YouTube TV freezing or buffering can be caused by various factors, including your smart TV’s memory or your network connection. This guide will explain possible reasons why YouTube TV is buffering on your device and how to resolve them. Read on to learn more.
“Why Does YouTube TV Keep Buffering?” — Most Common Reasons
Here are the most common reasons why the YouTube TV app on your smart TV or phone is buffering:
1 “Why Does YouTube TV Keep Buffering?” — Most Common Reasons2 How to Stop YouTube TV Buffering2.1 Fix #1: Connect to a Stable WiFi Network2.2 Fix #2: Power Cycle Your Smart TV2.3 Fix #3: Update the YouTube TV App and the TV’s Firmware2.4 Fix #4: Clear YouTube TV’s Cache2.5 Fix #5: Allow Location Permissions on YouTube TV2.5.1 Smart TV2.5.2 YouTube TV App on Your Smartphone2.5.3 Computer3 Final Thoughts
Slow Internet Connection – The most common reason for YouTube TV buffering is a slow Wi-Fi connection, so make sure your streaming device is getting a strong enough signal. Also, ensure that your Internet speed is fast enough for streaming platforms like YouTube TV.
Too Many Installed Apps – If your smart TV has too many apps installed, it can affect their performance. Try uninstalling unused apps or clearing the app cache to create more free space.
Outdated App Version or TV Firmware – You might experience YouTube not working on TV if you’re still running an old version of the app. Your TV’s OS must also be compatible with YouTube TV to run smoothly.
How to Stop YouTube TV Buffering
If one or more of the reasons above apply to you, below are some troubleshooting methods to prevent your YouTube TV app from buffering or freezing. Review each fix and see which one is the most effective for your streaming device.
Fix #1: Connect to a Stable WiFi Network
Ensure you are connected to stable Internet with a speed of 3 Mbps or more and that there’s no service outage in your area. If your Wi-Fi is too slow, try power cycling your router. To power cycle your Wi-Fi router, follow these steps: If power cycling doesn’t work, the YouTube TV service itself could be down. To check if your issue is YouTube TV down, check sites like the DownDetector and YouTube TV’s social media pages for outage announcements.
Fix #2: Power Cycle Your Smart TV
Another possible fix for the YouTube TV buffering issue is power cycling your smart TV. This re-initializes your TV’s internal components, which might be experiencing bugs. To power cycle your smart TV, follow these steps:
Fix #3: Update the YouTube TV App and the TV’s Firmware
Your device needs the latest software updates to be compatible with its installed apps. Likewise, you’ll need to install the newest version of the YouTube app to apply fixes to specific bugs causing app freezes and buffering on videos. To update a Samsung TV’s firmware to the latest version, follow the steps below: To update the YouTube TV app on a Samsung smart TV, proceed to these steps:
Fix #4: Clear YouTube TV’s Cache
If you’re still experiencing issues with the YouTube TV app, try clearing its cache. Cached data needs to be cleared when it gets too large or outdated. This can be effective when dealing with bugs or freezing issues on the app. To clear app data from YouTube TV on your Samsung smart TV, follow the steps below: If you cannot clear the app cache on your streaming device, you can try uninstalling the app and then reinstalling it. To do this, follow these steps:
Fix #5: Allow Location Permissions on YouTube TV
The YouTube TV app may require you to share your current location. This is necessary to let the app populate the right networks for your current area. To update your current location on the YouTube TV app via your smart TV, computer, or smartphone, proceed to the steps below:
Smart TV
YouTube TV App on Your Smartphone
Computer
Final Thoughts
One of the most popular streaming options for cord-cutting is YouTube TV. However, you might experience buffering on the app while viewing its content. The app can also freeze and close unexpectedly due to outdated software, bugs, and other factors. Hopefully, this guide helps you fix YouTube TV buffering or freezing issues on your streaming device. If these solutions don’t work, contact Google Support for further help.
