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How to Fix It When YouTube Is Not Working on Roku
Troubleshooting streaming issues between youtube and roku.
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When YouTube is not working on Roku, it can appear in several ways.
- The YouTube app on Roku won't launch at all.
- You can't log in to your YouTube account.
- You can't launch any YouTube videos.
These issues can occur suddenly, even if the app was previously working fine. They can happen when you try to launch the YouTube app on Roku or when you're already logged into YouTube and trying to launch a YouTube video.
Cause of YouTube Not Working on Roku
If you can't launch the YouTube app on your Roku device, there could be any number of causes. These include no internet connection, YouTube account problems, or issues with the Roku streaming device itself.
Keep in mind if YouTube is down, the YouTube channel on Roku won't work at all. Also, if your Roku device hasn't received a firmware update recently, this could cause issues with launching apps like YouTube.
How to Fix YouTube Not Working on Roku
The best way to fix YouTube not working on Roku is to start with the most straightforward solutions and work your way through the more extreme solutions like resetting your Roku.
Check whether other devices in your home can connect to the internet . If your home Wi-Fi internet connection isn't working, you won't be able to launch the YouTube channel on Roku (or any other channel for that matter). If you've confirmed other devices can't connect to the internet either, then your Wi-Fi network doesn't have internet access. Work through the steps to troubleshoot your internet connection to get your Roku connected again. One of the first things you should try is r estarting your router .
A slow internet connection can also cause Roku channel issues . If your overall Wi-Fi internet connection is slow, you may have problems opening the YouTube channel. The first thing to try to see if this is the case is testing your internet speed. If it's slow, then troubleshoot the cause of your slow internet speed and fix it to get your YouTube channel working again.
If your home internet connection is working fine, your Roku device may still not be connected to the internet . That's usually the case if your other devices can connect to the internet, but none of the Roku channels open. You can find your Roku's IP address in the Roku's settings menu. If it doesn't have an IP address, you'll need to reconnect your Roku to your Wi-Fi network. Once you've reconnected, the YouTube channel should now launch.
Restart your Roku device . If the Roku device is experiencing app or system errors, restarting it will usually clear those errors. You can either use the Restart option in the menu or unplug the Roku, wait a few seconds, and plug it in again.
If restarting your Roku doesn't work, you may want to try resetting it instead. Just keep in mind that you'll lose all personal preferences if you reset. You'll also need to log back into your Roku account and set up the Roku again .
Check if YouTube is down . If YouTube servers are down, you can't launch the YouTube channel on Roku (no one can), and none of the videos will load.
Check if your YouTube account is still active and you're using the correct ID and password (also, make sure you're logging in with the correct ID and password). If your YouTube account has been deleted or locked, it would explain why the YouTube channel on Roku can't connect to your account.
Uninstall and add the YouTube channel again . If the YouTube channel on Roku has glitches or issues, often reinstalling the app will clear those issues and resolve any problems you've been experiencing.
Update your Roku. If the firmware on your Roku is out of date, it can cause issues with launching the YouTube channel. The Roku device automatically updates itself, but ensuring you have the latest updates will often resolve unexpected errors that crop up. Use the following steps to update your Roku streaming device.
You'll need access to the Roku home screen to update it. Once you've launched the update process, don't interrupt it or turn off your Roku, or you could corrupt the firmware and cause serious issues with your Roku.
- Select the Home button on your Roku remote
- Select Settings > System > System Update > Check Now .
- Your Roku will download the latest updates and install them on your device.
If nothing else has worked and you still can't open YouTube on Roku, you may need to reach out to YouTube for technical support . YouTube's help page might also offer some assistance too.
2021 YouTube TV and Roku Disagreement
YouTube and Roku disagreed on terms of service, so there were more than six months in 2021 when the YouTube TV channel was unavailable in Roku's lineup. As of early 2022, the two companies have an agreement.
If this happens again, you can launch YouTube TV on your phone or computer and mirror your device's display to the Roku .
If YouTube isn't working correctly on your computer, there may be a problem with your browser, computer, or internet connection. To fix the problem, refresh the YouTube page, adjust the video quality, close and reopen your browser, clear your browser cache and cookies, or try to play a YouTube video in a private browsing session. If you're still having trouble, try rebooting your router and restarting your computer.
If YouTube isn't working on your smart TV, there may be an issue with a slow or fluctuating internet connection. You may also have a TV that isn't compatible with the YouTube app, or your YouTube app may need an update. If your internet connection is fine, otherwise, try uninstalling and reinstalling the YouTube app.
When YouTube videos won't play on an iPhone, you may have corrupted data on your device or an internet connectivity problem. Try connecting your iPhone to a different wireless network and see if this solves the problem. You can also try clearing the YouTube app cache, restarting your device, or removing and reinstalling the YouTube app.
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How to Fix YouTube Search Not Working
Go back to watching what you want
Are you having trouble using YouTube ’s search feature on your Apple iPhone or Android device? There are several reasons the app doesn’t fetch the expected results. You can try a few ways to fix the issue and be back to finding your favorite YouTube videos.
One common reason you can’t use YouTube’s search functionality is your app has a minor glitch. Other causes include an inactive internet connection, YouTube not having full data access, and more.

