Why does my YouTube keep crashing on Android?
Having the YouTube app frequently crash or close unexpectedly on Android can be incredibly frustrating. Not being able to reliably access videos and other YouTube content on your mobile device prevents you from fully utilizing an app used by over two billion people globally. Experiencing repeated crashes makes it difficult to watch videos, listen to music, or engage with your favorite creators. It interrupts the entertainment, information, education, and more that YouTube offers. Determining the cause and implementing a fix is important to restore full access on your Android device.
Possible Causes
There are several potential reasons why the YouTube app may crash frequently on Android devices.
Outdated App
An outdated version of the YouTube app can become unstable and prone to crashing. As Google releases new updates, older versions may have compatibility issues or bugs that cause crashes. Always ensure you have the latest version of the YouTube app by checking for updates in the Google Play Store (https://www.quora.com/Why-does-my-YouTube-app-keep-crashing-closing-repeatedly-and-how-do-I-fix-it-I-tried-to-rent-a-movie-on-YouTube-but-instead-crashed-and-it-keeps-crashing-every-time-I-try-to-open-the-app-Nothings-working-Everything).
Buggy Update
Sometimes a recent app update itself contains bugs that cause frequent crashing. This often gets quickly patched in a follow-up update. Check online forums like Reddit to see if other users are reporting crashes after a recent update, and make sure you have the latest version installed (https://www.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/1642e1w/app_keeps_crashing/).
Low Storage Space
If your Android device is low on storage space, it can cause apps like YouTube to crash frequently or have performance issues. Try freeing up storage space by deleting unused apps, photos, videos or other files you don’t need (https://techpp.com/2023/04/20/fix-youtube-app-crashing/).
Poor Internet Connection
YouTube requires a stable internet connection to stream videos smoothly. Using YouTube on a spotty WiFi or mobile data connection can lead to frequent app crashes and interruptions. Try moving closer to your router or switching to a stronger network if connectivity is poor.
Outdated App
One of the most common reasons for YouTube crashing frequently on Android devices is having an outdated version of the YouTube app. As Google releases new updates to the YouTube app, they include bug fixes, performance improvements, and support for new YouTube features. However, if you don’t keep the app updated through the Google Play Store, your version can become outdated over time. This can lead to crashing and other issues as the app has problems running properly on the newest versions of Android.
According to troubleshooting advice from Wondershare source, an outdated YouTube app that hasn’t been updated in awhile is prone to crashing, freezing, or presenting errors like “Unfortunately, YouTube has stopped.” To prevent crashes from outdated apps, it’s important to enable auto-update in the Play Store settings or periodically check for app updates yourself. Keeping all apps updated ensures compatibility with your Android OS version and prevents bugs that lead to crashes in an outdated YouTube app.
Buggy Update
Recent updates to the YouTube app have been plagued with bugs causing crashes for many Android users (source). An update likely went wrong if the crashes started right after updating the YouTube app. To check if a buggy update is the culprit, navigate to the Play Store app and go to “My apps & games” in the menu. Tap on YouTube and check the “Version” to see the currently installed version. Compare it against the release notes for that version to see if others are reporting crashes.
If the update matches when the crashes began, try uninstalling updates which reverts the app back to the factory version. Go to Settings > Apps > YouTube > Uninstall updates. This removes newer buggy versions so you go back to a stable working one. If the app starts working fine again, the issue was a faulty update. Wait for YouTube to roll out a fixed update before updating again.
Low Storage Space
One reason that the YouTube app may frequently crash on your Android device is if you have low storage space available. Apps require free storage space to cache data and run smoothly. When your device starts running low on storage, apps like YouTube may struggle to load content and videos properly, leading to crashing and freezing.
To free up storage space on your Android device:
- Delete unused apps, photos, videos, and other files you no longer need. Sort your apps by size and remove the largest ones you don’t use regularly.
- Transfer photos and videos to cloud storage like Google Photos to clear local storage.
- Clear the cache for apps like YouTube by going to Settings > Apps > YouTube > Storage > Clear Cache.
- Remove downloaded YouTube videos you have already watched.
- Check that you don’t have old app install files still taking up space.
