YouTube not working on Samsung TV? Fix it now!

It’s a given: with 2.6 billion users globally, YouTube is the biggest video-sharing on the planet today. YouTube TV’s NFL Sunday Ticket offering speaks volumes on how the platform pushes the envelope showing you the intense action in the gridiron.

So, it might feel like the biggest blowout in the sport’s history when YouTube stops working on your Samsung TV. Lucky for you, there’s no need to kick the box out of the house as there are proven hacks you can DIY to get back on track.

A simple reset can fix YouTube TV not working on Samsung TV: turn off your TV and put it back on after some time. If not, update the TV’s software version, clear YouTube TV’s app cache, and reset the Samsung TV Smart Hub.

In this post, we’ll show you seven proven solutions for fixing YouTube on your Samsung TV. We’ve also included alternative solutions if things fail so you can get as much YouTube as you want in a jiffy (in about an hour).

Time Needed	56 minutes and 20 seconds
Number of Ways	7
Things You Need	Samsung TV Samsung TV remote control A PC Smartphone USB stick A working internet connection Toothpick or paperclip

Common Fixes for YouTube TV Not Working on Samsung TV

Below are the seven proven hacks to get YouTube working on your Samsung TV. If these solutions do not give you the results you want, the alternative ones that follow should come in handy. 

1. Double-check your WiFi network connection.

Connecting to a WiFi network with a slow internet connection will only result in the issue of YouTube TV faltering on your Samsung TV. We recommend using a WiFi network with at least 3 megabits/second to stream standard-definition videos.

To stream a video in high definition on one device, you’ll need an internet connection with at least 7 megabits of download speed. You can use speed-testing websites such as “fast.com” and “speedtest.net to check your WiFi network’s download speed.

If your WiFi network isn’t providing sufficient internet speed, you might need to upgrade your current data plan. You can also troubleshoot your WiFi modem and router if the slow internet speed is due to a minor malfunction or error.

A quick and easy solution would be to reset the WiFi modem and router soft. We recommend factory resetting both devices or contacting your ISP for further assistance if the soft reset doesn’t fix the internet connectivity issue.

Again, it’s essential you take into consideration how many people are using the internet. The more users take advantage of the service, the more you need faster internet, or you could suffer slow videos — if at all. 

Follow these steps to perform a soft reset on your WiFi modem and router:

Difficulty	Very Easy ●○○○○
Number of Steps	6
Time Needed	2 minutes and 20 seconds

Step 1: Pull the ethernet and power cable from your WiFi modem.

Step 2: Pull the ethernet and power cable from your WiFi router.

Step 3: Keep both devices unplugged for 2 minutes to ensure they’ve completely shut down.

Step 4: Insert the ethernet and power cable into the WiFi router.

Step 5: Insert the ethernet and power cable into the WiFi modem.

Step 6: Wait for the WiFi modem and router to turn on with their status lights glowing. Perform a speed test on your WiFi network to check if it’s working okay.

As you may have noticed, the process above has a time element. The reason is simple; doing so ensures all electric charges have subsided and the memory chips have returned back to normal. 

Follow these steps to perform a factory reset on your WiFi modem and router:

Difficulty	Very Easy ●○○○○
Number of Steps	4
Time Needed	2 minutes

Step 1: Look for the hole labeled as “Reset” on your WiFi modem and router.                             Insert a toothpick/paperclip in the hole to access the reset button.

Step 2: Push the reset button for 10 seconds by pressing the toothpick/paperclip             against it to shut down and reset the WiFi modem/router.

Step 3: Wait while the WiFi modem/router completes its boot-up sequence.

Step 4: Use the SSID and password written on the sticker of the WiFi modem/router. Perform a speed test on your WiFi network to check if it’s working okay.

A speed test allows you to measure how fast your connection is. It is, therefore, a must to know if the procedure you’ve done has been successful or not. 

2. Cold reboot the Samsung TV (unplug it from the wall).

Difficulty	Very Easy ●○○○○
Number of Steps	2
Time Needed	10 seconds

Minor issues and bugs can occur anytime while your Samsung TV is in use, so we suggest performing a cold reboot to fix them. A cold reboot allows your Samsung TV to refresh its system by shutting down all apps and processes at once.

This action is a reliable troubleshooting trick to use whenever an issue with YouTube on your Samsung TV happens. It’s also effective in dealing with all sorts of problems affecting your Samsung TV and its installed applications.

Performing a cold reboot is also helpful in preventing power supply issues on your Samsung TV, which results in apps like YouTube not working. Since cold rebooting involves unplugging and plugging its cable, you can ensure the connection is secure.

