Fix: An Error Occurred ‘try again’ Playback ID on YouTube

When you see the “An error occurred. Try again” Playback ID message on YouTube, the video stops and shows this error instead. This usually means YouTube can’t retrieve the video due to a network or browser issue. Common causes include DNS configuration problems, often fixed by switching to Google’s public DNS settings. 

Other causes can include corrupted browser cache, conflicting browser extensions, or ad blockers blocking content. Sometimes, the problem might be due to a faulty network connection or a temporary issue with YouTube’s servers.

For the solutions, follow the steps below. 

1. Reinstall Your Browser

A fresh installation of your browser clears out any issues causing the YouTube Playback ID error. This process removes corrupted data, faulty extensions, and outdated settings, creating a clean, optimized environment for smooth video playback.

1. Press Windows key + R to open a Run dialog box. Then, type “appwiz.cpl” and press Enter to open the Programs and Features window.

   

2. Inside Programs and Features, scroll down through the list to locate the browser that is causing the “An error occurred. Please try again later. Playback ID” error.
3. Once you see it, right-click on it and choose Uninstall.

   

4. Then, follow the on-screen prompts to remove the browser from your computer. If you’re asked whether you want to remove cached data or user preferences, click the appropriate button to confirm.
5. Once your browser has been uninstalled, restart your computer.
6. At the next startup, use a built-in browser (Internet Explorer or Edge) to navigate to the download page of the third-party browser you previously uninstalled and download the installation executable. Here are some download links for the most popular browsers:
   Chrome
   Mozilla
   Opera
7. Open the installation executable and follow the on-screen prompts to reinstall the browser.
8. Open the recently installed browser, navigate to a YouTube video that was previously failing, and see if the issue has been resolved.

2. Restart Your Router/Modem

Restarting your router or modem can fix YouTube playback issues by clearing temporary network errors. Over time, routers can encounter IP conflicts or lose connection quality. A restart refreshes the network connection and re-establishes a stable link to the internet, helping to resolve streaming interruptions.

Most routers have a power button. To restart, press it to turn the router off, wait a few seconds, then press it again to turn it back on. Alternatively, you can disconnect the power cable for a few seconds. Avoid pressing the reset button, as this can reset your network preferences (password, forwarded ports, user settings, etc.).

Once your router restarts and the connection is reestablished, open the YouTube page that was failing and see if the issue is resolved.

3. Flush DNS

Clearing the DNS cache removes outdated or corrupted data that may block your browser from connecting to YouTube’s servers. By flushing this cache, you refresh your system’s network paths and resolve conflicts that might cause the “Playback ID” error.

1. Press Windows key + R to open a Run dialog box. Then, type “cmd” and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open an elevated Command Prompt. If prompted by the UAC (User Account Control), click Yes to grant administrative privileges.

   

2. Inside the elevated Command Prompt, type the following command and press Enter to flush your DNS cache:

   ipconfig/flushdns
   

   Note: This removes all information stored in the DNS cache, forcing your computer to find new DNS information.

3. After you receive the confirmation message, open a YouTube video that was previously displaying the “An error occurred. Please try again later. Playback ID” error and see if the problem has been resolved.

   

If the same problem is still occurring, move down to the next method below.

4. Change Your DNS to Google’s Public DNS

Switching your DNS to Google’s Public DNS can often fix the YouTube Playback ID error. Your ISP’s default DNS might struggle with domain resolution, causing videos to fail to load. Using Google’s Public DNS can bypass these issues, leading to faster, more reliable access to YouTube servers.

1. Press Windows key + R to open a Run dialog box. Then, type “ncpa.cpl” and press Enter to open the Network Connections window.

   

2. Select the connection that you want to configure the Google Public DNS for. If you want to do it for your wireless network, right-click on Wi-Fi (Wireless Network Connection) and choose Properties. If you want to do it for an Ethernet (cabled) connection, right-click on Ethernet (Local Area Connection) instead.
3. Inside the Wi-Fi/Ethernet Properties screen, go to the Networking tab and go to the settings box under This connection uses the following items. Next, select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click the Properties button.
4. Inside the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) Properties screen, go to the General tab. Next, select the toggle associated with Use the following DNS server addresses and replace the Preferred DNS server and the Alternate DNS server with the following values:

   8.8.8.8
   8.8.4.4

5. Save the changes, then repeat steps 3 and 4 with Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6), but this time, use these values for the Preferred DNS server and the Alternate DNS server:

   2001:4860:4860::8888
   2001:4860:4860::8844

6. Restart your network connection. After your connection is restarted, open your browser, load a YouTube video that was previously failing, and see if the issue has been resolved.

