YouTube Not Working on Mac: How to Fix if It Doesn't Open on Your Apple Laptop?

There are many reasons why YouTube not working on Mac, like poor internet connection or browser issues. Try clearing cache and cookies, and ensure your OS and browser are up-to-date to support YouTube's latest features.

Now, imagine settling in to watch your favorite YouTube videos on your Mac, only to face endless loading screens or error messages instead. It’s frustrating when you can’t access the content you need, whether for relaxation, work, or learning.

Moreover, we know how important uninterrupted streaming is for your daily routine. Thankfully, you’re not alone, and there are a ton of effective ways to get your YouTube back on track. To help you resolve this issue, we’ve compiled a list of tried and tested expert solutions to fix YouTube not working on your Mac.

Why is YouTube not working on your Mac

YouTube may not work on your Mac because of different reasons, including browser issues, outdated software, cache problems, internet network, YouTube server connectivity issues, or incompatible extensions blocking video playback.

How to fix YouTube not working on MacBook

If YouTube isn’t working on your Mac, try following the basic steps to resolve the issue:

1. Refresh the YouTube page.
2. Fix your website permissions.
3. Update your web browser.

But if none of the steps above work, you can try the other solutions:

1. Check your network connection
2. Try to use another web browser
3. Delete browser cookies and cache
4. Reboot the Mac
5. Update your MacBook
6. Restart your router
7. Turn off plugins in the web browser
8. Check space on Mac storage
9. Use repair disk permissions
10. Use JavaScript in Safari
11. Remove browser history
12. Inspect the date and time

1. Check your network connection

This might sound like a no-brainer, but sometimes technical problems have the simplest solutions. Double-checking your stable network connection can fix many YouTube issues, such as buffering or videos not loading properly. This is the quickest way to check your Mac’s network connection:

1. Look in the top-right corner of your screen, and click on the Wi-Fi icon.
2. If it's filled, you're connected. If not, click on the icon and see if it connects.

2. Try to use another web browser

If YouTube isn't cooperating on your usual browser, don't worry. Sometimes, browsers have glitches. Trying a different one can help you figure out if it's a browser-specific issue or something else. Here’s what to do:

1. Choose another browser that is different from your default option.
2. Go to YouTube’s website using the new browser.
3. Play a video and see if it works better.

If YouTube is still acting up on your Mac, then you may need to clear your browser cookies and caches.

3. Delete browser cookies and cache

Clearing browser cookies and cache can help resolve various issues with website functionality, including problems with YouTube. If YouTube isn't working on Safari or other browsers, outdated or corrupt cookies and cache might be the issue. As this task might become tedious, having a handy tool like MacKeeper gets the job done in seconds:

1. Open MacKeeper.
2. Select Safe Cleanup from the sidebar and click Start Scan.
3. Once the scan is finished, you can either review the files or click the Clean Junk Files button to clear everything at once.

4. Reboot the Mac

Rebooting your Mac is another easy, but highly effective, way to fix problems like YouTube not working. It basically gives your Mac a fresh start, clearing out any temporary issues that might be causing trouble. Simply do the following:

1. Click on the Apple logo in the top-left corner of the screen.
2. Choose Restart from the dropdown menu, then click Restart again in the confirmation dialog box.
3. Wait for your Mac to shut down and restart.
4. Once your Mac has restarted, check if the network connection is restored and if YouTube is working properly.

5. Update your MacBook

If you’re using an older macOS version, you may want to consider updating the software. Sometimes, an updated system can cause minor issues, like videos not playing on Mac. To update your MacBook:

1. Click the Apple icon in the top-left corner of your screen.
2. Choose System Settings, then click General in the sidebar.
3. Click Software Update.
4. If an update is available, click Update Now to download and install it. Once the download is complete, your Mac will automatically restart.

6. Restart your router

If YouTube isn't working on your Mac, restarting your router can often fix the problem. To do this, unplug your router and modem, wait for 30 seconds, then plug the modem back in first. After the modem lights stabilize, plug the router back in and wait for its lights to stabilize. Doing this refreshes your internet connection, which can resolve many connectivity issues. Once both devices are fully working, try accessing YouTube again on your Mac.

