11 Tips to Fix YouTube Not Working on iPhone after iOS 16 Update

One of your favourite youtubers just released a video and you want to watch it immediately. However, your YouTube app has refused to load on your iPhone and you are left with no alternative. This can be incredibly frustrating if it is a video you want to share with your friend.

If you’re facing the same issue, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, you will learn the reasons why YouTube app isn’t working on your iPhone and 11 troubleshooting tips to fix this problem with ease.

Part 1. Why Is YouTube not Working On My iPhone/iPad?

You may be wondering, why is YouTube not working on my iPhone? There are so many reasons why YouTube videos not playing on your iPhone or iPad. Some of the reasons include:

• There are issues with YouTube server.
• The YouTube app version you’re using is outdated.
• Your iPhone has poor network connection.
• Your iPhone is running an outdated versions of iOS.
• Insufficient space in your cache memory.
• Software malfunctioning.

Part 2. How to Fix YouTube Video Not Playing or Working on iPhone

1. Reboot Your iPhone

The first solution you can try to fix this YouTube not working issue is restarting your iPhone. Doing this will give the device a fresh start and fix some minor software errors.

To do this, long press on the power button. A red icon appears on the screen and you will be requested to ‘Slide to power off’. Slide the red icon from left to right to power off the phone properly.

You should wait for about 30 seconds before powering your iPhone on. This is to ensure that your iOS device has completely shut down.

2. Close and Re-open the YouTube App

It is possible that YouTube is not working on your iPhone or iPad especially after iOS 16 update. In addition, if you left the YouTube app suspended in the background while updating iOS, the app could crash and get corrupted. This is easy to fix, all you need to do is to close the YouTube app and reopen it.

If you are using iPhone X or any of the later models or an iPad without a home button, go to the Home screen, swipe pp and pause in the middle. Next, swipe up on the YouTube icon and close it.

If you are using an iPhone 8 or any of the earlier models or an iPad with a home button, press the home button twice, recently opened apps will be displayed on the screen. Then you should swipe up the YouTube app preview to close it.

This would quite the app and stop all background activities. Opening the app again would launch the program afresh and fix certain software errors that may be responsible for the Youtube videos not loading or playing on your iPhone.

3. Check Your Internet Connection

It is also possible that your YouTube is not working due to poor network coverage. You should ensure your iOS device is well connected to the internet. You can follow the steps below to fix the network errors on your iPhone or iPad;

If you’re using cellular data, you can open the Control Center and tap the Mobile Data icon to turn it off. Wait for several seconds, then tap the icon again to turn it on. Also, check if you have run out of data.

If you’re using WiFi, you can also try to turn Wi-Fi off and back on again. Also, you can forget the Wi-Fi network and reconnect it to fix YouTube not working on your iPhone/iPad.

4. Turn WiFi & Bluetooth Off and Back On

You can simply turn your WiFi and Bluetooth off and then turn them back on a few moments later. This can be done by accessing the Settings app on your iPhone. This method is more suitable for YouTube users that watch videos in iPhone browsers like Safari and Google Chrome.

5. Toggle Airplane Mode On and Off

This is also a rapid fix of the network settings. To do this, access the Settings app, and click on the Airplane mode option to switch it on. Doing this will disable your iPhone’s mobile data and Wi-Fi.

You can also do this by opening the Control Center on your iPhone, then tap the Airplane mode icon. After a few mins, turn it off and switch on your internet connection.

6. Reset Network Settings

Resetting all network settings will erase and reset all WiFi, Bluetooth and VPN settings. It may be difficult to track down the exact cause of the problem causing the software glitch, so erasing and resetting the network settings is a much preferable option to tracking down the cause of the problem.

However, make sure you write down your WiFi passwords before resetting your network since you will need to re-enter the password once the reset is complete.

Go to Settings app to reset your network, next tap General, then Reset, then Reset Network settings. You will be required to enter your password, do this then confirm that you want to reset your iPhone/iPad settings. The device will reboot once reset is done.

7. Check YouTube Server Status

You should take a peep at the status of YouTube servers. It is possible that their servers crashed or might be undergoing routine management. You should always check to check if it is the reason that prevent you from watching YouTube videos properly.

If the reason why YouTube videos are not playing on your iPhone is server related, do not worry, you can just check back in a few minutes or hours. The reason for video not playing is not due to a malfunction in your iOS device but a problem for the app administrators to fix.

8. Clear YouTube App/Safari Cache

You can also clear caches to help playing YouTube videos on your iOS device, either using Safari or using YouTube app.

To clear Safari cache;

• Open your iPhone’s Settings, and locate Safari.
• Then click on “Clear History and Website Data”.
• By doing this, you can delete your Safari cookies, cache, and history at the same time.

To clear YouTube app cache;

• Open the YouTube app on your iPhone.
• Click on the Menu option in the left corner of the screen and then click the gear icon.
• In the Privacy option, choose the option that enables you to delete YouTube data.

9. Update YouTube App and iOS

You can also update the YouTube app and iOS to fix YouTube videos not playing on iPhone problem.

• To update your iOS, just open the Settings app and go to the General option.
• Next, you will see the “Software Update” option just below the About option.
• Click on it and your iPhone automatically displays the latest iOS available to install. Next tap on the option to “Download & Install”.

To update your YouTube app, go to your iPhone App Store. Search for the YouTube app and click on the update icon which is displayed beside the app logo.

10. Uninstall and Reinstall YouTube App

When YouTube is not playing on your iPhone or iPad, another step you can take is to uninstall your YouTube app and then reinstall it a few moments later. This will work especially if there is a complicated software issue with your YouTube app.

To do this, locate your YouTube app icon and long press the icon until it displays some options. Tap on the remove app icon and choose “Delete” from the pop-up, Your YouTube app automatically uninstalls this way.

Once you uninstall the app, all settings and software data will be erased from your iPhone. To reinstall the YouTube app, go to the App Store and search for the app. Click on the download icon and the app starts working like a first time download.

11. Download YouTube Videos to iPhone

This is another good alternative to try when YouTube videos not playing on your iPhone. You can download the YouTube videos offline using another app on your iOS device. In addition, When you do not have an internet connection, you can also watch your favorite YouTube videos after you have downloaded it.

Conclusion

In conclusion, many factors may have contributed to YouTube videos not playing on your iPhone or iPad. You can fix the issue by doing any of the steps listed in this article. Hope that YouTube is now working on your iPhone and you’re able to enjoy your favorite videos again.