7 Fixes YouTube App Crashing on iPhone 15, 14 (iOS 17)

Fix YouTube crashing on startup or hanging or freezing while playing videos? It happens after a major iOS 17 update due to a software glitch.

We all know Youtube is one of the biggest video streaming apps, but merely Youtube won’t open on iPhone after the latest iOS update is perplexing. 

Is that the same with you? Is Youtube not working, or does it constantly buffering on iOS 17? Youtube misbehaves due to various possibilities: YouTube server Is Down, Outdated Youtube, Poor Internet, etc. 

Stew not! Let me show you eight different ways to fix YouTube keeps crashing all of the sudden on your iPhone. 

1. Most online apps required active Mobile data or a strong WiFi network to launch the app’s welcome screen. For example, Youtube, Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc; Hence, ensure that your phone is connected to the internet to avoid any error occurring on a specific app.

2. Second thing is, Check if the YouTube server is down or not in your area or country. Test on Another Smart Device or Mac/PC system. See the below image, what causes of Youtube server down?

Troubleshooting tips for launching and playing YouTube videos on iPhone and iPad successfully after Fix

Check Internet Speed!

Streaming 4K Video is always pleasant, but for that, you have to pay in the form of High-Internet Speed. In case that’s not so, it will definitely cause YouTube can’t load any video. So, it’s time to Check the Internet Speed.

Open Settings > Enable And Disable Airplane Mode.

Open Setting Enable Airplane Mode Disable Airplane Mode On iPhone

Turning on the Airplane mode will disconnect the iPhone from every wireless connection like Bluetooth, Wifi, and Cellular. Well, it is nothing but a petty way to refresh network settings since there is a possibility that a minor software glitch causes YouTube videos to freeze

You need to enable Airplane Mode from the iOS Control Center, hold it for a few seconds, and then disable it. 

Is YouTube Down Today?

Check YouTube server; in the rare case, but still possible, the YouTube server might have crashed due to a hefty number of users or errors within the server itself.

Restart iPhone

Never ignore Restarting the iPhone! This is one of the effective solutions for fixing minor bugs that are causing miserable things like YouTube videos not playing. Besides, if you are connected to Wi-Fi, you can try your luck by restarting the router too. 

Restart iPhone Without Home Button: Press the Side Key and either Volume Key until the power-off menu is visible. Drag the slider to turn off and wait for a minimum of 30 Seconds. And then enable it once again using the Side Key.

Restart the iPhone With the Home Button: Keep pressing the Side Button until the power-off slider appears. Drag the slider to disable the iPhone, and hold for a few seconds. And then re-enable it.

Turn Off VPN

Right now, are you using a VPN on your iPhone? Turn VPN Off as it can sometimes false play and cause can’t open some videos on YouTube – even though YouTube isn’t as strict as other streaming apps. 

Step 1: Launch the Settings app on your iPhone > General.

Open Setting Select General On iPhone

Step 2: Choose VPN & Device Management. Then, Select VPN in case you have installed multiple VPN Configurations.

Tap on VPN & Device Management On iPhone

Step 3: Select the “i” Icon beside the VPN name to Delete the VPN profile.

Click i Icon Delete VPN On iPhone

Try Changing the YouTube Location

YouTube video freezing occurs with specific content. Change the location of YouTube and see if it works. To do so,

Step 1: Launch the YouTube app on your iPhone. Tap on Youtube Profile Icon > Settings

Open Youtube Profile Icon Select Setting On iPhone

Step 2: General > Location > Select the preferable location.

Click General Choose Location Tap Preferable Location On iPhone

Reset Network Settings

It’s confirmed YouTube keeps crashing all of a sudden isn’t due to the possibilities mentioned above. Learn how to Reset Network Settings On the iPhone as its operative solution. 

1. Go to Settings app and tap on General Tab IOS device.

Launch the settings app tap on general on iPhone

2. Tap on Transfer Or Reset iPhone and click the Reset General tab.

Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone Select Reset on iPhone

3. Select Reset Network Settings and enter the password.  

Click on Reset Network Setting Enter a Passcode on iPhone

But keep note, doing so will forget all the Wi-Fi and other wireless peripherals. Once it’s done, reconnect to the internet; all being well, Youtube not working on iPhone will get fixed. 


Fix 1: Force Quit YouTube App

It might be possible that the YouTube app keeps crashing on your brand-new iPhone because YouTube itself is unstable. We can try to force quit an app and re-launch it to fix such errors.

1→ From the Home Screen, swipe your finger up and stop.