Relaunch YouTube on Your Phone
One quick way to fix most issues with YouTube is to quit and relaunch the YouTube application on your phone. This fixes various minor issues with the app, enabling you to use the search function.
- Swipe up from the bottom of your phone’s screen and pause in the middle.
- Find YouTube on the list and swipe up on the app to close the app.

- Tap YouTube on your home screen to relaunch the app.
- Tap the Recent apps button.
- Swipe up on the YouTube app.

- Tap YouTube on your home screen or in your app drawer.
Check Your Internet Connection
YouTube requires an active internet connection to fetch search results. If your connection is spotty or isn’t working at all, that’s the reason you can’t use the search option.
You can verify that by opening a web browser on your phone and launching a site like Bing . If you succeed in accessing the site, your internet is working just fine. In this case, read on to discover more fixes.
If your web browser fails to load the site, your internet connection is faulty. In this case, try to resolve the issue yourself or seek your provider’s help.
Check if YouTube Is Down
YouTube’s servers sometimes go down, causing an outage on the platform. Your search feature not working may be the result of such an outage.

You can check if YouTube is experiencing downtime by using a site like DownDetector . If the platform is indeed down, you’ll have to wait until the company brings the servers back up. There’s nothing you can do on your end to resolve the problem.
Update YouTube to Fix the Search Bar Issue
YouTube’s app bugs can cause the search function not to work. Since you can’t fix these coding-level issues yourself, you can update the app on your phone to potentially get rid of those bugs.
It’s free and easy to update YouTube on both iPhone and Android.
- Launch App Store on your iPhone.
- Select Updates at the bottom.
- Choose Update next to YouTube on the list.

- Open Google Play Store on your phone.
- Search for and select YouTube .

- Tap Update to update the app.
Update Your iPhone or Android Phone
Your iPhone or Android phone’s system bugs can cause your apps to malfunction. This is especially true if your phone is running an outdated operating system version.
In this case, you can resolve your YouTube search issue by updating your phone’s software to the latest version. Here’s how to do that.
- Open Settings on your iPhone.
- Navigate to General > Software Update in Settings.
- Let your iPhone check for available updates.
- Download and install the updates by tapping Download and Install .

- Restart your iPhone.
- Launch Settings on your phone.
- Select System > System updates .

- Find and install the available updates.
- Reboot your phone.
Use the Correct Date and Time on Your Phone
Some apps require your phone to use the correct date and time to function. If you’ve incorrectly specified date and time options on your phone, that may be why YouTube’s search function isn’t working.
Fix those options on your phone, and YouTube will work just as expected .
- Launch Settings on your iPhone.
- Select General > Date & Time .
- Toggle on Set Automatically .

- Open Settings on your phone.
- Select System > Date & time .
- Turn on both Use network-provided time and Use network-provided time zone .

Enable YouTube’s Incognito Mode
YouTube offers an incognito mode to let you browse the platform without having your watch history logged. It’s worth using this mode to see if that helps fix your search issue.
- Open the YouTube app on your phone.
- Select your profile icon in YouTube’s top-right corner.
- Choose Turn on Incognito .

- Select Got It in the prompt.
- Use the search option and see if that works.
- You can disable the incognito mode by tapping your profile icon in YouTube’s top-right corner and choosing Turn off Incognito .
Fix YouTube Search Not Working by Clearing the App Cache
YouTube uses temporary files called cache to enhance your in-app experience. These files may have gone corrupt, causing your app’s functions not to work. Luckily, you can delete your YouTube cache without affecting your personal data in the app.
Your login session and other information in the app will remain intact when you remove the cache. Note that you can only do this on Android, as the iPhone doesn’t let you clear your app cache.
- Launch Settings on your Android phone.
- Select Apps & notifications > YouTube in Settings.
- Tap Storage & cache .
- Choose Clear cache .

Allow YouTube to Use Unrestricted Data
If you’ve enabled Data Saver mode on your Android phone, that may be restricting YouTube’s internet usage. This results in the app’s functions not working.
You can whitelist the YouTube app in the mode and allow the app to use unrestricted data. This will likely resolve your search issue in the app.
- Open Settings on your Android phone.
- Head into Apps & notifications > YouTube > Mobile data & Wi-Fi .
- Turn on Unrestricted data usage .

Reset Your Phone’s Network Settings
If your YouTube search issue persists, try resetting your iPhone or Android phone’s network settings to resolve your network problems. This will ensure any incorrectly specified options aren’t causing the problem.
- Select General > Reset in Settings.
- Choose Reset Network Settings .

- Enter your iPhone’s passcode.
- Select Reset Network Settings in the prompt.
- Navigate to System > Reset options in Settings.
- Choose Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth .

- Select Reset settings .
Make the YouTube Search Bar Functional on Your Smartphone
YouTube’s search is an essential feature as that’s how you can find the videos you’re interested in on this giant video hosting site. A broken search feature means not being able to watch what you want.
Luckily, you can use the methods outlined above to resolve your search problem. Then, you can find whatever videos you find worth watching on this platform. Good luck!
Mahesh has been obsessed with technology since he got his first gadget a decade or so ago. Over the last few years, he's written a number of tech articles on various online publications including but not limited to MakeTechEasier and Android AppStorm. Read Mahesh's Full Bio
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How to Troubleshoot YouTube Search Not Working?
Does YouTube return no result found when you using YouTube search? If yes, you come to the right place. This post from MiniTool uTube Downloader gleans some solutions to YouTube search not working and you can try them one by one.
Plenty of YouTube complained that YouTube didn’t show any searching results when they searched a video. What a bad experience that was!
Why does “YouTube search not working” happen? There are many factors such as poor internet connection, wrong date and time setting, etc. No matter which reason cause YouTube search not to work on your device. Try the following solutions one by one until the issue is solved.
But there are some things to Ensure before trying the following solutions.
First, make sure that what you type into YouTube search is correct – no spelling errors and unnecessary spaces.
Second, make sure that you use short keywords for searching videos.
Third, make sure that the search filters are not selected.
Fourth, make sure the video you are searching for has not been deleted, and you can follow the guide to check the deleted YouTube videos.
Fifth, make sure that your internet connection is stable (Related topic: Internet Connection Problems ).
Finally, try restarting your device and see if that is helpful.

What to do if YouTube watch history does not work? This post provides you with some solutions. Give them a try.
Top Solutions to YouTube Search Not Working
If you are using YouTube through a browser like Chrome, please try the first four solutions; if you are using the YouTube app, please try the last five solutions.
- Clear your browser’s cache and cookies;
- Open incognito mode;
- Update your browser;
- Use YouTube on a different browser;
- Correct date and time on your device;
- Clear YouTube app data and cache;
- Update your YouTube app;
- Use YouTube incognito mode;
- Update the operating system on your device.
Fix 1: Clear Your Browser’s Cache and Cookies
Lots of users found “YouTube search not working Chrome”, so this part mainly shows how to clear cache and cookies from Chrome. If you are using other browsers like Firefox, please follow the tutorial .
Here are steps to clear data and cache from Chrome.
Step 1: Click the three-vertical icons in the top right corner of the Chrome interface to access the Chrome menu.
Step 2: Move your mouse over the More tools option in the Chrome menu and then choose the Clean browsing data option.

Step 3: You will see a window called Clear browsing data. On this window, you need to:
- Switch to the Advanced tab.
- Set time range as All time .
- Make sure the checkboxes next to Browsing history , Cookies and other site data , and Cached images and files are checked.
- Click the Clear data button.

After clearing cache and cookies from Chrome, go to the YouTube page web page and search for a video to see if the issue “YouTube search not working” gets solved.
Fix 2: Open Incognito Mode
If the issue persists, now try opening incognito mode. Here also take opening incognito mode in Chrome for example. It is quite simple – open Chrome and then press the Ctrl + Shift + N key combination.
You will see a window popping up (like the following screenshot). Then open the YouTube web page through the window and try searching for a video to see if YouTube search works again.

If you are using Firefox, please follow the post to open incognito mode on the browser.
Fix 3: Update your Browser
When the browser you are using is outdated, YouTube search might perform incorrectly.
To update Chrome, you should move your mouse over the Help option in the Chrome menu and choose the About Google Chrome option. The browser will automatically update itself, and when it finishes, you will see the Relaunch button. Click the button to restart the browser and then open the YouTube web page and see if the issue still exists.

To update Firefox, please refer to How to Update Firefox? Here Is the Step-by-Step Tutorial .
Fix 4: Use Another Browser
The last resort way to fix “YouTube searching function not working” on computers is to try another browser. If you are using Chrome, you can switch to its alternative like Firefox. Open the YouTube web page through the alternative and see if the issue disappears.
You might be interested in Chrome vs Firefox .
Fix 5: Correct Date and Time on Your Device
Check whether the data and time setting on your device is right when you encounter “YouTube search not working”. Why? Google works on a real-time basis, which means the incorrect date and time setting can cause problems to sync with the server and this influences the YouTube functions like YouTube search.
To modify your date and time setting on your device (take Android for example), you should:
- Tap the Settings app on your device.
- Type Date and Time into the search bar inside the Settings app.
- Open the Date and Time setting and then turn on the Set automatically setting to make the date and time on your device are right.

Once the time and date are set correctly on your device, go back to the YouTube app and see its search function will perform well.
Fix 6: Clear Data and Cache from the Youtube App
How long have you not cleared data and cache from your YouTube app?
If you use YouTube regularly, there must be lots of data and cache on your device, which can cause your device to lag and proceed to cause YouTube search not working. So, clear data and cache from your YouTube app right now.
Here is how to do that:
- Open the Settings app on your device.
- Tap Apps and then tap Apps one more time again.
- Scroll down the app list until you find the YouTube app.
- Tap the Storage option and then tap the two buttons – CLEAR DATA and CLEAR CACHE .