Freeing up at least 1-2 GB of storage space can help stop YouTube from crashing. With more available storage, the app will run more smoothly. You may also want to upgrade to a device with more storage capacity if the issue persists.
Poor Internet Connection
An unstable or slow internet connection is one of the most common reasons for YouTube crashing or freezing on Android devices. Streaming video requires a consistent high-speed data connection in order to load and buffer properly. If your internet connection drops during playback, YouTube may crash or display an error.
There are a few ways to improve your internet connection for smoother YouTube streaming:
- Restart your router and modem – This can clear up any temporary connection issues.
- Check your router placement – Make sure your router is centrally located in your home or office, away from objects that could cause interference.
- Switch to wired ethernet if possible – Wired connections are generally faster and more stable for streaming.
- Test your internet speeds – Use a tool like Speedify to check your download speeds. Faster speeds like 100+ Mbps are ideal.
- Close other programs using bandwidth – Streaming takes a lot of bandwidth, so closing unused apps can help.
If your internet speeds and connection check out, but YouTube is still having issues, you may need to adjust your YouTube video quality settings to stream at a lower resolution that requires less bandwidth.
Additional Troubleshooting
If the above solutions don’t resolve the issue, here are some additional troubleshooting steps to try:
Force stop the YouTube app – Go to Settings > Apps > YouTube and tap Force Stop. This will stop all processes associated with the app.
Clear the cache and data – In the same Apps menu, tap Storage > Clear Cache and Clear Data. This deletes temporary files and resets the app.
Uninstall updates – Go to Play Store > YouTube > Uninstall Updates. This reverts the app to the original factory version.
Restart your device – Power down your phone completely and then restart it. This refreshes the operating system and clears any memory issues.
If the crashing persists even after trying these steps, it’s best to contact YouTube support for further assistance.
Preventative Measures
There are some steps you can take to help prevent the YouTube app from crashing frequently on your Android device:
Keep the YouTube app updated – Make sure you have the latest version of the YouTube app installed. Older versions may have bugs that cause crashing. Check for updates periodically in the Play Store and install any available updates.
Monitor storage space – The YouTube app needs free storage space to cache videos and data. If your phone storage is nearly full, try freeing up some space by deleting unused apps and files. Ideally maintain at least 500MB of free space.
Use a stable internet connection – Using public WiFi or a weak cellular signal can lead to buffering and connectivity issues that may cause the app to crash. When possible, connect to a stable WiFi network to view YouTube videos.
Report bugs – If the YouTube app is crashing frequently even after updating, check online forums to see if others are experiencing the issue. You can also report bugs directly to YouTube via the feedback option in the app. Describing the issue in detail can help YouTube identify and fix bugs.
When to Contact Support
If you continue to experience frequent crashes of the YouTube app even after trying all the troubleshooting steps, it may be time to contact YouTube support for additional help.
Persistent crashing likely indicates an underlying issue that you cannot resolve on your own. There may be a bug in the latest app update causing conflicts for certain devices or Android versions. Or there could be a problem with your specific YouTube account.
To speak with a YouTube support representative about app crashes on Android, you can email the YouTube Creator Support team. Be sure to provide details on when the crashes occur, how often, what troubleshooting you’ve tried, and the make/model of your device.
YouTube’s support team can review your account, diagnose potential bugs, and provide customized troubleshooting advice. They may be able to fix crashing issues without you needing to take drastic steps like factory resetting your device.
With hands-on support from YouTube’s experts, you’re much more likely to resolve pesky app crashes. Don’t hesitate to reach out for assistance if you cannot find a solution on your own.
Conclusion
To summarize, there are several main causes that could be behind YouTube crashing on your Android device. An outdated version of the YouTube app, a buggy app update, low storage space, and poor internet connectivity can all lead to instability and app crashes.
While crashes can be frustrating, being proactive about app updates, storage management, and internet connectivity can go a long way towards preventing issues. It’s also a good idea to follow troubleshooting steps like restarting your device or reinstalling the app to resolve crashes quickly.
If crashes persist even after troubleshooting, contacting YouTube support can help identify any underlying problems. With some preventative care and prompt troubleshooting, you can hopefully get YouTube working smoothly again on your Android.