 and above:

1. Head to Settings > Screen Time

2. Tap Content and Privacy Restrictions > Content Restrictions

3. You’ll be asked to enter the Screen Time Passcode.

4. Now, tap Apps

5. Modify restrictions based on your preferences.

After lifting restrictions, restart your iPhone, and check if the YouTube app is working on your iPhone/iPad or not. 

Also Read: How to fix WhatsApp not working on iPhone?

5. Toggle Airplane Mode

If the YouTube app is not working on iPhone 7 or you’re unable to play YouTube videos on the iPhone XR, toggle the Airplane Mode. It’s a quick and effective trick to clear out minor network errors. When you toggle Airplane mode, it will reset the connection. Doing this will also turn off any network connections including Wi-Fi and your iPhone’s Bluetooth.

Follow either of these steps to toggle Airplane mode on your iPhone or iPad.

1. Swipe down from the top-right of your screen and open the Control Center. Now, look for and tap the Airplane Mode icon. Wait for 5-10 seconds, then tap the icon again.

2. Go to Settings > Airplane Mode (the very first option) and turn the slider ON. Wait for 5 seconds, then turn the slider OFF.

Also Read: How to fix iPhone not working after an update problem

6. Restart your device

If the YouTube app freezes on your iPhone or becomes unresponsive on your iPad, you can restart the device. It’s a quick and effective method to fix those minor issues that pile up over time and interfere with the normal functioning of your iPhone, iPad, or apps. It’s a super-easy hack for situations when YouTube won’t play videos or the iPhone, stops working, or crashes too often on the iPad. When you restart your device, it will also wipe off the internal memory (RAM), allowing your device to make a fresh and clean start.

To ensure the smooth functioning of your iPhone/iPad and the apps, it’s a good idea to restart your device at regular intervals (once a week or two is good).

Once your iPhone is booted up, open YouTube and check if it’s working properly not.

7. Update the YouTube app

Another possible reason why the YouTube app is not working or won’t play videos on your iPhone/iPad is running an outdated version of the app. Therefore, if rebooting doesn’t help you in fixing YouTube not working problems on your iOS device, check for any pending updates in App Store. App Developers release updates with new features and security fixes to patch up the in-app errors. When you update the app, it will help you fix performance-related issues on your iOS devices. 

Follow these steps to update YouTube on iPhone and iPad:

1. Visit the App store 

2. From the bottom of your screen, tap on the Today tab.  

3. Now, you’ll see the user profile on the top-right corner of your screen, tap it. Doing this will show your account details.

4. Once you’re here, scroll down to see the available updates.

5. Check out the list of apps available. If you find YouTube, tap the UPDATE option next to it.

Once you’ve updated the YouTube app or if it’s already up to date and you’re still running into issues, move to the other steps listed below.

Also Read: How to fix Netflix not working on iPhone?

8. Check your iPhone/iPad Storage

If the YouTube app quits unexpectedly on your iPad or crashes too often on your iPhone, you must check the internal storage of your device. If your device’s storage is almost full, it can cause several issues, including the unresponsive apps and even

iPhone camera not working problems. In such cases, you may feel that YouTube is not working on your iPhone 7 or iPad Air, but actually, it’s the storage that’s giving you the trouble.

To be on the safer side, check your iPhone/iPad storage. For this, head to Settings > General > [Device] Storage and check the available storage space.

You’ll get to know the used and total storage space available on your device. You must have some amount of free storage for optimum performance of both stock and 3rd party apps on your device. If the storage is full, try to free up space by deleting unwanted photos, videos, old messages, and other unnecessary stuff. 

9. Re-install the YouTube app 

If you’ve updated but the YouTube app is still not working on iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPad Mini, or any other iOS device, you must delete and reinstall the app. It can be possible that the app has completely corrupted, and therefore it’s unable to work properly. The best way to fix such complications is to uninstall the YouTube app and then install the latest version on your device. 

Here’s a quick way to delete the YouTube app from your iPhone 8 or newer models:

1. On your iPhone’s or iPad’s home screen, press and hold the YouTube app icon.
2. You’ll see a quick action menu.
3. Choose the Remove App option to uninstall YouTube. 

After you’ve deleted the app, you must restart your device. Then, visit the App Store and install the latest version of the YouTube app.

10. Turn OFF the VPN on your iPhone

There are various advantages of using a VPN. It encrypts your data to safeguard your online privacy while allowing you to access geographically restricted content. 

Having said that, you can run into connectivity issues if VPN isn’t configured correctly. It can be possible that due to your VPN, you’ve appeared to be connected to the internet from a country with restrictions on YouTube. And, that’s the reason why YouTube isn’t working on your iPad or iPhone. To fix such issues, you must disable the VPN on your iPhone. Head to Settings > VPN > Status and turn OFF your VPN. If this helped you fix YouTube not working problems, there was some issue with the VPN, and not your iPhone or YouTube. 