Fix 7: Update Your YouTube APP
Try updating your YouTube app on your device. Go to the play store or app store to look for the latest version of YouTube. If it is available, update your YouTube app to it.
Fix 8: Turn on Incognito Mode on the YouTube App
Turning on the incognito mode on your YouTube app might solve “YouTube search not working”. So, give that a try.
Step 1: Open your YouTube app.
Step 2: Tap your profile and then tap the Turn on Incognito option.

Now try searching for a video through the YouTube app and see if it will respond.
Fix 9: Update the Operating System on Your Device
If the YouTube search function still doesn’t work, please check if the operating system on your device is up to date.
Follow the path to check the version of the operating system: Settings > System & updates > System update .
If there is an update available, upgrade to it and then see if the issue gets solved.
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How To Fix YouTube Search Not Working
Lee Stanton Read more December 16, 2022
With its millions of posted videos, YouTube should return results for most any basic search. However, sometimes users have reported this issue. There are a number of different reasons this could happen.
If your YouTube search is turning up no results, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll cover the common reasons this happens, along with what you can do to fix the issue.
YouTube Search Not Working on Mobile Apps
A popular way to search for and view your favorite YouTube videos is by using the mobile app. Unless you’re searching for something incredibly rare and obscure, YouTube’s algorithm should always give you results. When it doesn’t, there’s obviously a problem. Here are some ways to get your YouTube search working properly.
Check the Usual Culprits
Sometimes all that’s needed to get YouTube’s search function to work properly is to try a few quick fixes. Search errors are rare, although they do occur. The easiest ways to solve this issue are listed below.
- Reboot your phone
- Close the YouTube app and reopen it
- Check your internet connection
- Try searching with different keywords
If these simple fixes don’t work, there are more in-depth solutions you can try.
Check the YouTube Site for Outages
Perhaps the problem isn’t on your end. Occasionally, the YouTube servers go down or are having technical issues. You can quickly check out its status by following these steps.
- Open a browser on your mobile device.
- Navigate to Downdetector.
- Here you’ll see if the site is down or is experiencing problems.
If they are having outages, wait until they are fixed. If not, try some of our other suggestions.
Update the YouTube App
If you’re not running the latest version of the YouTube app, this could cause a search error. Here’s how to check.
For Android users:
- Launch the Google Play Store app.
- Tap your Profile Photo.
- Click “Manage apps and device.”
- Check to see if the word “Update” is next to the YouTube icon.
- If an update is available, press “Update.”
For iPhone users:
- Launch the App Store .
- Locate the YouTube app. If it says “Update” next to the icon, select it to update the app.
After you’ve updated the YouTube app, launch it and try your search again.
Clear Your YouTube Cache
Sometimes clearing your phone’s cache can help with search result issues. This can be easily accomplished on Android devices. Unfortunately, iPhone users will have to delete the YouTube app and reinstall it to clear its cache. Here’s how to clear your phone’s cache on both devices.
- Tap the “Settings” icon.
- Select “Apps & Notifications.”
- Click “YouTube” and go to “Storage & Cache.”
- Choose “Clear Cache.”
- Launch YouTube again and retry your search.
- Long-tap on the “YouTube” app icon.
- Once all the icons start to wiggle, you can either select “Delete app” or press the “-” in the icon’s top-left corner.
- Launch the “App Store” app and download YouTube .
- Launch the app and log in with your credentials.
- Try performing a search again and see if clearing the app’s cache solved the problem.
YouTube Search Not Working on TV
With smart TVs becoming more and more popular, many people enjoy searching and watching YouTube videos on their wide screens. This is definitely a better way than watching them on your phone’s much smaller screen. Some users report not getting any results when performing a basic search for videos. This could happen due to a number of reasons. There are a few easy fixes you can do to get the search function working again.
Most smart TVs automatically update apps when available. However, this may not be true for all of them. Sometimes updating the YouTube app to the latest version is all you’ll need to do to get proper search results. Consult your smart TV documentation for information about how to perform a manual app update.
Power Down Everything
Some users who employ the YouTube app on their smart TVs have reported that powering down everything can fix the search error issue. Turn off your TV and unplug it. Power down your modem or router, and also disconnect them from their power sources. Wait a moment before plugging them in and powering them back on. Open the YouTube app and try your search again.
YouTube Search Not Working in Chrome
Using the Chrome browser on a desktop or laptop computer is a great way to watch your favorite YouTube videos. With millions to choose from, finding the right ones for you couldn’t be easier. Regrettably, sometimes your search will come back with no results. This is an indication that something is wrong on your end. There are a number of solutions you can look into and find the culprit.
Hard-Refresh Chrome
Sometimes all it takes to get a YouTube search to return results is to simply refresh your browser. A hard refresh will clear your browser’s cache for the current website and reload the page.
- Windows users can hold down “Control” and click the “Refresh” button
- For Mac users, hold down “Command + Shift + R”
Turn On JavaScript
A possible cause for a YouTube search not working is that you don’t have JavaScript enabled on your computer. This is something you can easily turn on. Here’s how to do it.
- Open Chrome , tap on the “three dots” icon, and select “Settings.”
- Using the search window at the top of the screen, type in “JavaScript.”
- From the “Content Menu,” click the button next to “Sites can use Javascript” to put it in the “On” position.
- Perform your YouTube search again to see if the problem has been solved.
Disable Hardware Acceleration
Some Chrome users have reported that the YouTube search feature not working can be fixed by disabling hardware acceleration. To give this a try, follow these steps.
- Launch Chrome and click on the “three dots” icon.
- Choose “Settings.”
- Type in “hardware acceleration” in the search window.
- Disable hardware acceleration by toggling the switch to the “Off” position.
- Try your YouTube search again.
Use a Different Browser
If you are still experiencing problems with a YouTube search and the above methods didn’t solve the issue, try using a different browser. There are many other options when it comes to browsers, both for PC and Mac. Try using Microsoft Edge or Firefox.
Quick Fixes to Get YouTube Search Function Working Explained
Although not common, sometimes the YouTube search function will yield zero results. As long as you’re spelling everything correctly, your search should provide results. Problems with searching could be caused by using an outdated app, cache issues, or internet problems. Updating the app, checking your internet connection, or simply rebooting your device typically solves the problem.
Have you had problems with a YouTube search not working? Did you use the suggestions in this article to solve the problem? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Top 9 Ways to Fix YouTube Search Is Not Working
YouTube search is helpful for you to find new videos if you think the recommendations aren’t good enough. You can use the search to look for your favorite songs, videos, or YouTube channels . However, the YouTube search might fail to show results or stop working entirely.