5. Perform a System Restore

This issue can be solved by performing a system restore, which reverts your computer to a previous state before any problematic updates or software were installed. If recent changes, like new drivers or codecs, disrupted video playback, this method removes those changes and restores your system to a time when everything worked smoothly.

1. Press Windows key + R to open a Run dialog box. Then, type “rstrui” and press Enter to open the System Restore wizard.

   

2. Inside the System Restore wizard, press Next at the first screen.

   

3. In the next screen, start by checking the box associated with Show more restore points. Next, select a system restore point that is dated before you first started to deal with this error. Then, click Next to advance.

   

   Note: Keep in mind that all changes (installed apps, user preferences, etc.) made since that restore point was saved will be lost once this procedure is complete. This process will restore your computer to the exact state it was in when the restore point was taken.

4. Click Finish, then Yes at the confirmation prompt to start the restoring process. Your computer will then restart and the older state will be enforced at the next startup.

   

    

6. Switch Accounts

In some cases, the issue wasn’t with the browser or the computer; the error was triggered due to the Google Account that the user was using to sign in to Chrome. Therefore, in this step, we will be switching the Google Account in an attempt to fix this error. For that:

1. Launch your browser and open a new tab.
2. Click on the “Account” tile on the far right of your screen that contains the first initial of your username.
3. Click on the “Add Another Account” option and follow the on-screen prompts to add another account to the browser.

   

4. After adding the account, open YouTube with the same account and check to see if the issue persists.
5. If it does persist, click on the “Autoplay” toggle once to disable it and then again after some time to enable it back up.
6. That should fix the issue.

7. Disable and Enable Autoplay

Turn off and then turn back on YouTube’s autoplay feature to reset video loading and playback. This can fix small playback problems, like the “Playback ID” error, by making the player reload the video list. This helps resolve buffering or connection issues.

1. Head over to YouTube and open any video you want.
2. Once the video is opened, if autoplay is enabled, disable it. If it’s disabled, enable it.
3. Reload the page and do the same thing again, then restart your Chrome Browser.
4. Check to see if the issue persists.

8. Toggle Shields on Brave Browser

Brave’s Shields block ads and trackers, which can sometimes cause problems on YouTube and trigger the Playback ID error. Temporarily turning off Shields lets YouTube load needed things, like ads or cookies, for smooth playback.

9. Disable Extensions

Sometimes, browser extensions like ad blockers or privacy tools can mess with YouTube’s video loading and playback. Turning off these extensions can fix problems that stop videos from playing. Ad blockers might block parts of the page, including ads, which YouTube needs to work properly.

1. Launch Chrome and click the “Three Dots” on the top right.
2. Click on the “More Tools” tab and then select “Extensions” from the list.

   

3. Click on the “Toggle” to disable all unnecessary extensions, especially “Iridium”, “Improve YouTube”, “h264”, and ad-blocking/VPN extensions.
4. Check to see if the issue persists after disabling these extensions.
5. If you want to continue using AdBlock, add the following line to the exception rules to allow both YouTube and Reddit.

   www.reddit.com https://www.youtube.com/get_video_info xmlhttprequest allow

10. Use Incognito Mode

Using Incognito Mode can fix the YouTube Playback ID error by ignoring stored browser data like cookies, cache, or extensions that might interfere with videos. In Incognito Mode, these elements are temporarily turned off, creating a clean environment that avoids problems caused by your usual browser settings or extensions like ad blockers.

11. Whitelist Site in AdBlock

Sometimes, ad-blocking extensions can cause playback errors on YouTube. By whitelisting YouTube in your ad blocker, you let the site load its needed scripts and ads without issues. This helps prevent playback errors and ensures the browser can properly connect with YouTube’s servers.