Also Read: How to watch Netflix via VPN?

11. Update Sofware

If you’ve tried updating and re-installing YouTube on your iPhone/iPad and you still can’t play YouTube videos, it’s time to update the software. The older version on iOS or iPadOS might not be able to meet the system requirements of YouTube. As a result, YouTube won’t play videos on your iPhone/iPad. To be on the safer side, update iOS or iPadOS to its latest version.

1. Go to Settings > General
2. Tap on the Software Update.
3. If any update is available, install it. 

Also Read: iOS 15 vs iOS 14

12.  Reset Network Settings

Sometimes, your device can run into connection issues and this is the reason why YouTube is not working on your iPhone or iPad. In such cases, you can reset network settings on your device to fix YouTube won’t play videos on iPhone or not working on iPad issues. When you reset the network setting on your iPad or iPhone, it will erase any contrary data that’s disturbing the usual functioning of your device.

Please note that when you reset network settings, it will clear your saved Wi-Fi networks, passwords, Bluetooth, and VPN settings on your iPhone/iPad. Therefore, you should note down this information somewhere as you would have to enter it again. 

Below are the steps to reset network settings on your iPhone or iPad:

1. Go to Settings > General

2. Move down and tap Reset

3. Select Reset Network Settings

4. If asked, enter your device’s passcode

5. To confirm the decision, tap Reset Network Settings.

After you’re done with the above steps, your device will restart on its own with the default network settings. After your iPhone/iPad has restarted, check if YouTube is working properly. 

Also Read: How to Reset Network Settings on any iPhone model? (Step-by-Step Guide)

13 Reset All Settings

If YouTube is not working on your iPhone after you’ve updated to iOS 14, you can try resetting all settings on your iPhone. Besides, you can also follow this method if the YouTube app is not working on your iPad after updating iPadOS 14. Software updates automatically override your device settings, and this could result in some conflicts with the apps present on your iPhone, including YouTube. Therefore, if the YouTube app has recently started throwing issues after a software update, the reset all settings method can be a good solution. This process will not delete any data from your device. Therefore, there’s no need to backup your data or media.

 

1. Open Settings and select General

2. Move to the bottom and select Reset.

3. Select Reset All Settings

4. Enter your device’s passcode.

5. Confirm to reset all settings on your iPhone.

Once you’re done with the reset process, the iPhone/iPad will start on its own with the default settings. 

Also Read: How to fix 5G not working on iPhone?

14. Factory Reset your device

If you’ve tried everything and are still struggling with YouTube not working on iPad Air, YouTube videos won’t play on iPhone, or other related issues, you can resort to the last method of factory reset. Don’t skip directly to this step. Make sure you’ve tried everything that we’ve mentioned above. If nothing works, you can resort to this step. If you choose to factory reset your iPhone or iPad, your device will restore to default settings. This process refreshes the RAM of your device too.

It’s important to know that this method will permanently erase all the data that you’ve got on your device, including downloaded apps and saved passwords. Therefore, you must back up your iPhone or iPad data beforehand. If you’re a beginner and want to know how to back up your iPhone data, head to our guide on

how to back up any iPhone guide. You can use this guide to backup your iPad data too. 

Here’s how to erase all the data from your iPhone:

1. On your iPhone or iPad, head to Settings > General

2. Tap the Reset option available at the bottom of your screen.

3. Select Erase All Content and Settings.

4. You’ll see a pop-up will appear asking if you want to back up your device data or delete it right now.

5. You need to make a confirmation. You’ll now see the Erase iPhone/iPad option.

6. Now, confirm the factory reset. The process would take a few minutes to complete.

After you’ve erased all data from your device, you can set it up as new or restore it from a previous backup. After you’ve factory reset your iPhone/iPad, it should fix YouTube-related problems on your device. 

Also Read: How to fix Battery Health of an iPhone?

Facing specific issues with YouTube on your iPhone or iPad?

1. YouTube Playback error on iPhone or iPad?

If you get a YouTube Playback error on your iPhone or iPad, here’s what to do.

1. Re-sign into your Google account

When you can’t play YouTube videos on your iPad or get a YouTube Playback error on your iPhone, you can re-sign into your Google account to fix it. 

2. Update the YouTube app 

If you’re using an older version of the YouTube app, it might cause YouTube videos won’t play on iPhone or performance-related issues on your iPad. To be on the safer side, you must update the YouTube app to the latest version. It will help eliminate minor glitches and in-app errors.