There can be numerous reasons why YouTube Search might not work. In any case, this guide should help you fix the YouTube search issues for good. So, let’s check it out.

1. Check Internet Connection
When you’re having issues with YouTube, the first thing to do is to check your internet connection. If it is slow or weak, the YouTube search might not work for you. Try running a quick speed test on your device to check your internet connection.
2. Restart the App
Next, you can try restarting the YouTube app. This is a common troubleshooting method that helps fix any minor glitches with the app. Hence, you can try it before moving on with the other solutions.
3. Check Down Detector
It’s not uncommon for services like YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, etc., to have downtimes. Thankfully, websites like Downdetector help keeping track of such service outages. You can visit the Downdetector website to see if other users face the same issue.
Visit Downdetector

4. Check Date and Time
If your device has an incorrect time or date, the YouTube app might fail to communicate with the YouTube servers. You should check your device’s system time and ensure it shows the network provided time.
Step 1: Launch the Settings app and navigate to System.

Step 2: Tap on Date & time and ensure that toggles next to ‘Use network-provided time’ and ‘Use network-provided time zone’ are enabled.

Step 1: Launch the Settings app on your iPhone, navigate to General, and tap on Date & Time.

Step 2: Toggle on the switch next to Set Automatically.

5. Update YouTube
Apps like YouTube regularly receive updates that bring bug fixes and improvement. If the search issue occurs due to an app bug, updating the app to its latest version will solve the issue.
6. Clear Cache (Android)
Like any other streaming service, YouTube also collects cache data to improve loading times and app performance. The trouble starts when this data gets corrupted and conflicts with the app. Thus, you can try clearing out this cache data to see if that solves the issue. Here’s how.
Step 1: Tap and hold on to YouTube’s app icon to visit YouTube’s App Info page.

Step 2: Go to Storage and cache and tap on the Clear cache button.

7. Allow Unrestricted Data Usage (Android)
If you’ve enabled any data saver on your device, then YouTube might not use mobile data or Wi-Fi on your device once it reaches that limit. If that’s the case, YouTube might have trouble fetching search results. Here’s how to change it.
Step 1: Press and hold the YouTube app icon to open its App info.
Step 2: Go to Mobile data and Wi-Fi and ensure the switches next to ‘Background data’ and ‘Unrestricted data usage’ are enabled.

8. Reset Network Settings
Another reason why you might have trouble using the YouTube search is if the Wi-Fi isn’t connecting or the signal keeps dropping. In such cases, resetting network settings on your Android or iPhone can help. Here’s how to do it.
Step 1: Open up Settings on your Android and navigate to System.
Step 2: Expand Advanced to visit Reset options. Then tap on Reset Wi-Fi, mobile, and Bluetooth.

Step 3: Lastly, hit the Reset settings button at the bottom.

Step 1: Open up Settings on your iPhone and navigate to General.
Step 2: Scroll down to tap on Transfer or Reset iPhone.

Step 3: Tap on the Reset option at the bottom and choose Reset Network Settings.

It’ll ask you for the password (if any). Once verified, tap on the Reset Network Settings to begin the restoration process.
9. Reinstall YouTube
If nothing works, your last option is to reinstall the YouTube app. This way, you can get rid of all the files or data associated with the app and give it a fresh start.
Your Search Ends Here
YouTube is the source of entertainment needs for most of us. And there’s nothing more annoying than getting interrupted in your leisure time by such issues. Hopefully, the above solutions have helped you fix the problem for good.
Last updated on 04 February, 2022
The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.

