YouTube app keeps stopping

YouTube has millions of users and, as smartphones take over, the majority of people watch their favorite content on the go. Every Android device has it from the get-go and its the second most download app on Apples App Store. And when it works, it works well thanks to a lot of improvements Google made over the years. However, it seems that when it doesnt work, its not something negligible. Namely, more than a few Android users report that the YouTube app keeps crashing on their devices. If you are among them, we have a few troubleshooting steps to recommend.

Table of contents:

1. Restart your phone
2. Clear apps cache and data
3. Check YouTube permissions
4. Reinstall YouTube
5. Try with an older version APK
6. Watch YouTube in browser for the time being

YouTube for Android keeps crashing

If YouTube keeps crashing on your Android device, restart your phone, clear local data, or reinstall the app. If that doesnt help, roll back the app version with an APK or stick for the time being with YouTube in a browser.

For details check the steps we listed below. Hopefully, they help you address the issue so you can get back to your favorite content creators in no time.

1. Restart your phone

The first thing to do whenever your Android starts misbehaving is to give it a restart. Maybe the problem is just a slight system halt and you dont need to worry about that. Usually, this fixes the majority of system issues. And, although YouTube tends to fail from time to time, theres a good chance that this is something else.

Also, we must say that this list contains troubleshooting steps that are mainly focused on stock Android ROMs. If your device is rooted, theres a chance that the Safety Net fail causes issues with YouTube. Removing Magisk should address the issue but, again, we are not sure about that.

2. Clear apps cache and data

If the restart doesnt help, try clearing all local data that YouTube stores on your phone. Although rare, data corruption is possible and, in this case, it might lead to YouTube crashes. One way or another, clearing data wont delete your account, just restore the app so it can pile up more fresh data.

Heres how to clear local data from YouTube on Android:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Apps.
3. Expand all apps.
4. Locate and open YouTube. It should be somewhere at the bottom.
5. Tap Storage.
6. Clear data and restart your phone.

This should fix the issue but if YouTube keeps crashing, try with the permissions.

3. Check YouTube permissions

Another thing worth inspecting is permissions. Albeit, YouTube doesnt require access to various smartphone sensors or cameras to work. Still, there are some permissions you should check. If the issue persists, that is.

You can find all and every permission required by apps in App Settings. Just navigate to Settings > Apps > All apps > YouTube and then you should grant all permissions to YouTube. If that doesnt help and the issue keeps reoccurring, check the next step.

4. Reinstall YouTube

Reinstallation is also a good idea. You dont lose much except your time on some settings you might need to reconfigure again. This way youll not only get the latest version of the app but reset its processes.

Have in mind that YouTube comes as a system app on some Android skins, so you wont be able to uninstall it. But you can uninstall YouTube updates and restore them to the factory system version. After that, you can update it again.

Heres how to reinstall YouTube on Android:

1. Open Play Store.
2. Search for YouTube.
3. Expand the app section and tap Uninstall.
4. Restart your phone and reinstall the app or update it.
5. Check for improvements.

5. Try with an older version APK

If the newer version doesnt work, what about an older one? Obviously, Play Store doesnt offer this option. You can solely install the latest stable and the latest beta versions. So, well need to look elsewhere. The only viable way is to download a YouTube APK from a third-party website and install it on your device.

We talked a lot about it in this article, however, here are the exact steps necessary for YouTube in particular:

1. UninstallYouTubecompletely oruninstall updates.
2. Navigate to APK Mirror,here. Have in mind that this is perfectly secure and that these apps are not meddled with.
3. Download anolder versionof theYouTube app. Make sure to stick to recent versions to avoid compatibility issues but avoid the latest version. Alternatively, if you are on the latest Android version, try the latest Beta or even Alpha.
4. Allowinstallation from third-party sourcesandinstall the APK.
5. Restart your device and check if theres a video along with audio when you try playing a clip.

6. Watch YouTube in browser for the time being

In the end, if none of the previous steps worked for you either consider resetting your device to factory settings [explained here in detail] or use Chrome or any other browser to watch YouTube. By default, opening YouTube links will redirect you towards the app. But, you can avoid that by tapping the 3-dot menu and checking the Desktop Site box.

It is a bit robust way to watch YouTube videos on your phone, but until the solution arises, thats your best bet. And, with that, we can conclude this article. Thank you for reading and do tell us about solutions we missed or other Android-related issues youve experienced in the comments section below.