Step 1: Turn off your Samsung TV by unplugging the power cable from your               wall/power outlet.

Step 2: Turn on your Samsung TV after 30 seconds by plugging in the power cable back into your wall/power outlet. Note: You’ll need to press the power button on the remote control or the Samsung TV i f it doesn’t turn on after its power cable is plugged into the wall/power outlet.

Remember that this is not just a matter of turning your TV on and off. You need to factor in the time element in between so you get the process right. 

3. Update Samsung TV software.

An outdated software version is a common cause of app issues like YouTube TV not working on Samsung TV. The reason for this is simple — outdated Samsung TV software might no longer be compatible with the YouTube TV app.

It’s highly advisable to keep your Samsung TV updated with the latest software version to prevent compatibility issues from occurring. Updating improves your Samsung TV’s performance and helps patch bugs and errors from the old software.

Software updates can be downloaded and installed directly from the internet into your Samsung TV. It’s your first option, which would be much easier to factor in. 

However, if your WiFi network is unreliable, we recommend downloading the software update into a PC and copying it to a USB stick that you’ll plug into the TV. It’s a little longer and taxing, but the results should speak for themselves. 

Follow these steps to update the Samsung TV’s software from the internet:

Difficulty	Easy ●●○○○
Number of Steps	6
Time Needed	20 minutes

Step 1: Press home on your remote control to open the Samsung Smart Hub             menu on your display screen.

Step 2: Scroll left/click Settings to move to the system settings menu.

Step 3: Scroll down/click Support to move to the support menu.

Step 4: Select/click Software Update to move to the software update options.

Step 5: Select/click Update Now.

Step 6: Wait for your Samsung TV to check the internet for software updates.              Download/install the latest software version available.

If the internet connection of your WiFi network is unstable, we suggest switching to the USB stick method to update the firmware version of your Samsung TV. This way, you can download the updated firmware version on your PC slowly but surely.

Use a USB stick to update the Samsung TV’s software

Difficulty	Easy ●●○○○
Number of Steps	17
Time Needed	25 minutes

Step 1: Press home on your remote control to open the Samsung Smart Hub             menu on your display screen.

Step 2: Scroll left/click Settings to move to the system settings menu.

Step 3: Scroll down/click Support to move to the support menu.

Step 4: Scroll down/click About This TV to move to the device information page.

Step 5: Check the page for the TV model number and current software version and remember these details.

Step 6: Use your PC to visit the official Manuals & Software page for Samsung TVs. Enter on the search bar the TV model number to move to its download page.

Step 7: Move to the Firmware/Software section of your TV’s download page. Next, move to the “Upgrade File(USB type)” portion and hit the Download button.

Step 8: Extract the downloaded software update to the PC desktop. Note: The software update file shouldn’t be renamed or modified to prevent your Samsung TV from not recognizing it.

Step 9: Plug a USB stick into the port of the PC.              Copy the extracted software update into the USB stick.

Step 10: Remove the USB stick from your PC.                Plug the USB stick into the port of the Samsung TV.

Step 11: Press home on your remote control to open the Samsung Smart Hub               menu on your display screen.

Step 12: Scroll left/click Settings to move to the system settings menu.

Step 13: Scroll down/click Support to move to the support menu.

Step 14: Select/click Software Update to move to the software update options.

Step 15: Select/click Update Now.

Step 16: Select/click Yes to browse the content of your USB stick.

Step 17: Select/click Yes to install the software update you placed inside the USB               stick.

Don’t worry if that was a bit long. But it’s the only way you can factor the software upgrade to your Samsung TV if your internet is unstable and if you don’t, you may have to deal with the YouTube issue for far longer than you want. 

4. Reinstall YouTube TV.

Difficulty	Very Easy ●○○○○
Number of Steps	5
Time Needed	40 seconds

Preinstalled apps such as Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and YouTube TV can’t be deleted from your Samsung TV. The problem is that you cannot remove them from your Samsung TV when they start malfunctioning.

It’s a boon. But there’s a disadvantage to that as the installed software may have glitches and is bound to give you problems as it’s deeply rooted. 

Fortunately, a dedicated reinstall option on the Samsung Smart Hub’s app menu allows you to uninstall and reinstall your preinstalled apps at once. This option is a welcome alternative to the manual uninstallation and reinstallation process.

Step 1: Press home on your remote control to open the Samsung Smart Hub             menu on your display screen.

Step 2: Navigate to APPS and open it to access the app menu on your Samsung TV.

Step 3: Select/click the gear symbol on the upper-right corner of the app menu to             access the App Settings.

Step 4: Select/click the YouTube TV app from the list.

Step 5: Scroll down/click the Reinstall option to reinstall your YouTube TV app.