3. Check your internet connection 

If you get a YouTube Playback error on your iOS devices, you must verify that you’ve got a stable internet connection. In case the internet is not working properly, YouTube videos won’t play on your iPhone and you may get a Playback error. To fix it, check your internet connection. For details, refer to step 3 of the above section. 

4. Re-install the YouTube app

There can be instances when the YouTube app has corrupted completely and is no longer able to work properly. In such situations, the best is to delete the app from your device and re-install it again. 

Also Read: How to fix Bluetooth not working on iPhone?

2. YouTube not working on iPhone/iPad Safari?

If YouTube is not working on your iPhone Safari or if YouTube won’t play videos on when you’re using another web browser on your iPhone, you must clear the cache and data of your browser.

Also, if Safari is taking too long to play a YouTube video on your iPhone, or if it gets unresponsive, you must clear cache, history, and website data on your device. This will wipe off errors, make Safari run smoothly, and also improve the overall performance of your iPhone or iPad.

Here’s how to clear History and Website data on your iPhone/iPad:

1. Open Settings > Safari

2. Select Clear History and Website Data

3. Tap Clear History and Data

If you want to delete browsing history, cache, and website data for a specific period, follow these steps:

1. Open Safari and tap the Bookmark icon

2. Tap the History tab (the Clock icon)

3. Tap Clear option available at the bottom-right corner

Safari will ask if you want to clear your history, data, and cache from the last hour, today, today & yesterday, or from your entire history.

Also Read: How to fix Safari not working issues on iPhone

3. YouTube Autoplay not working on iPhone or iPad?

If YouTube Autoplay is not working on your iPhone or iPad models, here are two effective ways to fix it.

1. Make sure you’ve turned ON AutoPlay on the YouTube app

If YouTube Autoplay is not working on your iPhone or iPad, you must check if you’ve enabled Autoplay. If YouTube’s Autoplay feature is turned OFF, YouTube will not play the next video automatically after you finish a video. 

Open the YouTube app and tap the account icon available on the top-right corner. Now, tap Settings > Auto-play, and make you’ve turned the slider ON. 

2. Using Safari?

If you’re using Safari and YouTube Auto-play feature is not working on your iPhone or iPad, you can clear History and Website data. It will eliminate bugs and ensure smooth performance on Safari. To know how to Clear History and Website data on Safari, refer to the above section.

Also, if you’re facing any problems related to Safari on your iPhone or iPad, make sure to head to our troubleshooting guide.

4. YouTube Sound not working on iPhone or iPad? 

If you can’t hear sound while playing YouTube videos on your iPhone or iPad, you must check if you’ve enabled the mute button on YouTube. If it’s ON, turn it OFF, and check if the YouTube sound is working or not. 

Also, it can be possible that you’ve put the device’s volume to a minimum, which is why you can hear sound. Try to level up the volume and check if it has helped you fix YouTube Volume not working on iPhone or iPad problem. 

If this doesn’t work, you can try restarting your device or re-install YouTube on your iPhone/iPad. 

Also Read: How to fix Facebook on working on iPhone/iPad?

5. Why has YouTube stopped working on my iPad/iPhone? 

Sometimes, you might be stuck in a situation where YouTube isn’t loading on your iPad or iPhone. In such a case, the most common reason for YouTube not working on iPhone 13 is a weak internet connection. To fix such issues, you must first toggle Wi-Fi or Mobile Data, based on what you’re using. If you’re using Mobile Data, you should also check your data plan and ask someone on the same carrier if they’re also facing these network issues. On the flip side, if YouTube isn’t working on your iPhone when you’re using a Wi-Fi network, you must Forget and Reconnect to that Wi-Fi, restart the router, switch to a different Wi-Fi network, or use Mobile Data for the time being. 

Also Read: How to fix Instagram not working on iPhone?

6. YouTube Videos showing a black screen?

If YouTube shows a black screen on your iPhone or displays an error message on your iPad, here’s what to do. This problem usually happens when the YouTube video is embedded on a website and when you click on that video, you get a black screen or an error message. Most of the time, this is usually due to internet issues that can be fixed using step 3 or the first section. Apart from this, there are some quick fixes that can help you fix YouTube not working on iPhone

iOS 15 problems. 

First, you can refresh the browser on your iPhone/iPad. Next, make sure you’re using the latest version of the web browser. Lastly, you can switch to the YouTube app instead of the web browser. 

Also Read: How to fix FaceTime not working on iPhone/iPad?

That was all from our side on how to fix YouTube not working on the iPhone/iPad problem. We hope the steps mentioned in this article have helped you fix YouTube won’t play videos, YouTube Auto-play not working, and other related issues on your iOS devices.

How did you fix YouTube not working issues on your iPhone or iPad? Do mention your thoughts in the comments section below.

Also Read: How to use an iPhone as a Webcam on Mac?