7 ways to troubleshoot if YouTube is not working on your Roku device

• If YouTube isn't working on your Roku device, there are a handful of troubleshooting tips you can try.
• Try to determine if the problem is with your Roku device or see if YouTube works on your phone, tablet, or computer.
• Make sure the YouTube app on Roku is up to date, and ensure the Roku device has the latest update.

Roku supports virtually every streaming video service, from common ones like Netflix and Hulu to beta channels that aren't part of the Roku Channel Store. But one of the most popular channels is YouTube, thanks to its enormous library of videos. If YouTube isn't working on your Roku, though, don't worry — there are a handful of ways to troubleshoot the problem and get it back up and running quickly.

See if YouTube is down for everyone

Before you get too far troubleshooting your YouTube problem on Roku, it's a good idea to run a quick test that will tell you if the problem is specific to your home or is affecting everyone: Open the YouTube status page at Downdetector. You can also search for "is YouTube down" in your browser. Either way, this will tell you if there is a current service outage. If there is, wait and try again later.

Check to see if YouTube works on your other devices

If YouTube isn't down but it's not working on your Roku, then it's a good idea to see if you can access YouTube on another device — this will help you narrow down whether the problem is specific to your Roku, or if it's more widespread, which may suggest an internet connectivity problem. Check to see if you can use YouTube on your phone, tablet, or in a browser on your computer.

See if your internet is too slow or unreliable

You might be having trouble with YouTube on Roku because your internet is currently slow or unreliable, especially if other devices in your home can't get YouTube to work, either. If you can, reboot your cable modem and WiFi router, and then try again. You should also run an internet speed test on your computer or mobile device; as long as the device is on the same WiFi network as your Roku, whatever speed it achieves will be very close to your Roku's performance. It should be at least 7Mbps to reliably display video in HD, or 25Mbps to see YouTube's 4K video.

Update the YouTube app

If it appears that your YouTube problem is related to your Roku device in some way, there are a few things you can do to fix the glitch. For starters, update the YouTube app on your Roku. Using the remote control, select the YouTube app and then press the asterisk (*) button. In the pop-up menu, choose Check for updates and let Roku install an update for the app, if there is one. Now try YouTube again.

Restart your Roku

The problem might be related to cached software on your Roku, so the next thing to try is to restart the Roku. Using the remote, press the Home button and then select Settings. Select System, and then Power. Choose System restart. Finally, confirm you want to do this by choosing Restart, and wait while your Roku reboots.

Check for Roku updates

Does your Roku have an update waiting to be installed? It's possible that there's a bug or some software glitch in your version of the Roku OS that's now preventing YouTube from running properly. Check for and install any system update: Using the Roku remote, press Home, then select Settings. Choose System and then System update. If there's an update available, install it.

Reinstall the YouTube app

If all else fails, you might be able to get YouTube working by uninstalling and then reinstalling the app. This will flush out the data cache, which might be causing a glitch. To do that, select the YouTube app in the list of apps on the Roku home page and then press the asterisk (*) button. Select Remove channel, and then choose Remove. After the app is deleted, go back to the Roku channel store and reinstall a new copy of the Roku app. In most cases, you should be back in action.