Fire TV sticks can turn nearly any television into an impressive smart TV. You can plug a Fire TV stick into most TVs and stream everything from Netflix and Hulu to YouTube. However, even Fire TV sticks are prone to problems. Many users struggle with how to fix YouTube not working on Fire TV stick.
To fix YouTube not working on your Fire TV stick, restart the device and clear the app’s cache. You can also fix YouTube in many cases if you reinstall the app and update your Fire TV stick. Check your Wi-Fi connection if YouTube is not working and make sure you have the latest update installed.
In some cases, YouTube’s servers go down and cause the app to stop working on Fire TV. Follow along as we explore how to fix YouTube not working on your Fire TV stick.
Why is YouTube Not Working on My Fire Stick?
No Internet Connection
Your Internet connection is the first thing you should check when YouTube is not working on your Fire TV stick. Without an Internet connection, you cannot use any apps on your Fire TV stick, whether it be YouTube, Netflix, or Hulu. If your Wi-Fi is down, you must restart your router so you can use YouTube.
Unplug your router from the wall for 30 seconds and plug it back in. Wait a moment, and see if your Wi-Fi connection comes back. If not, you may want to contact your Internet service provider and see if there are any outages in the area.
YouTube is Connected to Too Many Devices
Like most apps, you can only stream YouTube on a few devices at once. You can only stream YouTube on 3 devices at once. If you try to stream on more than 3 devices, YouTube will either slow down or stop working altogether.
YouTube’s Server is Down
YouTube relies on a series of servers to support over 2 billion people who use the app and website. When the servers go down, YouTube won’t work on your Fire TV stick. Unfortunately, you must wait for YouTube to solve the problem in this case. Visit downdetector.com to see if there is a server outage and check for updates.
Your Fire TV Stick is Old
Like anything, Fire TV sticks aren’t built to last forever. As these Redditors pointed out, Fire TV sticks typically last 3-4 years before the performance drops significantly. You may still be able to use your Fire TV stick, but the performance of apps like YouTube and Netflix will decline and they eventually stop working.
How to Fix YouTube on Fire Stick
Reinstall the App
You can fix many apps on Fire TV if you uninstall and reinstall them. This is an easy process, and you must simply press the home button, scroll to “Settings”, and select “Applications”. Click on “Manage Installed Applications” and select YouTube.
Click on YouTube and select “Uninstall”. Visit the app Amazon Fire TV app store and reinstall YouTube. Log back in on YouTube and see if it works.
Clear the Cache
When YouTube has too much data on a Fire TV stick, it can slow down the performance and even cause the app to stop working. Luckily, you can clear the cache from the home screen on your Fire TV to fix YouTube. From the home screen, scroll over to “Settings”, click on “Applications”, and select “Manage Installed Applications”.
Select “YouTube” and click on “Clear Cache”. This will remove the corrupted and bloated data from the app. Now, YouTube should run smoothly if the problem is because of corrupted data.
Update YouTube
If YouTube is outdated, it won’t run smoothly or even at all in extreme cases. You can manually update YouTube if you highlight the app, click on the dots beside it, select “More Info”, and select the update. If there is no update available, you can tell that something else is the cause.
Force Stop the App
Sometimes, apps like YouTube can experience glitches on Fire TV because there is too much activity and data. When this happens, you must force stop the app to cease the activity before you can reopen YouTube. To force stop YouTube, press the home button, click on “Settings”, “Applications”, and “Manage Installed Applications”.
Select “Force Stop” to stop all activity on YouTube. Wait a moment and reopen YouTube to see if it runs properly now.
Restart the Fire TV Stick
Sometimes, the problem isn’t with YouTube, but with the Fire TV stick itself. In that case, you must restart the Fire TV stick to solve the problem. From the home screen, select “Settings” and scroll down to “My Fire TV”.
Click on “My Fire TV” and select “Restart”. It takes a moment to restart the device. Open YouTube and see if it works. Restarting your Fire TV can fix many problems, such as crashes and connectivity errors.
Update Fire TV
Amazon releases updates for Fire TV quite often, and they help ensure the best performance. If YouTube is not working, it may simply be because you are behind on the latest update. You can manually install the update if you visit “Settings” and click on “My Fire TV”.
Press “Check for System Updates”. Your Fire TV will search for updates, and you can install it if one is available.
So, Why Isn’t YouTube Working on Fire TV?
YouTube is likely not working on your Fire TV stick because you have no Internet connection or the app needs an update. If you are streaming on more than 3 devices, then YouTube will either slow down or stop working entirely. YouTube can also slow down and stop working if your Fire TV stick is over 4 years old, and you may need to replace it.
David Miller is a seasoned tech aficionado with a profound expertise in NGINX and Ubuntu. With a career spanning over a decade, David has honed his skills in optimizing web servers and enhancing server performance to perfection. His deep-rooted passion for open-source technologies has led him to become a go-to resource in the field. Whether it’s crafting intricate NGINX configurations or troubleshooting complex Ubuntu server issues, David’s problem-solving prowess shines through.