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The first YouTube video (Touch of Gold) to reach 1 million views was a Nike Ad featuring Ronaldinho.
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Pankil Shah
Pankil is a Civil Engineer by profession who started his journey as a writer at EOTO.tech. He recently joined Guiding Tech as a freelance writer to cover how-tos, explainers, buying guides, tips and tricks for Android, iOS, Windows, and Web.
YouTube Search Not Working Problems and Solutions
Find youtube search not working problems here are solution to fix youtube search bar not working and tips for youtube search without problems..

Steven Wilson
Jul 19,2019 • Filed to: Video Resources & Tips • Proven solutions
Sometimes, the YouTube search may be faced with some problems which may in turn hinder its general performance. The problem may actually affect different browsers which may include Mozilla Firefox, Safari and even Google Chrome. These browsers may abruptly encounter crash on them making the YouTube tool bar not to respond as expected. YouTube search not working is a common problem when YouTube fans are using Chrome, Safari, and Firefox. There are many situations like sudden crashes, YouTube search bar not working, buttons not working properly, videos not loading for an infinite period of time, and not playing.
In some instances, the video loading may encounter different buffering activities which may affect the quality of the video. At extreme situations, the video may fail to load at all in the YouTube platform. What is the way out when you encounter such problems? One critical thing to do is to identify the source of the problem and try to come up with the best way to fix the issue. Read on to fix YouTube search not working problems.
- Part 1. Common YouTube Search Not Working Problems
- Part 2. YouTube Search Doesn't Work on Safari, Chrome, and Firefox
- Part 3. YouTube Search Problem on iPad, iPhone, Android
Part 4. YouTube Playlist Search Problems and Solutions

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Part 1. YouTube Search Not Working - Common Problems and Solutions
#1. youtube search not working on playlist.
One of the problems that users are facing with YouTube search is that the playlists can suddenly stop playing videos automatically. You might have a selected playlist on YouTube. The moment you notice that the playlist has stopped playing songs that you added in queue to it, you know there is a problem. Even if you click the auto-play button, nothing will happen.
#2. YouTube Search Not Working on Load More
When you are on a playlist of YouTube using any of the browsers – Safari, Chrome, or Firefox, users find that the "load more" button sometimes does not work. Whenever you click on any video on the playlist, it either goes up all the way to the top of the list and you need to press the next button or scroll down all the way to go to the next video.
Some of the users are listening to the audio part, but there is no video or image on the player. Clearing the cache and resetting the browsers do not work. If you've not yet found such a weird problem with the website, it's not that you'll never face this problem with YouTube player. So, it is good to know the things that can be done in order to play the YouTube videos.
#3. YouTube Share and Comment Search Options Not Working
There are users who are facing problems with the share and comment options of the YouTube player. You may be able to watch your favorite videos, but will not be able to share those with others or will be able to comment on them. The video thumbnails are sometimes not there at all.

Part 2. YouTube Search Function Not Working on Safari, Chrome, and Firefox
According to MacRumors, not all videos, but certain types of videos are not playing on browsers like Firefox, Safari, and Chrome. Users have tried different means to deal with the problem like resetting of the PRAM, cleaning caches, and cookies from the browser and uninstalling and installing the YouTube application from the device. However, nothing seems to work. There is, however, a temporary fix that you can try to get rid of the YouTube search not working problem. However, as this is a temporary fix, you need to do it often to be able to avoid the problem. Here's how you should fix YouTube search:
- Go to Develop. Click on User Agent.
- Check Google Chrome from all the options and then choose Mac.
By doing this, you will be able to avoid having trouble with YouTube videos playing on Safari. However, this fix is temporary and will only fix issues occurring in a Safari browser.
YouTube is definitely having problems with the browser agent of Safari 8. Google must have added Safari 8 among the browsers, which will not be able to play YouTube properly. People who have iOS 8 and 10 are facing the problem. However, people who have updated to 10.1 are not facing anything as such. Firefox 5 also cannot play YouTube videos. Even updating YouTube on Safari and the Adobe flash player might not work. You can try setting the device player to solve YouTube not searching problems. For doing that you need to follow these steps:
- Go to the tools section or choose the Firefox option.
- Navigate to the Add-ons. These add-ons will help to download interesting and popular videos from the Internet.
- Check whether the hardware acceleration of your phone will work properly.
- If you are noticing green skin instead of a video, you should be sure that there is issue with the hardware acceleration.
- Right click on the YouTube video that you are watching and choose settings.
- Uncheck the Enable hardware acceleration check box.
Now, play the videos. The YouTube search problems have already been solved in your Safari browser.
Part 3. YouTube Search Bar Not Working on iPad, iPhone, Android
Are you using the earlier versions of iPad? If you are using the YouTube app on iPad, you may face problems of the app crashing frequently or not working at all. It is the same issue with Android and iPhone. You might think that Google and Apple might have stopped supporting the YouTube application.
If you are facing YouTube search not working problem, you must remember that it is not a network issue that you are facing. The YouTube application is not working properly on iPad 1 OS 5.1.1. Given below is a step-by-step solution to deal with an issue like this:
- Before you do anything to the iPad 1, keep a backup of the contents.
- Download the latest OS from Apple. Save it in the iTunes folder. Many people save the downloaded file in the computer. However, keeping it in iTunes is a safer option.
- Plug in your device where you need to reinstall the YouTube application and open iTunes in the device.
- When both your device and the computer are paired right, click on the device and then choose "restore". Once you restore the device, it will show the latest OS that you just downloaded to your computer.
- Once the reinstall is completed, you will be asked to restore or configure the new install. Restore the backups that you saved.

