How to set up and use the YouTube app on Android

From time to time, some services throw up problems in the form of connection interruptions. Sometimes a few seconds of delay is enough to make you nervous. There is even a study according to which, if a web page or YouTube video takes more than 6 seconds to load, more than half of users begin to experience serious discomfort. Of all the popular services, it is YouTube that often begins to work incorrectly or leaves you faced with the fact of another global failure in its work. But it doesn’t always all come down to problems on YouTube’s side. Sometimes everything is solved locally and it’s enough just to take one of the steps described in this article.

Even everyone's favorite YouTube can break down. What to do in this case

Searching for videos in the YouTube app on an Android smartphone

You can search for videos by keyword, topic, title, channel, etc. Just enter what you want to find and go!

Videos can also be found in the Home , Trending, and Subscriptions .

1. Launch YouTube from the home screen or application window.
2. Click the search button in the top right corner of the screen. It's like a magnifying glass.
3. Enter in your search .
4. Click the search button in the lower right corner of your keyboard. This is a magnifying glass.
5. Click on the video to view it.

Once you search and click on a video, it plays automatically.

How to disable autoplay in YouTube

This feature allows you to play the next video without stopping. To stop the video after the video ends, go to your profile on your phone (click the icon at the top). Then select Settings and Autoplay .

On a computer, you can now adjust this function directly in the player. There is a button with two positions and a pause icon at the bottom under the timeline.

How to change video quality in YouTube app on Android smartphone

If you're trying to save data or prefer to keep all your videos in high resolution, you can increase or decrease the video quality as you wish.

1. Click on the video you want to watch.
2. Click the Plus in the top right corner of the video panel. It looks like three vertical dots. You may have to click on the video to display playback controls.
3. Click quality .
4. Press permission from the list.

Setting a lower resolution can help reduce the amount of data you use when streaming over a cellular signal. Some videos may not have higher resolution.

Who uses YouTube

So that you understand the scale of the disaster when YouTube - seemingly just a site with videos - goes offline, I’ll briefly tell you how many people use it and how much content is viewed on it.
YouTube is the world's largest online video platform, with more than 1.5 billion monthly visitors. About 400 hours of content are uploaded every minute, and more than a billion hours of video are watched daily. Now it becomes clear that this is not just a site, but a damn big and important site. Moreover, it is used not only for entertainment purposes. The service is used to demonstrate promotional videos, training videos and much more.

The YouTube audience is huge.

How to register in the YouTube application on an Android smartphone

If you want to like, comment, or subscribe on YouTube, you must be logged into your YouTube account if you are not already logged in. Good news: if you have a Google account—and if you have an Android device, you should—you already have a YouTube account! You just need to connect to it.

1. Tap the account in the top right corner of the home page. It is a circle with a silhouette of a person inside.
2. Click Connect .
3. Click on the account you want to connect to.

You will be logged into YouTube with your new account.

Incorrect date and time

Incorrectly specified time and date prevent synchronization with the server, which is why the YouTube application on Android may not work:

1. Open menu "Settings".

2. Go to the tab "Language, time, keyboard".

3. In chapter "Date and time" Please provide current information.

4. Or turn on "Automatically", the phone will set the time and date based on the mobile or Wi-Fi network.

Note! To find out the exact data, enter the request “date and time in xxx” , where instead of xxx your hometown.

Clear cache or delete data

Temporary files created by YouTube are becoming a key cause of app disruption. To get rid of the cache:

1. Proceed to "Settings" .
2. Select "Applications".

3. Further "All applications".

4. Find the software card and open it.

5. Click "Clear cache".

6. Tap "OK" .

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Another variant:

1. Instead of "Clear cache", select "Restore" and press "OK". The item may be hidden in the menu "More" and be called "Uninstall update".

2. YouTube will be returned to the version pre-installed on the smartphone from the factory.
3. Open "Play Market".

4. In the search bar, enter "YouTube".

5. Open the first application in the issue window.

6. Select "Update".

Interesting! It will not be possible to roll back video hosting to the required version manually or install the required revision using one apk file. You will need to install additional software “SAI” , which is capable of installing software consisting of 2-3 apk.