That should be easy. Still, if the issue persists, a more robust solution should be in the works. 

5. Clear the YouTube TV app’s cached data.

Difficulty	Very Easy ●○○○○
Number of Steps	7
Time Needed	40 seconds

YouTube TV not working on Samsung TV is likely a result of a corrupt cache file. Your Samsung TV stores a temporary file on its app cache partition every time you use the YouTube TV app, which helps improve its performance and load times.

With the file stored in the cache, your Samsung TV can reload the necessary data to access the part in the YouTube app you last visited. This significantly shortens the load time because your Samsung TV no longer needs to download these resources.

The only issue with this helpful cache storage is that the file it stores can get corrupted sometimes. We recommend clearing the cache, as it also gets bloated and fills up a lot of storage space on your Samsung TV, causing it to malfunction.

Step 1: Press home on your remote control to open the Samsung Smart Hub             menu on your display screen.

Step 2: Navigate to the Settings, then move up to the Quick Settings panel above the Samsung Smart Hub menu.

Step 3: Scroll right/click TV Device Manager.

Step 4: Select/click Clean Now on Memory Boost to clear all the cached memory on your Samsung TV.

Step 5: Select/click Clean Now on Clear Running Apps to close unused apps and             clear the system memory of your Samsung TV.

Step 6: Select/click Show App List to access a list of apps installed on your             Samsung TV.

Step 7: Select/click the YouTube TV app and click the View Details option.              Clear the YouTube TV app cache.

6. Reset Smart Hub.

Difficulty	Very Easy ●○○○○
Number of Steps	6
Time Needed	40 seconds

Whenever an app on your Samsung TV is misbehaving, you can reset the Smart Hub if the previous solutions were unable to fix the issue. This action provides another method of troubleshooting the problem with YouTube TV.

We suggest this solution because Smart Hub is the entire menu system that controls access to the apps and features on your Samsung TV. Simply put, the Samsung Smart Hub is tied to the reason your YouTube TV app is not working.

Plus, the Smart Hub serves as your Samsung TV’s app store, which means it’s responsible for installing, removing, and managing your apps. If anything can solve the problem with your YouTube TV app, it’s resetting the Smart Hub.

Step 1: Press home on your remote control to open the Samsung Smart Hub             menu on your display screen.

Step 2: Scroll left/click Settings to move to the system settings menu.

Step 3: Scroll down/click Support to move to the support menu.

Step 4: Scroll down/click Self Diagnosis.

Step 5: Scroll down/click Reset Smart Hub.

Step 6: Enter your TV PIN code to continue with the Samsung Smart Hub reset. Note: The default PIN code on your Samsung TV is 0000. That should work unless you’ve already changed its PIN code before.

If the default PIN code doesn’t work, you may have to ask around. Perhaps someone in the household has tinkered with the TV, or you may have to get in touch with Samsung representatives to clear the issue up. 

7. Conduct a Samsung TV factory reset.

Difficulty	Very Easy ●○○○○
Number of Steps	8
Time Needed	5 minutes

The final method of troubleshooting the issue of YouTube TV not working on Samsung TV is to conduct a factory reset. You must only use this solution as a last resort after you’ve tried all the other options we’ve provided above.

There’s no going back after the factory reset, as it deletes everything on your Samsung TV, like your account data, installed applications, and system configurations. As such, we only recommend proceeding with this method if you’re okay with losing your data.

Don’t worry, you can sign in with your Samsung account, reconfigure your system settings, and reinstall all your favorite apps after the factory reset. It’ll all be worth it once you can use the YouTube TV app on your Samsung TV.

Step 1: Press home on your remote control to open the Samsung Smart Hub             menu on your display screen.

Step 2: Scroll left/click Settings to move to the system settings menu.

Step 3: Scroll down/click General to move to the general settings menu.

Step 4: Scroll down/click Reset.

Step 5: Enter your TV PIN code and click Done to continue with the Samsung TV             factory reset.

Step 6: Select/click Yes.

Step 7: Wait while your Samsung TV conducts the factory reset.

Step 8: Set up the Smart Hub menu once your Samsung TV boots back up.

Now that we’ve factored in the seven proven hacks, you can breathe easy your Samsung is in top shape. If, however, you still find your YouTube TV to be unruly, you may have to contact Samsung support for the best results. 

Take note that other issues could also hound YouTube TV. Below are the alternative solutions that should come in handy if these issues pop up. 

How to Fix Other Common YouTube Issues on Your Samsung TV

There are common issues that cause the YouTube TV app to not work on your Samsung TV. You can fix these issues by applying the appropriate troubleshooting techniques that address their root causes.

