Troubleshoot YouTube video errors

If you’re having problems playing your YouTube video, try these troubleshooting steps to solve your issue.

Some of the most common error messages are:

"An error has occurred."
"Playback error. Tap to retry."
"Connection to server lost."
"This video is unavailable."
"Something went wrong. Tap to retry."

Troubleshoot video errors

If you get an error message while watching a video, you can try these possible solutions.

Check your internet speed and data usage

Restart your internet connection.
Run an internet speed test to make sure your internet can support the selected video resolution. Using multiple devices on the same network may reduce the speed that your device gets. You can also change the quality of your video to improve your experience.
Check the YouTube video’s resolution and the recommended speed needed to play the video. The table below shows the approximate speeds recommended to play each video resolution.

Video Resolution	Recommended sustained speed
4K	20 Mbps
HD 1080p	5 Mbps
HD 720p	2.5 Mbps
SD 480p	1.1 Mbps
SD 360p	0.7 Mbps

If you're interested in seeing more info on how your videos are played back, check out Stats for Nerds.
Check your device settings to make sure you turned on data usage for YouTube on your device.

Check that you’re signed into YouTube

Make sure you’re signed into YouTube.

In order to protect the YouTube community, we may prevent signed-out users from accessing YouTube videos when they’re attempting to download material for offline use.

If you're a researcher trying to access YouTube data for your academic research, you can apply to YouTube’s researcher program. Learn more about the process and what data is available.

Restart the YouTube app or reboot your device

Try closing the YouTube app or rebooting your device. You can also uninstall and reinstall the YouTube app.

Update your browser and check your extensions

Try updating your browser or clear your browser's cache and cookies. You can also check whether your browser extensions that block ads are affecting video playback. As another option, try opening YouTube in an incognito window with all extensions disabled and check if the issue continues.

Update the YouTube app

Try updating to the newest available version of the YouTube app. You can also try updating your device’s firmware and system software.

Troubleshoot other errors

You can follow the suggested troubleshooting steps to fix these other common errors.

“Something went wrong. Refresh or try again later.” error message

If you see this error message, try refreshing the page. If the error continues, use the following troubleshooting steps:

Sign in to YouTube. Some features may not work correctly if you're not signed in.
Make sure you’re using the latest version of a compatible browser, like Google Chrome, Firefox, or Safari.
Allow ads on YouTube and turn off ad blockers. For an ad-free experience, YouTube Premium allows you to enjoy videos without interruptions while supporting creators.
Clear your browser's cache and cookies.
Confirm that you're using your preferred DNS servers and that no third-party applications have modified them. Go to your network settings or preferences to check your DNS settings.
Restart your device. Once the device restarts, return to the YouTube app and try replaying your video.

Audio issues

If you can’t hear audio from a YouTube video, try to:

Make sure the sound/volume is turned on for your browser or device.
Check your device’s sound settings.
Restart your browser or device.

Age-restricted content

Sometimes content doesn’t violate our policies, but it may not be appropriate for viewers under 18. In these cases, we may place an age-restriction on the video. Note: a video may also have restricted mode turned on.

Note: You can learn more about troubleshooting account error issues and download issues or what to do if your video player turns green or black.

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