Troubleshoot video streaming issues

Many factors can cause YouTube video streaming issues. By troubleshooting your internet or device connection, you  can play your videos again.

If you’ve seen one of these notifications, you may be experiencing a video streaming issue:

  • An error has occurred.
  • Playback error. Tap to retry.
  • Connection to server lost.
  • This video is unavailable.
  • Something went wrong. Tap to Retry.

Troubleshoot internet and device connection

You can play your YouTube videos again by following the steps below for internet and device connections.

Internet speed

The quality of your home or mobile network can affect how smoothly YouTube videos play, and whether videos play in HD. 
The table below shows the approximate speeds recommended to play each video format. The actual speed that your device gets may vary from the number you see when you run an 'Internet speed test.' This difference is due to factors including WiFi performance, time of day, and how your ISP connects to YouTube. If there are multiple devices on your network, then the connection is shared between them which may reduce the speed that your device gets.

Video Resolution

 Recommended sustained speed
4K 20 Mbps
HD 1080p    5 Mbps
HD 720p  2.5 Mbps
SD 480p 1.1 Mbps
SD 360p 0.7 Mbps

 

To find out if your internet Service Provider is HD Verified, visit the Video Quality Report.

If you're interested in seeing more info on how your videos are streaming, check out Stats for Nerds.

Smart TVs, Chromecast, and game consoles

  • Restart the YouTube app.
  • Restart your device: hard restart (disconnect power and reconnect).
  • For game consoles: Uninstall and reinstall the YouTube app.
  • Update your device’s firmware/system software.

Follow the instructions below for the YouTube app or mobile site.

YouTube app

Mobile site

  • Restart your mobile browser.
  • Restart your device.

 

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