If the methods above did not help:

1. Follow the path as described above.
2. Select "Erase data".

3. Do this for the application "Google Play Services".

4. Open menu "More" and select "System software".

5. Find in the list Google Services Framework and repeat the data deletion process.

Important! Deleting data will reset the application settings - you will be logged out of your account and any amendments made to the interface will be reset, such as the enabled dark theme.

Internet problems

The application works, but the videos do not play, comments and recommended videos load slowly - this is a sign of low Internet speed or a problem on the main line.

When your Android device is connected to Wi-Fi and the “Check your Internet connection” , change the DNS address:

1. Go to "Settings" .
2. Select "WLAN" or "Wi-Fi".

3. Hold your finger on a connected network or tap the icon "i".

4. Tap on "Change network" or "Static IP".

5. Expand "Advanced settings" and change "IP Settings" on "Custom" or activate "Static IP".

6. In line "DNS 1" write 8.8.8.8, and in "DNS 2" 8.8.4.4 and click "Save".

Note! Changes made may block access to the Internet. Before changing the data, take a screenshot of it or add the set DNS to your notes.

For this method to work, you will need to change your router settings. The universal instructions look like this:

1. In your browser's search bar, enter 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1.
2. Go through authorization; by default, admin is used as the login and password.
3. Select the "Network" , from there go to "WAN" .
4. IN "Primary DNS" specify 8.8.8.8, and in "Secondary DNS" — 8.8.4.4.

The location of the controls may vary depending on the router manufacturer.

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VPN activation

Attempts by the operator to block a specific site or damage to the main line result in an error accessing YouTube. The only solution is to try a VPN:

1. Visit Play Market .
2. Enter "Turbo VPN" .
3. Click "Install", after downloading, launch the application.

4. Click on the carrot.

5. Try playing the video.

Reboot your Google account

A non-obvious reason why YouTube won’t load on your phone is desynchronization with your Google account.

1. In "Settings" go to "Account and synchronization".

2. Tap on the account linked to Google.

3. Expand menu "More" and press "Synchronize".

If this does not help, follow the specified path, but select "Delete account" . This will erase your email, contacts and SMS data. Then:

1. Reboot your phone.

2. Proceed to "Account and synchronization" .
3. Select "Add account".

4. In the list of available ones, click on the Google icon and log in.

Important! You should not delete your account or roll back your smartphone to factory settings when the user does not remember the authorization data - this can lead to the device being blocked. Restore access to mail through the proprietary Gmail service.

How to subscribe to a YouTube channel

If you find a video that you really like and want more from a YouTuber, you can subscribe to their channel. You will need an account.

1. Find a video or channel you want to subscribe to.
2. Click the red register button . It will be the word "Subscribe" with a red play button next to it.
3. If you want to receive notifications for every video posted by a YouTuber, click the bell icon .
4. Click on the video you want to share.
5. Click the Share in the video playback area. This is a curved arrow. You may have to click on the video window to display the playback and playback controls.
6. Click sharing method . You can share via message, email, Facebook and almost any communication app.
7. Add a message and send or share video.

How to solve a problem

For convenience, simple troubleshooting methods will turn into “radical” ones.

Reboot

Active use of a smartphone, downloading and deleting software lead to excessive load on the OS and malfunctions in its operation. Rebooting helps clear the RAM of unnecessary processes and restore the device’s operation:

1. Hold down the lock button.
2. Select Reboot .

How to create playlists

You can add videos to a playlist while watching videos or add them from thumbnails.

How to add a video to a playlist

1. Search for videos you want to add to your playlist.
2. Click the plus to the right of the video search result. These are three vertical dots.
3. Click Add to playlist .
4. Click Create new playlist .
5. Enter a name for your playlist.
6. Click OK .

The next time you add a video to a playlist, it will appear in the playlist.

How to add a video you're watching to a playlist

1. On the video list screen, tap Add to Playlist . It looks like a list with +.
2. Click Create new playlist .
3. Enter a name for the new playlist.
4. Click OK .

When you add a new video to a playlist, the name of the created playlist appears in the list.

Video won't play

There are situations when the site loads without problems, but a playback error appears in the video display form.

Fig.6 - playback error

If your browser uses Flash Player to display media, we recommend updating the service:

• Go to the official Adobe Flash developer page at https://flashplayer.org.ua/kak-obnovit-adobe-flash-player/;
• Click on the “Download” field;

• Wait for the installation file to download and run it.

Wait for the installation to complete and restart your PC.

