YouTube won't load because of a connection problem, browser issue, or account restriction — and the fix depends on which one

YouTube fails to load for three main reasons: your internet connection is too slow or unstable, your browser has a technical problem (cached data, outdated version, or conflicting extension), or YouTube itself is having an outage. Less often, your account has a restriction or your device is blocking the site. Start by checking whether the problem is on your end or YouTube's, then work through the fixes in order of likelihood.

The fastest way to narrow it down: open YouTube on a different device (phone, tablet, or different computer) using the same WiFi. If it loads there, the problem is your browser or device. If it fails on every device, the problem is your connection or YouTube itself.

Key Takeaways

  • Check whether YouTube loads on a different device first — this tells you whether the problem is your browser, your device, or your internet connection.
  • Restart your router and modem by unplugging them for 30 seconds, then plugging them back in, before trying anything else.
  • Clear your browser's cached data and cookies by going to Settings > Privacy and Security > Clear Browsing Data, selecting "All time", and checking Cookies and Cached Images.
  • Disable browser extensions one at a time to find which one is blocking YouTube, or use your browser's incognito or private mode to test without any extensions.
  • Check whether YouTube itself is down by visiting a status page like DownDetector or searching "YouTube down" — if thousands of people report the same problem, wait for YouTube to fix it.

Restart your router and modem first

Most connection problems clear themselves when you restart the devices that manage your internet. Unplug your modem (the device your internet service provider gave you) and your router (the device that broadcasts WiFi) from power. Wait 30 seconds, then plug the modem back in first. Wait another 30 seconds for it to fully restart, then plug in the router. Wait two to three minutes for the router to come back online — you will see lights stop blinking rapidly.

This clears temporary connection glitches that prevent YouTube from loading even when your internet speed is fine. If YouTube loads after this, you are done. If not, move to the next step.

Check your internet speed and stability

YouTube needs at least 1 megabit per second (Mbps) to load video in standard definition, and 2.5 Mbps for high definition. Test your speed at speedtest.net or fast.com — these are free tools that measure what your connection is actually delivering right now. If your speed is below 1 Mbps, YouTube will not load reliably.

If your speed is low, move closer to your router, or switch to a wired connection if you have an ethernet cable. If you are on WiFi and far from the router, the signal weakens. If you are on a wired connection and still slow, restart your modem again or contact your internet service provider — they may need to check your line.

If your speed is normal but YouTube still will not load, the problem is not your connection speed. Move to the browser fixes.

Clear your browser's cache and cookies

Cached data — old copies of web pages and images your browser saved — can become corrupted and prevent YouTube from loading. Clearing it forces your browser to download fresh data.

In Chrome or Edge, go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Clear Browsing Data. A window will open. At the top, select "All time" from the dropdown. Check the boxes for "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files". Click "Clear data". Close the window and try YouTube again.

In Firefox, go to Settings > Privacy & Security, scroll down to "Cookies and Site Data", and click "Clear Data". Check both boxes and click "Clear". In Safari, go to Safari > Settings > Privacy, click "Manage Website Data", select all entries, and click "Remove".

After clearing cache, restart your browser completely — close all tabs and windows, then open a new window and go to YouTube.

Disable browser extensions to find the culprit

Browser extensions (ad blockers, password managers, VPNs, and other add-ons) sometimes block YouTube or interfere with how it loads. The fastest way to test is to open YouTube in your browser's incognito or private mode, where extensions do not run. In Chrome, press Ctrl+Shift+N (Windows) or Command+Shift+N (Mac). In Firefox, press Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows) or Command+Shift+P (Mac). In Safari, press Command+Shift+N.

If YouTube loads in private mode, an extension is the problem. Go back to normal mode and disable extensions one at a time until YouTube loads. In Chrome, click the puzzle icon in the top right, then click the eye icon next to each extension to turn it off. Test YouTube after disabling each one. When YouTube loads, you have found the culprit — either remove that extension or contact its developer to report the problem.

Update your browser to the latest version

Outdated browsers sometimes cannot load modern websites. Check your browser version and update if needed. In Chrome, click the three dots in the top right, go to Help > About Google Chrome. Chrome will check for updates automatically and install them. In Firefox, click the menu button (three lines) in the top right, go to Settings > About Firefox. In Edge, click the three dots in the top right, go to Settings > About Microsoft Edge.

After updating, restart your browser completely and try YouTube again.

Check whether YouTube itself is down

YouTube occasionally has outages that affect all users. Visit downdetector.com, search for "YouTube", and look at the graph and recent reports. If thousands of people report YouTube is down in your region, the problem is on YouTube's end — wait an hour and try again. You can also search "YouTube down" in Google to see if news articles mention an outage.

If only a few people report problems, the issue is likely on your end, not YouTube's. Go back and work through the earlier steps.

Check for account restrictions or device blocks

YouTube sometimes restricts accounts that violate its terms of service, or blocks devices that appear to be using a VPN or proxy. If you are using a VPN, try disabling it and loading YouTube without it. If you are signed into a YouTube or Google account, sign out and try loading YouTube without signing in — if it loads, your account may have a restriction.

If your account is restricted, you will usually see a message explaining why when you sign in. Follow the instructions in that message. If you see no message but YouTube still will not load while signed in, contact Google Support through your Google Account settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does YouTube load on my phone but not my computer?

The problem is your computer's browser or connection, not YouTube or your internet service. Try the cache clear and extension disable steps on your computer. If YouTube loads in incognito mode, an extension is blocking it. If it still does not load after clearing cache, try a different browser like Firefox or Edge to see if the problem is specific to Chrome.

YouTube loads but videos won't play — is that the same problem?

No. If YouTube's homepage loads but videos freeze or show an error, the problem is usually your internet speed, a conflicting extension, or your device's video player. Try disabling extensions, clearing cache, or restarting your device. If videos play in incognito mode, an extension is interfering with video playback specifically.

Does a VPN stop YouTube from loading?

Sometimes. YouTube blocks some VPNs to prevent people from bypassing regional restrictions. If you are using a VPN and YouTube will not load, try disabling it. If YouTube loads without the VPN, your VPN provider is blocked. Some VPN services work better with YouTube than others — check your VPN's support page or try a different VPN service.

What if I have tried everything and YouTube still won't load?

Contact your internet service provider to confirm your connection is stable, or contact Google Support through your Google Account settings. Provide them with your browser version, what you have already tried, and whether the problem happens on all devices or just one.