You may encounter the YouTube TV black screen issue when you relaunch the YouTube app on your streaming device. Luckily, you can solve the error effortlessly with simple, quick fixes.
Whether streaming YouTube on your TV, smartphone, computer, or console, a black screen indicates that the video failed to load for some reason. We have got you covered with a step-by-step guide to help you fix this problem.
What is the YouTube TV black screen?
The YouTube TV’s black screen issue occurs when the YouTube app fails to load, leaving you with no picture display. Sometimes, it keeps loading, and nothing plays, even the sound itself. If this happens, you must clear the cache, force stop, and restart the YouTube app.
What causes the YouTube TV black screen issue?
One of the leading causes for experiencing YouTube TV’s black screen is usually due to a lost internet connection or a problem with YouTube itself. If your internet service provider is the issue, you can contact them or restart your router.
However, if it’s a problem with the YouTube platform, there isn’t much that you can do other than wait and see if it resolves in no time.
That said, here are other common causes of YouTube TV’s black screen.
Device problems
If you’re watching YouTube on your TV, computer, console, or smartphone, you can see a black screen if there is an issue with your streaming device. Restarting should quickly fix the problem. But sometimes, you may need to clear the cache, force stop, and restart the YouTube app.
Slow internet speeds
You need at least 3 Mbs internet speed for YouTube TV optimal viewing. A slow internet connection can cause a black screen as the video reloads. Do a quick internet speed check and restart the router. If the problem persists, you should contact your internet service provider to have them reset your internet connection on their side.
Software update
An outdated YouTube app can cause a black screen, but you should quickly fix it by updating it to the latest version from your respectable device’s app store.
Rogue ad-blockers
If you have installed ad-blocking plugins to avoid watching the annoying ads on YouTube videos, it can go rogue and block the video transmission. A quick approach involves disabling or removing the ad-blocker plugin, clearing the cache, and restarting the YouTube app.
YouTube server issue
Although it’s rare to find the YouTube server down or offline, it can also be a significant cause for a YouTube TV black screen. You won’t be able to stream YouTube on any device if there is an unexpected outage or scheduled maintenance. All you have to do is wait for the issue to resolve itself.
How to fix the YouTube TV black screen
Get back to streaming YouTube TV using the following quick tips.
Step
Restart your device
Restarting your YouTube TV streaming device instantly solves the black screen error. Start by unplugging your TV from the primary power source and restart to reset the settings. Similarly, you can restart your phone, tablet, or computer and, if possible, clear the cache to solve the issue.
Step
Check internet connection
Ensure you have a stable internet connection depending on the YouTube video quality you’re trying to play. Remember that a 4K or 2K video quality demands higher internet speeds than a 1080p or 720p resolution. While at it, disable or remove any ad-blocker plugins on YouTube videos or VPNs you might have installed.
Step
Restart the router
If the internet connection and speeds are great and you can hear audio with a black screen, then do this step. Unplug your router from the power outlet and wait a few seconds before plugging it back in. Hopefully, this will reset your internet connection and eliminate the issue.
Step
Re-login to your YouTube account
Most smart TVs and Android users claim that re-logging into their YouTube accounts solves the black screen problem. To do that, you can navigate through the settings, select your profile contact, and click log out.
If you can’t find the log-out option, just go to your app or device’s settings and clear data and cache to restart the YouTube app afresh.
Step
Update your device’s software
Perform a quick check to ensure your streaming device runs on the current version. For most devices with no automatic updates, you simply need to navigate through the settings, select “About,” check for updates, and install them if there are any.
Step
Update or reset the YouTube App
Lastly, check for updates for your YouTube app and ensure it’s the current version. If the problem persists, you may need to reset the YouTube app. Depending on your streaming device, you can clear the data, cache, or reset settings and reinstall the YouTube app.
The bottom line
YouTube TV only requires a few quick fixes to get you back to watching your favorite content. The only instance that should worry you is when the YouTube server goes down, which rarely happens in our experience.