Try re-launching the video on YouTube.

Everything should work without failures . If the video is not being produced, delete the browser cache using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl - Shift - Del.

How to Watch YouTube on TV Using Chromecast

1. In the YouTube home thread or video playback window, click broadcast button . It looks like a box with a Wi-Fi symbol in the bottom left corner.

2. Click on device . This could be your TV, Android TV Box, or any other supported media streaming device. Smart TVs with the YouTube app installed may also appear here.

You'll know your phone or tablet is ready to use when the button on the case turns white in the center.

Why YouTube doesn't work on Android

Possible reasons are:

1. Incorrectly specified date and time - leads to desynchronization with the video hosting server.
2. The phone is in use for 3-4 days - you need to restart the device.
3. Problematic Internet - no connection, slow network access, provider blocks video hosting.
4. Unsuccessful application update - compatibility is broken, an error has appeared in the code.
5. The cache is full - the program is overloaded with temporary files.
6. Problems with the smartphone - unsuccessful firmware update, deleting a system file.

Watch YouTube in a floating window

Another option allows you to view various videos (not just YouTube) in a floating window. In the Android operating system, this feature is called “picture-in-picture” and is especially popular. Not all versions of this OS support this function, which means you need to look for an alternative. There are no problems, there are two applications that offer suitable capabilities.

Awesome Pop-up Video

Awesome Pop-up Video is a free solution for playing videos on top of your home screen and even other applications. This way, you can surf the net, chat on Instagram, and watch your favorite series or show. Its disadvantages include the fact that you cannot listen while your smartphone is in standby mode.

You can find and install the Awesome Pop-up Video app on your Galaxy in the Google Play Store app store. There is a paid version with advanced features.

Floating Tube (Multitasking)

This is an analogue of Awesome Pop-up Video and is not much different from it. To decide which offer suits you best, try both. Fortunately, Floating Tube (Multitasking) is also free, which means you don’t have to spend money. The only drawback is annoying advertising that cannot be turned off. The application is in the Market at this link.

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Pausing history recording

YouTube remembers what words you search for and what videos you watch. If you want to turn this off, click Library → History → ellipsis icon → History Settings and select the appropriate options in the options.

We use free Internet browsers

The easiest and cheapest option is to use an Internet browser.
Samsung smartphones come pre-installed with a good Internet browser that supports ad blocking extensions. You can use it instead of the official YouTube client. Thus, the user no longer limits himself to playing videos in the background. Open your browser and go to YouTube.com. If the YouTube app automatically launches, then try asking for the desktop version rather than the mobile version. To do this, go to the application menu and click the “Request desktop version of the site” button.

There are also very lightweight browsers, such as Flynx or Flyperlink. They can run in the background because their icons float above the smartphone's interface, including other apps and the home screen. When they run in the background, they are minimized to a small icon. Because of this, they are also called “bubbles”. Through such a “bubble” you can open the YouTube website and start live broadcasting. Videos will play even when the smartphone is in standby mode with the display turned off.

If videos stop playing immediately or over time, then look at the energy saving settings. The problems may arise due to the battery saving mode being turned on.

Manage notifications

Sometimes YouTube is too annoying with its notifications: daily summaries, new broadcasts, new comments. Luckily, this can be easily set up. Tap your avatar and select Settings → Notifications. Here you can turn off unnecessary pop-up messages or set a time when YouTube will not show them (“Quiet Hours”).

If the standard functions of the application are not enough for you, install its modification - YouTube Vanced. The existing features will include background music playback, as well as the ability to adjust screen brightness and volume by swiping your finger across the left and right sides of the screen.

The viewed entry has disappeared

Users of the site may encounter problems playing a particular video. At the same time, the video hosting itself will work without failures.

Reasons: the video was blocked at the request of the copyright holder;

YouTube regulates the use of copyrighted material.

If a channel owner has uploaded a video that contains content from other authors, the video will be automatically blocked after a few days.

When you try to open the player, you will see the message “Blocked by copyright holder.”

The author of the video has restricted access to the recording.

Channel owners can configure the display mode of previously added videos.

Videos may be added to a private playlist, only accessible through a link, or not playable in a specified list of countries.

In the first two cases, you will not be able to watch the video, but in the second, you can enable VPN.

This way, the contents of the page will become available, because the country of the account will change.