At some point everyone runs into the “You are offline. Check your connection error on YouTube. It can be confusing why this error occurs. That is why here we are going to look at both the causes and the solutions to this common error that appears on your phones.
The message “You are offline. Check your connection” causes of error
This problem occurs randomly, so very few reasons have been found as to why it occurs. Usually this occurs when the YouTube application is outdated or when the YouTube servers are experiencing a huge amount of traffic. It can also be a problem that comes from your side; Your internet is having problems or even your ISP might be facing some problems. In any case, these solutions will fix the problem.
Solutions1. Check if the YouTube servers are working properly
As mentioned above as one of the causes of error, one should check if the YouTube servers are actually working properly. Here is a page just for that.
2. Check if your WiFi and router are working properly
It never hurts to double check and see if things are set from your side. Make sure you have a stable WiFi connection. Also try restarting the router.
3. Switch to Cellular data
Try switching to mobile data on your phone. Many users have reported that if they switch to mobile data and click repeat, YouTube starts to work.
Activate mobile data on iPhone
On iOS devices, first ensure that YouTube’s Cellular Data option is turned on.
4. Restart YouTube app
Try closing the app, removing it from the background, and opening it again. How to remove YouTube from background:
On Android, tap the Recents button on your navigation bar and swipe up on YouTube. On iOS, double-tap the Home button or double-press the Home button to open the app switcher. Swipe up on YouTube.5. Try logging out of YouTube
This is another fix that has had some success. Simply sign out of your Google account on YouTube by following these steps:
On the YouTube app home page, tap your profile picture.
Press on your Google profile picture. Tap the arrow next to your profile picture.
Press the arrow. Select “Manage Accounts”. You can find it at the bottom of the window if you have multiple Google accounts. You will be taken to your device’s Accounts settings page.
Select “Manage Accounts”. Select and remove your Google account.
Scroll to your Google account and select it. Once removed, close the YouTube app in the background. Relaunch it and add your Google account again by pressing on the profile picture and selecting the plus button.
The plus stands for the option to add an account6. Check if the YouTube app is up to date
Once again, double checking doesn’t hurt. Depending on your device, go to the Google Play Store or App Store and search YouTube. If the YouTube app shows up in the results, make sure the button next to it says Refresh. If so, hopefully your issue can be resolved.
7. Ad blockers and VPNs
If you are using an ad blocker, turn it off immediately as it can interfere with the core functionality of the YouTube app and cause several issues. If you’re using a VPN, turn that off as well, as some VPNs cause issues with some apps.
8. Reboot your device
It’s plausible that your device’s operating system is causing bugs for the app. Simply restart your devices by pressing and holding your device’s power button and selecting “Power off” (for iOS) or “Restart” (for Android). Wait for the device to boot properly (iOS users should press and hold the power button again to boot the device) and launch YouTube once it does.
9. Force stop YouTube [Android only]
Sometimes stopping the YouTube application process abruptly can cause it to start properly when restarted, which can fix some errors and glitches. To force quit the YouTube application, follow these steps:
On your device’s home screen, press and hold the YouTube app icon until a menu appears. Select “App info”.
From the pop-up menu, choose App Info. From the menu that appears, press Force Stop.
Then try to open the YouTube app again.10. Clear app cache and data [Android only]
Occasionally, some apps stop working properly as a large amount of cache and data accumulates. This can also be the case here for YouTube. Follow these simple steps to clear YouTube cache and data:
Just like before; On your device’s home screen, press and hold the YouTube app icon until a menu appears. Select “App info”. From the menu that appears, choose Storage.
Select “Storage”. A section with the YouTube app’s storage details should appear. Press “Clear Cache”. After that, try to open the YouTube app again.
Select “Clear Cache”. If it still remains unresolved, repeat these steps except this time select the “Clear Data” option. Note, however, that this will delete all your downloaded videos and reset all in-app settings to default.
Select “Clear Data”11. Reinstall YouTube
The app may have become corrupted due to a recent software update or a system app update. Therefore, it is best to reinstall the application.
For Android, go to the Google Play Store, search YouTube and select the app from the search results. Press “Uninstall”. When finished, press “Install” to start reinstalling. On iOS, press and hold the YouTube app icon until it starts to shake and an “X” sign appears in the corner of the icon. Press the “X” sign and uninstall the app. Continue to the App Store and search YouTube. In the search results, click the Install button next to the YouTube application.
Hopefully, following these steps will fix the problem and get you back to watching your favorite YouTubers and learning about the latest trends.