Now you have a native YouTube application. Your favorites will also be restored.
These steps should help you to restore the functioning of the application in your iPad. Google is necessarily shutting down the older apps for giving space to the upgraded new applications that it is working on. That is probably the reason why in most Android devices the old applications are not working anymore and are in need for upgrading. There are more than 1 billion YouTube users in the world. Most of them are upgrading their devices to get a feel of the new upgraded versions of the YouTube application.
YouTube search not working properly? This is a case scenario that can face you when you want to access YouTube search playlist. Here are some of the problems that could be contributing to such kind of situation:
#1: YouTube playlist search not working due to Firewalls from third party
You will discover that some firewalls may inhibit you from accessing a particular webpage (including YouTube playlist page) if they are enabled. One such firewall is the McAfee that creates “firewalls” in your browser.
Solution: It is always critical to ensure that you have disabled any firewalls emanating from the third party. Once you have disabled, you can perform a rerun on your browser. This will highly facilitate you to access the YouTube search playlist.
#2: Poor connection to the internet
Apparently, if you are not connected to a strong and fast internet connection, this may affect the way you can conduct your YouTube search playlists. This is because the video content and the music files available in YouTube require efficient internet due to their large capacity in terms of size.
Solution: Ensure that you have a stable and reliable internet connectivity as this is bound to enhance the performance of the entire search that you actually undertake.
#3: The cache and cookies in your browser
In most cases, the browser cache which provides temporary storage for the downloadable files may be the source of the problem. This is especially if the entire storage space is already occupied. This in return may hinder you from undertaking an efficient YouTube search playlist.
Solution: The above problem can be perfectly solved by clearing caches and cookies. This will in turn make the YouTube to stream efficiently as required.
#4: YouTube playlist search doesn't work because of app crash
This is a common situation that happens if you are accessing YouTube on your iPad, iPhone or even Android devices. The frequent crushing might result to the YouTube app not responding well as expected.
Solution: You will discover that Google is trying to get rid of the outdated apps. Thus to boost the efficiency of your application, it would be crucial to constantly upgrade the YouTube app in your device. This will indeed boost the performance displayed on the screen as you search playlist YouTube.
#5: YouTube playlist search problem caused by JavaScript
In some instances, it may be hard for you to run your YouTube playlist search if the JavaScript is not enabled. Apparently, you will come to understand that JavaScript is a component that must be incorporated within your browser for you to seamlessly access the YouTube playlist. It is actually an essential feature that boosts operation of YouTube.
Solution: Ensure that the JavaScript is enabled so that it can perfectly support the YouTube content.
More Tips on YouTube Search:
So, you must have upgraded the YouTube application on your device by following instructions properly. Now that it’s done, you should know how to use the YouTube application. There are certain ways to make your search on YouTube easy and convenient. Given below are a few tips to help you search correctly on YouTube:
#1. Search for movies:
Not just videos and trailers, you can also watch movies on the website. There are free movies and paid ones on the site. You can use the search box to search for the available movies on the YouTube. Type your query and separate each element of the search box with commas.

#2. Search for HD and UHD videos on YouTube:
There are HD videos on YouTube and there are low resolution ones too. If you need to search for HD videos in particular, mention that in the search box in the website. You need to mention HD videos in the search result.

#3. YouTube search videos by date:
Are you looking for a video that has recently gone viral? It could be helpful to search for a video by date. This will bring to you all the recent clips that match with your search criteria. You can also choose by "this week", "this month", or "today". So, if you want to watch the trailers of movies releasing this week, you can search with a phrase like "movie trailer, this week". This should bring you the trailers of the movies releasing in the current week.

#4. Search for partners:
People search for professional content on YouTube. You too can do that using "YouTube Partners" to search for professional and important content on the website. For searching contents from channels like TMZ and The Associated Press, you can use "YouTube Partners".

#5. YouTube channel search:
If you are looking for a specific channel of videos inside YouTube, you can do channel search. For example, if you want to search for the videos by Ted, you need to write the name of the channel and mention the word "channel" after a comma.

#6. Combination search on YouTube:
You can see that you can do an advanced search with so many options on YouTube. You can narrow your search further by adding different combinations of search words. If you are looking for professional football videos from the official partners, you can combine the two advance search tricks. This would bring you the exact search results that you are waiting for.