Below is a list of other common YouTube issues that might affect your Samsung TV and how best to resolve them.

1. YouTube TV app can’t be installed.

Installation issues are usually the result of internet connectivity issues, and the only way to resolve them is to reset your WiFi network connection. You can also contact your internet service provider for assistance with your problematic WiFi connection.

Another possible cause of this issue is insufficient storage space on your Samsung TV. Cached memory can consume your Samsung TV’s remaining storage, so we recommend clearing the cache.

You can also remove apps you don’t use that much to clear more space for your Samsung TV. Once your TV has enough space left, you can install the YouTube TV app without issues.

In short, you need to prioritize YouTube TV if you want to make the most of the service. It’s a timely decision, given how much the video-sharing platform puts quality content on the table. 

Difficulty	Very Easy ●○○○○
Number of Steps	6
Time Needed	20 seconds

Step 1: Press home on your remote control to open the Samsung Smart Hub             menu on your display screen.

Step 2: Navigate to APPS and open it to access the app menu on your Samsung TV.

Step 3: Select/click the gear symbol on the upper-right corner of the app menu to             access the App Settings.

Step 4: Select/click the app(s) you want to remove from your Samsung TV.

Step 5: Select/click Delete to remove the selected app(s).

Step 6: Select/click Delete to confirm this action. Note: Repeat this process until you’ve removed all your desired apps and cleared up enough storage space.

It’s all a matter of prioritizing which app suits your needs. YouTube is now in a television-optimized format, so you should be able to watch better videos.

Take note that the size of the screen doesn’t matter, actually. The amount of data used by YouTube depends on the number of pixels used or what we call the resolution. 

Of course, higher-resolution TVs consume more data than run-of-the-mill TVs.

2. YouTube TV app is unable to run.

Sometimes, the YouTube TV app won’t run on your Samsung TV no matter how much you click it with the remote control. The reason this occurs might be an incompatibility issue between your Samsung TV and YouTube TV.

As shown in the previous instructions, you need to ensure your Samsung TV is updated to the latest software version. It’s also essential that the YouTube TV app is updated to its latest version to make it compatible with your Samsung TV.

Difficulty	Very Easy ●○○○○
Number of Steps	4
Time Needed	10 seconds

Step 1: Press home on your remote control to open the Samsung Smart Hub             menu on your display screen.

Step 2: Navigate to APPS and open it to access the app menu on your Samsung TV.

Step 3: Select/click the gear symbol on the upper-right corner of the app menu to             access the App Settings.

Step 4: Turn on Auto Update by clicking it in the upper-right corner of the app               settings menu. Note: This feature allows your Samsung TV to install available updates on all your apps whenever it’s connected to the internet.

3. YouTube TV is buffering.

Your YouTube TV app will experience buffering because of a slow internet connection. If your WiFi network provides you with less than 3 megabits per second of download speed, you won’t load any videos reliably.

You need to reset your WiFi router and modem to fix your internet connection, as shown in the earlier parts of this guide. If your data plan is only capable of such low internet speeds, you might consider upgrading it to a faster one.

The issue becomes even compounded when you have multiple users at home. Each user hogging the internet slows its speed down so you will need faster internet to accommodate everyone. 

Alternative Devices/Apps to Use for Watching YouTube

If the YouTube TV app still wouldn’t work after trying everything we suggested, your best bet would be to use alternative devices and apps instead. These alternative methods let you watch YouTube videos without using the YouTube TV app.

1. Use your Samsung TV built-in web browser.

The built-in browser on your Samsung TV works like any other internet browser. With this browser, you can visit the YouTube webpage to watch videos on the platform without using their app.

2. Cast YouTube using a phone or laptop.

Another way to watch YouTube without the app on your Samsung TV is to cast it from another device, such as your phone or laptop. If you watch YouTube using a phone or laptop, you can cast their display to your Samsung TV display via screen sharing.

You can use the Smart View, Casting, or Screen Sharing feature with an Android phone. Meanwhile, the AirPlay feature can screen mirror an iPhone or MacBook to your Samsung TV.

On a Windows laptop, you’ll need to navigate to System > Display > Multiple displays > Connect to a wireless device. All these methods will let you cast YouTube videos without installing its app on your Samsung TV.

3. Use an external input device.

YouTube TV is compatible with external input devices like streaming sticks and gaming consoles. You can connect these external input devices to your Samsung TV via an HDMI connection to access YouTube TV.

Streaming devices that are supported by YouTube TV include Roku, Google Chromecast, and Fire TV. Regarding gaming consoles, the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Xbox One S, and Xbox One X are all supported.

FAQs about YouTube TV on Samsung TV

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