14 Easy Ways to Fix "Something Went Wrong" on YouTube

Troubleshoot the YouTube Something Went Wrong message

Co-authored by Rain Kengly Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: June 19, 2026 Fact Checked

The "Something went wrong" error message on YouTube can pop up whether you're using the website, mobile app, or Smart TV. If YouTube isn't working for you, keep reading—we cover some quick fixes below. Here's what to do when you see "Something went wrong" on YouTube on your iPhone, iPad, Android, computer, or TV.

YouTube: Something Went Wrong Explained

If you see the "Something went wrong" message on YouTube, it's likely you have an internet issue, an ad blocker issue, or outdated software. To fix this error, check your internet speed, turn off your ad blocker and/or VPN, and update your device and YouTube to the latest available versions.

1

Check your internet speed.

Make sure you have the appropriate internet speed. Higher video resolution requires a higher sustained speed to play properly. 4K video resolutions require about 20 Mbps, while SD 480p requires about 1.1 Mbps. If you're unsure of the current speed, you can run a speed test by doing the following:
- Go to www.google.com in a web browser.
- Search for "internet speed test".
- Click or tap Run Speed Test.

2

Turn off ad blockers.

If you have an ad blocker in your browser or an app with a built-in ad blocker, try turning it off. Be sure to refresh the page or app after doing so. This can resolve the "Something went wrong" error on YouTube.

3

Sign in to YouTube.

If you're signed out of YouTube, log in. Some videos may be inaccessible to signed-out users to prevent unauthorized downloads. Make sure to sign in to your YouTube account to get access to all videos.
- If you don't have a YouTube account, you can easily create one.

4

Restart your device.

Turn off your iPhone, iPad, Android, or computer, then turn it back on to see if YouTube works.^{[1]
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5

Reset network settings on your phone or tablet.

Older network information can be causing issues with your current settings. After doing this, you'll need to reconnect to every Wi-Fi network that you usually connect to, using the password.
- On Android, go to Settings > General management > Reset > Reset network settings > Reset settings.
- On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings.^{[2]
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6

Update your phone or tablet.

Out-of-date software can cause issues for your phone. If an update is available, you want to download and install it.^{[3]
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- Go to Settings > General (iPhone only) > Software Updates > Install/Download & Install (iPhone)/Check for updates (Android).^{[4]
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7

Update the YouTube mobile app.

An out-of-date app potentially has bugs and glitches that prevent it from working properly. Go to the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android) and update your app.^{[5]
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- If you're using your browser, make sure your browser is updated to the latest version.

8

Toggle airplane mode on your phone or tablet.

Quickly interrupting and restarting your connection can help clear glitches. Swipe down from the top right corner (iPhone X or newer) or swipe up from the bottom center of your screen (iPhone 8 or older) to launch the Control Center. For Android, open the Quick Settings panel by swiping down twice from the top of your screen.^{[6]
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- Tap the airplane icon to enable airplane mode, and you'll essentially turn off all signals to and from your phone, including cellular data and Wi-Fi (if you're connected to any).
- Tap the airplane icon again, and your internet service will resume after a few seconds. If you have to, go to Wi-Fi in Settings and select your Wi-Fi network to reconnect if it doesn't happen automatically.

9

Allow Cellular Data & Background App Refresh.

To make sure they are turned on, open Settings and go to Cellular/Mobile Data > YouTube > Cellular Data and then return to the "General" page of Settings and navigate to Background App Refresh > YouTube > Background App Refresh.^{[7]
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10

Clear your cache.

The saved temporary files can get corrupted and cause errors. This can happen on any platform, whether you're using the mobile app on Android, iPhone, or iPad or if you're using a web browser on Mac or Windows.^{[8]
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- To clear the cache on iPhone, simply uninstall and reinstall the app. For Android, open Settings and go to Apps > YouTube > Storage > Clear Cache.
- The wording for each menu item is a little different between browsers, but you'll typically open Settings and go to Privacy and security > clear browsing data.

11

Use a different login method on all devices.

So if you're trying to use the mobile app, try opening YouTube in your mobile web browser; if you're trying to open YouTube in a Chrome web browser, try using Edge instead.

12

Allow cookies in your web browser.

Let YouTube use cookies to communicate with your browser. Without cookies, you can see the "Something went wrong" error whenever you attempt to log in.
- To allow cookies on your web browser, navigate to "Site Settings", select "Cookies and data" and Allow all cookies. If you see a section for "Customized Behaviors," add "www.youtube.com" so that site can always use cookies.

13

Check YouTube's status.

It's not a common problem, but YouTube's servers can be down. If the servers aren't working properly, you'll see more of the "Something went wrong" error.
- Use third-party sites like DownDetector to see if YouTube is working properly.