YouTube’s “Update Required” message blocks playback when your app version is no longer supported. Start by updating YouTube through your device’s app store, then check compatibility if the update will not install. The steps below also cover stalled downloads and ways to keep watching on a device that has reached its software limit.
Update YouTube on Android first
Install the current YouTube update through Google Play.
- 1.Open Google Play Store.
- 2.Tap your profile icon, then Manage apps & device.
- 3.Under Updates available, select See details.
- 4.Find YouTube and tap Update. Alternatively, open the official Google LLC YouTube listing and tap Update.
- 5.Open YouTube after installation finishes.
On iPhone or iPad, use the App Store
If YouTube asks for an update on your iPhone or iPad, install it through the App Store. Start the update manually even if automatic updates are enabled.
Open App Store. Tap the My Account button or your profile photo, then select App Updates.
Tap Update beside YouTube. Open YouTube once installation finishes.
Check whether your device can run the new version
Check your device against YouTube’s app requirements. YouTube’s download help lists Android 9.0 or later for Android. For iPhone and iPad, the current App Store listing for YouTube requires iOS 17.0 or iPadOS 17.0 or later, while YouTube’s download help still lists iOS 14 or later.
If your device runs a version between those two, it is below what the current App Store release requires, so update the operating system first where possible. Meeting the operating-system minimum does not establish compatibility for every device.
On Android, open Settings > System > Software update > System update. Manufacturer menus differ. Install the available system update using the on-screen prompts.
Before updating an iPhone or iPad, back up the device. Connect it to power, then connect it to Wi-Fi. Open Settings > General > Software Update.
Select Download and Install when an update is offered. After the system update finishes, retry the YouTube update in your app store. Check YouTube’s store compatibility before deleting the app, because a device at its supported software limit has no assured path to reinstalling it.
Keep watching when the app cannot update
The mobile website provides access when the app is unsupported and your browser remains compatible. Open your browser, then enter m.youtube.com directly. The mobile site requires a functioning browser with JavaScript support.
To access subscriptions and playlists, select the website’s profile picture > Sign in. If the browser cannot run YouTube either, switch to a supported device.
For an unsupported television, connect a laptop by HDMI using suitable ports or adapters. Alternatively, use a supported external streaming receiver.
When an Android update stalls
For a pending or failing download, connect to reliable Wi-Fi or working mobile data. Retry Update on YouTube’s Google Play listing.
Open Settings > Storage. Free space if the device is running low.
If the download still fails, touch and hold Google Play Store and open App Info > Storage & cache. Select Clear Cache to remove its temporary files.
If YouTube has already updated but remains stuck, clear its own cache: on Pixel, open Settings > Apps > See all apps > YouTube > Storage & cache > Clear cache. Other Android manufacturers use different menus. Clearing cache does not update the installed app or bypass a required version.
Get a stalled iPhone download moving
For an update already queued on iPhone or iPad, touch and hold the downloading YouTube app on the Home Screen. Select Prioritize Download.
If the App Store requests billing verification or a valid payment method, open Settings > your name > Payment & Shipping > Add Payment Method. Apple requires a payment method for some free app downloads, too. Enter valid payment details, then tap Done.
If the download still fails on an iPhone with Face ID, hold either volume button and the side button until the power-off slider appears. On iPhone SE second- or third-generation models, hold the side button alone. Drag the power-off slider, then wait 30 seconds.
Hold the side button until the Apple logo appears. Retry the YouTube update after the phone restarts.
If updating still fails, check the official YouTube App Store listing for device compatibility before reinstalling. Deleting the app risks losing local app data.
On a compatible device, touch and hold YouTube. Select Remove App > Delete App > Delete. Download the official Google LLC YouTube app from the App Store. If reinstallation fails, open m.youtube.com in a compatible browser.
TV and console updates use different menus
These controls address outdated apps and system software on supported devices.
On compatible Apple TV HD or Apple TV 4K models, open App Store > Purchased > YouTube > Update. This path does not apply to Apple TV third generation or earlier.
On Google TV, search for Google Play Store. Open Google Play Store, then select your profile picture or initial > Manage apps & games > Updates > Update all.
On Roku, press Home. Highlight YouTube, then press the Star (*) button on the remote. Select Check for Updates.
For Samsung TV firmware, open Settings > Support > Software Update > Update Now. Firmware availability depends on the model.
On LG televisions from 2020 onward running webOS 5.0 or later, press the Settings button. Open All Settings > Support > Software Update > Check for Updates. The exact menu depends on the model.
On a compatible Fire TV, remove YouTube through Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications > YouTube > Uninstall. Reinstallation obtains the latest app version.
Select Find on the Fire TV main menu. Search for YouTube, then select the official YouTube app. Choose Get or the Shopping Cart icon.
On PS5 or PS4, highlight YouTube. Press the controller’s options/OPTIONS button, then select Check for Update.
On Nintendo Switch, Switch Lite, or Switch OLED, connect to the internet. Highlight YouTube on the HOME Menu without launching it. Press + or −, then select Software Update > Via the Internet.
If an updated TV app remains stuck, unplug the television or streaming device’s power cable. Do this only when no firmware installation is active.
Wait at least 30 seconds, or one minute for Fire TV. Reconnect the power cable, then retry YouTube.
When the device no longer supports YouTube, use a supported streaming receiver or another supported device. A firmware update alone does not establish renewed support for a retired YouTube app.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep using an older YouTube version to avoid the update?
YouTube requires unsupported app versions to be updated. Downgrading or leaving a preinstalled app’s updates removed is not a supported permanent fix. Removing updates is a repair option on eligible preinstalled Android apps only when followed by installing the current update.
How do I turn on automatic YouTube updates?
After installing the required update, on Android open Google Play Store > profile picture > Manage apps & device > Manage > YouTube > More > Enable auto update. On iPhone or iPad, open Settings > Apps > App Store and turn on App Updates.
Can I cast from the mobile website to an unsupported TV?
No. YouTube’s mobile website does not support the casting method available on a computer. Casting and TV-code linking require a working, supported receiver; neither repairs an unsupported YouTube TV app.
What if my work or school device blocks the repair?
Contact your device administrator if restrictions prevent installation, deletion, or updating. Managed Apple devices can block app deletion. For Android Enterprise devices, ask the administrator to set YouTube’s update mode to High priority in the organization’s management console.