YouTube TV is a reliable app, but it doesn’t always work as intended. It can be quite annoying when you can’t watch YouTube TV because it won’t stop buffering. So, how do you fix YouTube TV buffering issues?
To fix YouTube TV buffering issues, connect to Wi-Fi and make sure you have the latest app update. YouTube TV only allows three people to stream at once, so you may experience buffering issues and crashes if there are too many users. Reinstall the app to clear the cache and restart your device if the buffering issues continue.
Buffering issues can also occur because of throttling from your Internet service provider. Follow along as we explore how to fix YouTube TV buffering issues.
Why is My YouTube TV Buffering So Much?
Weak Internet Connection
Buffering issues can ruin a viewing experience, but it will keep happening if you have a weak Internet connection. If your Wi-Fi keeps going in and out, you must reset your router to stop the buffering issues. Unplug the router for 30 seconds, plug it back in, and reopen YouTube TV.
You can also get around this problem if you switch from Wi-Fi to cellular data. However, you will have the best connection and streaming quality on YouTube TV if you have a strong Wi-Fi connection.
Too Much Background Activity
When you experience buffering issues with YouTube TV, especially on a phone or PC, it’s often due to the other apps you have running.
If you run too many apps in the background at once, it can slow down YouTube TV and cause buffering issues. Close any non-essential apps that you run in the background so YouTube TV will run faster.
Server Outage
Did YouTube TV start buffering and now you can’t watch anything? If so, it may be because YouTube’s servers are down. You can tell this is the case if you’ve troubleshooted your device and know there isn’t a problem with your Internet connection. Check online for updates to see if your buffering issues are due to a server outage.
Internet Throttling
Depending on your Internet service provider (ISP), your YouTube TV buffering issues may be due to throttling. Internet throttling, or bandwidth throttling, happens when your ISP slows your Internet speed. This causes many issues, such as buffering, bugs, crashes, and even delayed emails and notifications.
Contact your ISP to see if they are limiting your connection and Internet speed.
Too Many Users at Once
How many people have access to your YouTube TV account? YouTube TV only lets users stream the app on 3 devices at once. Once the threshold is reached, one or more of the users may experience buffering issues or even get logged out of the app.
How to Fix YouTube TV Buffering
Reinstall YouTube TV
YouTube TV buffering issues are sometimes related to a corrupted cache. When the cache is corrupted or there is too much data, you can clear it if you delete the app. Simply delete the app, reinstall it, log back into YouTube TV, and see if the buffering issues continue.
Update the Browser
Do you experience YouTube TV buffering issues on your PC? If so, it may be because your web browser is outdated and you need to install an update. Your PC typically notifies you when a web browser update is available, but you may have missed it.
In this case, you can open the web browser, visit the “About” page, and scroll to search for an update. If no update is available, you can tell something else is causing the buffering issues. Otherwise, you can install the update and YouTube TV should run much more smoothly.
Close the App
When you leave an app running for too long, it becomes prone to glitches and buffering issues. If you watch YouTube TV on your Android or iPhone, you should periodically close the app. Make a habit of closing the app each time you are done watching YouTube TV to ensure the best performance.
Restart the Device
It’s necessary to restart your devices regularly to avoid buffering issues. This is especially true if you watch YouTube TV on an iPhone or Android. Ideally, you should restart your phone or PC at least once per week to avoid buffering issues and crashes.
Update the App
YouTube TV, like any other app, requires regular updates to perform well and avoid buffering issues. Updates typically install automatically if there is enough space on your device. However, this can only happen if you enable automatic updates.
On an iPhone, simply open the “Settings” menu, select “App Store”, and turn on automatic updates. You can also do this on an Android if you go to settings, select “Network Preferences”, and enable “Auto Updates”. This works the same way on a PC as well, and it can ensure you avoid errors on YouTube TV.
Use Another Device
If the buffering issues continue, you may simply need to see if YouTube TV works on another device. There may be a problem with the device you are using. For example, if YouTube TV isn’t working on your phone but it works on your PC, it may mean that your phone needs an update.
So, How Do You Fix YouTube TV Buffering Issues?
The best way to fix YouTube TV buffering issues is to connect to Wi-Fi or switch to cellular data if there is no available network. It also helps to reinstall YouTube TV to clear the cache of corrupted data. If the buffering issues don’t go away, you must update the app, update the device, or close out background apps.
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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.