Why can’t I hear YouTube videos on my Android?

Many Android users have reported issues with YouTube videos having no sound or audio. This can be frustrating as you are unable to hear the audio from videos in the YouTube app on your Android device. There are several potential reasons why you may not be getting any sound from YouTube videos.

This article will provide an overview of the common causes of YouTube having no sound on Android devices. We will also go through all the potential solutions and troubleshooting steps you can try to fix the no sound problem with YouTube on your Android phone or tablet.

Verify Sound Settings

One of the most common reasons for not being able to hear YouTube videos on an Android device is that the sound settings are not properly configured. Here are some things to check:

First, make sure that your device’s volume is turned up. Press the volume rocker on the side of your phone while a video is playing to bring up the volume slider and turn it all the way up.

Next, check the sound and volume settings within the YouTube app itself. Open the YouTube app, tap on your profile picture, then select Settings. Go to the General tab and make sure that the toggle for “Mute sounds” is turned off. You can also adjust the volume level here.

Additionally, verify that your phone’s media volume is turned up by going to Settings > Sound on your device. Make sure the volume sliders for Media and Notifications are set to your desired level.

If you still can’t get any audio in the YouTube app after checking these device and app volume settings, there are some other troubleshooting steps to try.

Update the App

One potential issue is that the YouTube app needs to be updated to the latest version. Over time, apps can develop bugs or lose functionality if they aren’t kept up to date through new releases from the developer.

To rule this out, check the Play Store to see if any updates are available for the YouTube app. The latest update may contain a fix for audio issues. Open the Play Store app, go to “My Apps & Games”, and check if the YouTube app has an “Update” button. If so, tap it to download and install the latest version.

According to a Google support article, updating the app can resolve problems with no sound playing from YouTube videos.

Restart the Device

One of the simplest fixes for audio issues on Android devices is to restart the phone. A reboot helps clear out any software bugs or glitches that may be preventing sound from working properly. As this Lifewire article explains, “A reboot often clears up any software glitches that may disable the sound.”

To restart an Android device, press and hold the power button for a few seconds until a menu pops up. Tap the “Restart” option to reboot the phone. Allow the device to fully restart, which may take 30-60 seconds. Once it has completed rebooting, open YouTube and test if videos are now playing audio as expected.

Restarting the Android forces all running apps and services to close, clearing any problematic processes that could be interfering with sound output. It essentially provides a fresh start that can fix random software bugs. Before trying more advanced troubleshooting steps, a simple reboot is quick and easy first step see if that resolves the no sound issues in YouTube and other apps.

Clear App Cache and Data

Clearing the app cache and data can often resolve app issues like no sound. Over time, the YouTube app can build up corrupted data that gets stored in its cache and data folders. Clearing this data forces the app to rebuild its data files and load a fresh, clean set. According to Tenorshare, clearing the cache is one of the quick solutions to try when fixing no sound on YouTube.

To clear the cache and data for the YouTube app on Android:

1. Open Settings
2. Select Apps or Application Manager
3. Choose YouTube
4. Tap Storage
5. Select Clear Cache and Clear Data

This will wipe the app data clean and could resolve any corrupt files causing sound issues. After clearing, reopen YouTube and test if sound works again.

Check Data/Wi-Fi Connection

One common reason for YouTube videos not playing sound on Android devices is an unstable or poor internet connection. Both mobile data and Wi-Fi rely on having a strong enough signal to maintain a consistent connection. But weak or spotty connections can disrupt the streaming of audio from YouTube videos.

First, check if you have sufficient signal strength for your mobile data or Wi-Fi connection. You may see only one or two bars for your cellular network or the Wi-Fi icon could show as weak. Switching locations or moving closer to your router may help improve the connection strength.

Next, run a speed test on your network. Slow speeds like below 1 Mbps download can indicate your connection is too sluggish for streaming YouTube audio properly. Consider connecting to a different Wi-Fi network or disabling Wi-Fi and using mobile data if speed tests show issues.

Finally, try loading other streaming services like Spotify or Netflix to isolate if it’s just YouTube being impacted. Interference and congestion on a network can affect real-time streaming quality. If YouTube is the only problem, your connection itself may not be the cause.

Checking your connection strength, speed, and performance can help identify network issues disrupting YouTube audio. Improve poor signals or switch networks if needed. But if other services work fine, further troubleshooting may be required.

Enable Hardware Acceleration

One potential cause of no audio from YouTube videos is that hardware acceleration is disabled on your Android device. Hardware acceleration utilizes your device’s graphics processing unit (GPU) for rendering graphics and video. When disabled, the CPU handles all video rendering through software. Software rendering is less efficient and can lead to performance issues like no audio playback.

To enable hardware acceleration on your Android:

1. Open your device settings.
2. Go to Developer Options.
3. Locate the setting for “Force GPU rendering” or “Hardware accelerated rendering.”
4. Enable this setting.

Enabling hardware acceleration allows your device’s GPU to handle rendering YouTube videos. This takes pressure off the CPU and can resolve problems like no audio. If the issue persists, you may need to troubleshoot other potential causes.

Sources:

https://www.telerik.com/forums/youtube-video-in-android-without-hardware-acceleration

Uninstall Updates

A recent YouTube app update may have caused issues with audio playback. App updates can sometimes introduce bugs or compatibility problems. To rule out a bad update, try uninstalling the YouTube app updates and revert back to the original version that came with your Android device.

On Android, open the Settings app and go to Apps & Notifications > See all apps. Locate the YouTube app in the list and tap on it. Select Uninstall updates. This will revert the YouTube app back to the factory version.

Test if you can now hear audio in YouTube videos. If the audio issue is fixed after uninstalling updates, it confirms that a YouTube app update was causing problems. You can wait for Google to release a fix in the next app update.

According to one source, app updates can sometimes break features like audio playback, and uninstalling updates can be an easy fix in these cases.

Factory Reset Device

As a last resort, reset your Android device to its factory settings. This will erase all data and settings and restore the device to its original state. According to an article on Driversupport.com, factory resetting can often fix audio issues caused by corrupted settings or files:

“Go to Start and search for Settings, then select Update & Security > Recovery. Under Reset this PC, click Get Started. Choose to keep files or remove everything, then click Reset to initiate the process. Once your PC reboots, check if sound is working properly.” (Source)

However, resetting will delete all your apps and data. Be sure to backup anything important first. You’ll have to reconfigure settings after resetting. According to a Google Pixel user forum, even factory resetting may not always resolve audio issues, so contact support if it persists.

Contact YouTube Support

If all other troubleshooting steps fail to resolve the no sound issue, it’s time to reach out to the official YouTube support team for additional help. The YouTube Help Center has an entire section dedicated to audio troubleshooting with step-by-step guides and fixes.

Some of the key resources on the YouTube Help site include:

• The “No sound or audio” troubleshooting guide – This covers many of the common fixes like checking sound settings, app permissions, clearing cache/data, uninstalling updates, etc. There are separate sections for computer, mobile app, TV, and other devices (source).
• Contact options – If the self-help steps don’t work, you can fill out a contact form, start a chat, or find a phone number to call for 1-on-1 troubleshooting help from the YouTube support team (source).
• Community forum – You can browse topics or post questions to get help from other YouTube users who may have experienced similar issues.

The official YouTube troubleshooting guides are comprehensive and regularly updated. Reaching out to their support team directly gives you access to expert help finding a solution for any persistent no sound problems on Android.