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How to Fix Video Streaming Issues on YouTube TV

Having problems with YouTube TV? These small fixes can prevent huge headaches.

Sean Dennison
Sean Dennison graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in English. Prior to that he served in the United States Marine Corps as a photojournalist. He currently works as a freelance editor and writer in the Southern California region. His work has appeared on GOBankingRates, Yahoo! Finance, MSNBC and various military publications. For any inquiries or leads, email (email: info@thestreamable.com text: info@thestreamable.com).
Read full bio ›
Sean Dennison

YouTube TV recently passed the three million subscriber mark. If you’re one of those subscribers, you might’ve experienced some technical issues between then and now. For example, Forbes recently reported that Spectrum internet users experienced buffering issues on the streaming platform.

Technical issues can be a pain, especially when it’s a live TV streaming service you paid for. Here are some tips for troubleshooting your problems with YouTube TV on your own if you ever experience issues.

1. Check if YouTube TV Is Down

Go to r/youtubetv for an update of known YouTube TV issues that its engineers are working on. Then, there also sites like Downdetector that track when streaming services are on the fritz.

When YouTube TV is down you can often use your TV Everywhere credentials to log-in to your favorite channel’s app like Fox Sports Go or Watch TNT. This way you can watch live programming while YouTube TV is working out the kinks.

You could also sign-up for a free trial of another service like fuboTV, Hulu Live TV, or Philo.

2. Restart Your Device

Whether you’re watching YouTube TV on your phone or browser, restarting either of them should be one of your first steps of any troubleshoot.

3. Restart the YouTube TV App

It’s not uncommon for apps to occasionally freeze up or crash. Try restarting the app to see if that makes a difference. If it persists, try re-installing the app entirely.

4. Check Your Internet Connection

It may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s also worth double-checking your internet connection if you’re experiencing connectivity issues. If you keep getting a signal drop, it may be that your router is to blame and not the service.

5. Check Your Location

YouTube TV requires you to turn on your location whether you’re watching it on a computer or phone. Why does YouTube TV ask you this? It’s so you can have permission to access the correct local channels.

6. Clear Browser Cache and Cookies

This is a good general tip for any connectivity issues when you’re browsing the internet. Doing this helps “decongest” your browser by removing old, potentially problematic data that could interfere with your streaming.

7. Check for Browser Updates

Your system requirements might be to blame for your YouTube TV troubles. Google currently recommends downloading the latest version of Chrome or Firefox for an optimal streaming experience.

8. Check Social Media

Sometimes the experts are strangers online. Scouring social media for blog posts for hashtags can yield results (although we will concede a lot of times it’s just people venting). Keep in mind YouTube TV also has its own social media channels and occasionally interact with flustered customers.

One final point of advice: don’t be a hero. Sometimes it’s best to deal with the experts, and Google has set up its own hub for YouTube TV advice.

Sean Dennison
Sean Dennison graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in English. Prior to that he served in the United States Marine Corps as a photojournalist. He currently works as a freelance editor and writer in the Southern California region. His work has appeared on GOBankingRates, Yahoo! Finance, MSNBC and various military publications. For any inquiries or leads, email (email: info@thestreamable.com text: info@thestreamable.com).
Read full bio ›
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