In addition to these types of advanced searches on YouTube, there are different searches that you can do using YouTube. It is a huge content sharing site from where you can get a lot of information in video format about many different things. There are actually many modifiers to search for the right videos on YouTube. If you know these modifiers you can make it a point to search fast and effectively on the website.
YouTube Tips
- 1.1 IDM Not Working on YouTube
- 1.2 Ubuntu YouTube Not Working
- 1.3 YouTube Annotations Not Working
- 1.4 YouTube App Not Working
- 1.5 YouTube Autoplay Not Working
- 1.6 YouTube Buttons Not Working
- 1.7 YouTube Captuibs Not Working
- 1.8 YouTube HD Not Working
- 1.9 YouTube Html5 Not Working
- 1.1 YouTube Links Not Working
- 1.11 YouTube Playlist Not Working
- 1.12 YouTube Search Not Working
- 1.13 YouTube Subscription Not Working
- 1.14 YouTube Uploader Not Working
- 1.15 YouTube Not Working in Black Screen
- 2.1 YouTube Not Working on Safari
- 2.2 YouTube Not Working on Firefox
- 2.3 YouTube Not Working on Internet Explore
- 3.1 Why Is YouTube Not Working on My Computer
- 3.2 YouTube Not Working on Mac
- 3.3 YouTube Not Working on Android
- 3.4 YouTube Not Working on iPhone
- 3.5 YouTube Not Working on iPod
- 3.6 YouTube Not Working on iPad
- 3.7 YouTube Not Working on Kindle Fire
- 3.8 YouTube Not Working on Apple TV
- 3.9 YouTube Not Working on Samsung TV
- 3.1 YouTube Not Working on Wii
- 3.11 PS3 YouTube Not Working
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YouTube’s Search Bar Glitches Sometimes — Here’s How to Fix It (Temporarily)

Aug. 27 2021, Published 8:29 p.m. ET
It's difficult to understand why technology doesn't work the exact way it's supposed to every time you engage with it. Barring any personal user error, like digging into your operating system's terminal code and messing everything up, or spilling coffee or cottage cheese or both on your device, there really isn't any reason for tech to just wig out out of nowhere. Which is probably what a lot of YouTube users were muttering to themselves recently after asking: "Why does my search bar not work?!"
Why does your YouTube search bar not work?
Recently, Google's ridiculously popular global video-sharing service received an influx of user error reports that indicated their search bars weren't working. This isn't the first time this has happened, and if you dig into enough YouTube video tutorials (funny, right?) that should've been one-minute blog posts, you'll find several fixes and workarounds throughout the years that show you how to address this problem.
But why does the search bar not work in the first place? There are a number of reasons why this could be happening. The first could be an issue with the specific medium in which you're using YouTube search. If you're rocking the application of your mobile phone of choice via its respective YouTube app, then that could be the root of your issue. It may start and end with the app itself.
If you're using Google image search on a particular web browser or shortcut bar on the browser, that could be the source of your video searching woes. But if you attempt YouTube queries over a variety of different devices, then that's a way bigger problem.
How do you fix the YouTube search bar when it's not working?
That depends on the nature of where you're having your issue. If you're just having it with your smartphone's YouTube app, then it could be that you're rocking an older version of the software. Go to your respective App or Play Store and update the YouTube app. If that doesn't work, then you'll have to dig into your YouTube app settings and try clearing your app data cache.
so i’m on the youtube app and the search bar is not working @YouTube fix this — QUINCY (@QUUIINCY) August 25, 2021
If that still doesn't work, then you might want to visit the YouTube site through a browser. If the search bar isn't working there or in your phone's app, then that means there's an issue with YouTube's search function itself, which has occurred in the past. If that's going on, then there really isn't much you can do about it.
But some users managed to find a strange workaround. Some slick tech nerds found out that you'll sometimes be able to use the YouTube search function in Restricted Mode even if there's a site-wide search outage.
To access Restricted Mode, click on your YouTube profile, then click Settings, then General, and then enable Restricted Mode.
Once you've done that, you should be able to browse videos for some reason. Since it's in Restricted Mode, you might not be able to gain access to some content, so keep that in mind the next time you're trying to watch the Eternal Champions fatality montage.
Just as cool as when I was 9. YouTube's the best.
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Why your channel or video isn’t in YouTube search results
If you recently created your channel or video, updated your video, or changed your handle or channel name, it may take a few days for it to be reflected in YouTube search results.
If it’s been a few days and you still can't find your video in search results, try the steps below:
Find your channel in search results
- Search by your channel ID rather than your handle or channel name. Learn how to find your channel ID .
Find your video in search results
If you recently changed your video, it can take a few days for uploaded videos to be reflected in YouTube search results.
If it’s been a few days and you still can't find your video in search results, you can try to:
- Search for the exact video ID.
- Use search filters to refine your search.
- Improve your video tags to help your video show up in searches.
- Check YouTube Studio to find out if any of your videos have errors.
How YouTube ranks search results
YouTube search tries to show you the most relevant results. Results can include videos, channels, playlists, and live streams. You may not find your channel at the top of the search results if:
- Your handle or channel name is commonly used in video titles.
- You have a common channel name.
- Your YouTube channel is new.
- Your channel name may not be appropriate to all audiences.

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