7. Turn off plugins in the web browser

Sometimes, plugins in your browser can mess with YouTube and cause issues like videos not playing properly. Disabling these plugins can often fix the problem by turning off plugins in Safari:

1. Click Safari in the top menu bar and select Preferences.
2. In the Preferences window, click the Extensions tab.
3. Untick the box next to each extension to disable it.
4. Restart Safari, then visit YouTube and see if the videos play correctly.

By keeping your browser clean from unnecessary plugins, you'll prevent any future browsing hiccups and protect yourself from potential online threats, giving you a hassle-free browsing experience on your Mac.

8. Check space on your Mac storage

If YouTube isn't working on your Mac, it might be because of too many files. When your Mac doesn’t have enough storage space, it can affect the overall responsiveness of your browser, significantly impacting web browsing and YouTube loading times and causing videos to buffer or not play at all. To check your storage space on a Mac:

1. Click on the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen.
2. Select System Settings from the dropdown menu.
3. In the window that appears, click on the Storage tab.
4. You’ll see a visual representation of your storage usage and details about how much space is available.

9. Use repair disk permissions

Since OS X 10.11 El Capitan, you can't directly use repair disk permissions. Instead, Apple introduced System Integrity Protection to keep your Mac safer from dodgy software. But don't worry, you can still sort out disk permissions using the First Aid feature, which handles all kinds of disk problems. You can access this tool by:

1. Open Disk Utility by searching for It in Spotlight or going to Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility.
2. Choose your boot volume from the left pane, typically labeled as Macintosh HD.
3. Click on First Aid in the toolbar to start repairing.
4. Confirm the selected drive and click Run to begin repairing. Follow any prompts that appear.
5. Your Mac may temporarily freeze during the repair, which is normal.
6. Once finished, a report will show what was fixed or any issues found.

10. Use JavaScript in Safari

To watch YouTube videos in Safari, your JavaScript needs to be enabled. If JavaScript is turned off in Safari, many interactive elements on websites won't function properly, like broken content or video crashes. To use JavaScript in Safari, follow these steps:

1. Open Safari and go to Safari main menu > Preferences.
2. Go to the Security tab and tick the Enable JavaScript box. Doing so should fix YouTube not working on MacBook.

11. Remove browser history

Sometimes YouTube glitches are caused when old, stored data conflicts with the website's current version. Clearing your browser cache, cookies, and history is a common fix for YouTube loading problems, and here’s how to do it:

1. Click on the Safari menu at the top left of your screen.
2. Select Preferences from the dropdown list.
3. Go to the Privacy tab.
4. Click Remove All Website Data.
5. Confirm the action and restart Safari.

12. Inspect the date and time

Now, this might sound a little odd, but are the date and time on your Mac correct? If they're wrong, it can cause confusing problems like YouTube not working. When your date and time are out of sync, Internet-based authorization, and web services might reject your attempts to use them. To fix this:

1. Go to System Settings > Date & Time.
2. Enable Set date and time automatically or set them manually.
3. Then, restart your Mac and check YouTube again.

Fix YouTube not working on Mac in minutes

Getting YouTube working on your Mac can be easy if you follow the steps above. Fixing things like network issues, browser settings, and storage space usually does the trick. But if these solutions seem time-consuming or don’t work, MacKeeper’s Premium Services are here to help. With 24/7 expert support, you can quickly sort out any problems. Don’t let YouTube issues ruin your day—reach out to MacKeeper for a smooth, hassle-free experience.

FAQ about YouTube on Mac

1. Why can't I access YouTube on Safari?

You might not be able to access YouTube on Safari because your browser needs an update, you have connection issues, or have lots of stored data. Clearing browser cache and cookies can help.

2. Can I download the YouTube app on a Mac?

While there’s no dedicated YouTube app for Mac, you can download YouTube on your Mac, but not from the App Store. Instead, you can install it as a Progressive Web Application.

3. How do I reboot my Mac YouTube?

To reboot YouTube on your Mac, close your browser, clear its cache and cookies in the settings, and then reopen it. Go back to YouTube, and you should be good to go.

4. How to download from YouTube on Mac?

You have several options to download YouTube videos on Mac. You can use third-party apps or browser extensions. Alternatively, you have several online websites that also offer the convenience of downloading videos directly from your web browser.

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