2→ Then you will see all the applications that are running in the background and eating processor together with the battery of your iPhone, so close them all along with the YouTube app.

trick on how to force close youtube app on your iPhone with latest iOS or ipad

Force closing other apps will prevent your iPhone’s system from crashing, and it will also improve the performance of the device.

Once it is done, you must give a fresh start to the iPhone to clear all the temporary and cache files from the iPhone’s memory. To restart your iPhone follow the steps,

1→ Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
2→ Press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
3→ Lastly, press and hold the Power button until the Apple logo appears on the screen.

Hard Reboot iPhone Step by Step
Hard Reboot iPhone Step-by-Step

Now after restarting the device, check if the YouTube app is working correctly or if YT still keeps crashing. If the problem persists, don’t worry; go to the next troubleshooting to resolve your smartphone YouTube app issue.


Fix 2: Update the YouTube app as well as other apps

If you haven’t updated the YouTube app on your iPhone, you may face compatibility issues, so you have to deal with various errors like YouTube keeps crashing your iPhone.

A small bug in the app can ruin the whole system of the iPhone; that’s why we always suggest that users keep their apps and system software up to date. Hence, along with the YouTube app, update all the applications on your device.

Step 1: Launch “App Store” on your iPhone. Tap on Profile Picture at the top right corner of the screen.

Open App Store Tap Profile Icon On iPhone

Step 2: Scroll to find all pending updates on Apps installed on the iPhone. We can update all apps using the link button “Update All.” Otherwise, find Youtube and update. Find the “YouTube” app and tap “Update.”

Click on Update All Select Youtube Tap to Update On iPhone
  • Note: YouTube app is not in the list, then search YouTube on the App Store search bar, and Check Update is pending that showing instead of an open option.

Alternatively, you can tap on “Update All”, which will update all the applications stored on the device.
After the update is complete, one more time, you have to restart the iPhone by considering the steps of Fix 1.


Fix 3: Reinstall YouTube App

If the YouTube app still keeps crashing on the iPhone, it has some fault or is corrupted. To fix this, you have to reinstall the YouTube application. For that, you have to delete that app from your iPhone, and then you can download it from the App Store.

How to Delete YouTube on iPhone

Step #1: Touch and hold on to the YouTube icon; when you see icons are jiggling tap on (x) on the YouTube app to uninstall it.

Tap and hold on the home screen youtube click on remove app on iPhone
Select delete app tap delete on iPhone

How to Download YouTube app on iPhone

Step #1: Go to the “App Store”.
Step #2: Search for the “YouTube” app and install it.

Launch the app store tap search youtube click get then open on iPhone

Check Storage Space- if Low Storage – Please Make Free up Space to Load youtube

To make free space fast on your device, let’s my video that will help you to make room on your device memory storage.

Fix 4: Reset All Settings

Now we will clear out all the incorrect settings of the iPhone that are causing conflicts on YouTube’s performance.

Steps to Reset All Settings in iOS 15 and Later Version

Go to the “Settings” app > Tap “General” > Find and open tap “Transfer or Reset iPhone” > Tap “Reset” > Lastly tap on “Reset All Settings”

1. Launch the Settings App and tap on General Tab IOS Device.

Launch the settings app tap on general on iPhone

2. Scroll the screen Transfer or Reset iPhone tap Reset on the general tab.

Click transfer or reset iPhone tap on reset on iPhone

3. For security reasons, you will be asked to enter the iPhone Passcode. >Tap Confirm Reset All Settings. > After that iPhone will reboot.

Choose Reset All Settings Enter your Screen Time Passcode on iPhone

Steps to Reset All Settings in iOS 14 and earlier Version

Step #1: Open “General” from the “Settings” app.
Step #2: Tap “Reset”.
Step #3: Select the “Reset All Settings”.
Step #4: Enter the passcode.

Wait a while your iPhone will reboot. After resetting the settings, you need to enter the WiFi password again. Now connect to your Wi-Fi, launch the YouTube app, and check that the problem is fixed.

Fix #5. Contact An App Developer

After attempting Above All solutions, but no luck to fix the YouTube app won’t open your iPad or iPhone. then I suggest contacting the YouTube app developer to send a bug report. Here’s a Full guide on how to contact an App developer.

All such troubleshoots are in our hands, and we successfully tried from our side, but still, if YouTube is not working on iPhone, then you should contact an app developer to fix this weird issue.

Photo of author

Karly Wood

Karly Wood, a Wellington-based journalist, excels in covering Apple and tech trends. With a diverse background in public safety, government, and education reporting, her insights bridge multiple disciplines, offering readers a well-rounded perspective on today's technological advancements. Contact Her Team:- [email protected] [OR] [email protected]

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