YouTube Not Working on iPhone 13? Here’s How to Fix It (iOS 15.4)

If YouTube won’t load, crashes, or just won’t play videos on your iPhone 13 running iOS 15.4, don’t panic. It’s usually a simple fix. Whether it’s a network issue, app bug, or settings glitch, this guide will walk you through all the troubleshooting steps to get YouTube working again.

1. Force Close YouTube and All Background Apps

Sometimes apps left running in the background cause conflicts, especially if one has crashed silently.

How to close them:

Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause to open the App Switcher.
Swipe up on the YouTube app to close it.
Do the same for all other open apps.
Relaunch YouTube and check if it works now.

2. Restart Your iPhone

A simple reboot can clear temporary glitches affecting app performance.

To restart your iPhone 13:

Press and hold the Side button + either Volume button until the power slider appears.
Drag the slider to turn off the phone.
Wait 30 seconds, then hold the Side button again to power it back on.
Open YouTube and try again.

3. Refresh Your Internet Connection

YouTube needs a solid internet connection. If your Wi-Fi or cellular data is unstable, videos won’t load properly.

Try this:

Go to Settings > Wi-Fi and toggle it OFF, wait a few seconds, then turn it ON again.
If that doesn’t help, tap the (i) next to your network and tap Forget This Network.
Reconnect by selecting the network again and entering your password.

You can also toggle Airplane Mode ON and OFF as a quick connection refresh.

4. Update YouTube App

Outdated app versions can cause crashes and playback issues.

To update manually:

Long-press the App Store icon and tap Updates.
Tap Update next to YouTube, or Update All if others are pending.
Once updated, restart your phone and open YouTube again.

5. Offload the YouTube App and Reinstall

Offloading the app clears up potential storage bugs while keeping your settings intact.

Here’s how:

Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
Tap YouTube > Offload App.
Confirm when prompted.
Then tap Reinstall App or redownload it from the App Store.

6. Check for Content Restrictions

Parental controls or Screen Time settings may be blocking YouTube.

To check:

Go to Settings > Screen Time.
Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions > Allowed Apps.
Make sure YouTube is toggled ON.

If YouTube is restricted, it won’t open or play videos properly.

7. Reset All Settings

Misconfigured system settings can interfere with apps like YouTube. Resetting them won’t delete your data.

To reset all settings:

Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
Tap Reset > Reset All Settings.
Enter your passcode and confirm.
Your iPhone will reboot and restore system defaults.

Note: You’ll need to reconfigure things like Wi-Fi and notification preferences afterward.

8. Delete and Reinstall YouTube

If nothing else works, do a full uninstall and reinstall.

Steps:

Long-press the YouTube icon and tap Remove App > Delete App.
Reboot your iPhone.
Open the App Store, search YouTube, and tap Download.

This clears out any corrupted app data completely.

9. Try YouTube in a Browser

If the app still doesn’t work, open Safari or another browser and go to youtube.com.

If YouTube loads there, the issue is isolated to the app. If it doesn’t, it’s likely a network or server problem.

10. Check if YouTube Servers Are Down

Sometimes it’s not you — it’s them.

Visit websites like Downdetector and search YouTube to see if others are reporting problems. If YouTube is down, all you can do is wait.