Fix: Youtube App not Launching in Samsung TV

Samsung provides a great lineup of TVs and wall panels with resolutions up to 8k. Many additional “Smart” features are also provided such as Wifi and Bluetooth connectivity. Samsung preloads its TVs with many video streaming platforms such as Youtube, Netflix, etc. however, quite recently, a lot of reports have been coming in of the Youtube app not launching on the TV and it gets stuck on the silver screen whenever it is launched.

What Prevents the Youtube App From Launching in Samsung TVs?

After receiving numerous reports from multiple users we decided to investigate the issue and came up with a set of solutions after implementing which the problem went away for most of our users. Also, we looked into the reasons due to which this issue is triggered and listed them below.

• Cache: Cache is stored by applications to reduce loading times and provide a smoother experience. This is achieved by saving certain launch configurations on the device’s storage and the application uses these configurations to launch instead of forming new ones every time the app launches. However, over time these configurations can get corrupted and cause interference with important system features and applications one of them being the youtube app.
• General Bug: There have been many reports of the television not being able to launch certain apps properly. This issue is sometimes fixed by trying to load the app again while on the grey screen.
• Licensing: In some cases, certain models of Samsung’s lineup of Smart TVs might not be licensed to run Youtube. First, verify that your TV model is actually capable and licensed to run Youtube.

Now that you have a basic understanding of the nature of the problem we will move on towards the solutions. Make sure to implement these solutions in the specific order in which they are listed.

Solution 1: Relaunching the app

There is a bug with the Samsung TV where it sometimes does not load an ap properly. Therefore, in this step, we will be forcing the TV to try to reload the app while it is on the grey screen. For that:

1.  Grab your TV remote and launch the Youtube App.
2. If the app goes to the “Grey Screen”  press and hold the “back” arrow button and it will take you to the Samsung Smart HUB.

   

3. Chose the Youtube app again to relaunch it.
4. Check to see if the issue persists.

Solution 2: Reinitializing the Cache

It is possible that certain “cached” data might be interfering with important system functions and preventing the app from launching, therefore, in this step, we will be reinitializing the cache by completely power cycling the TV. For that:

1. Turn on the TV and unplug it directly from the wall.

   

2. Press and hold the “Power” button on the TV for at least “30” seconds.
3. Plug the power back in and check to see if the issue persists.

   

    

Solution 3: Reset TV to Default Settings

In some cases, the TV might not be functional until it has been reset to the default settings of the manufacturer. Therefore, in this step, we will be resetting the TV to its factory settings in an attempt to get rid of this particular issue. For that:

1. Press the “Menu” button on the remote.
2. Click on “Settings” and then select “Support”.

   

3. Select the “Self Diagnosis” option and then highlight and click the “Reset” button.

   

4. After selecting reset, you will be asked for a pin. The default pin should be “0000” unless you have manually changed it.
5. Enter the pin to confirm the process and then follow the onscreen prompts to successfully reset the TV.
6. After the reset is finished, check to see if the issue persists.

Solution 4: Reinstall YouTube

In some cases, the issue might be fixed by reinstalling Youtube completely. Therefore, in this step we will first uninstall Youtube from our TV and then install it again to fix this issue. For that:

1. Navigate to “Apps” on your Smart TV and select “Settings” from the top right corner.

   

2. Click on “Youtube” and then select “Reinstall”.
3. Wait for the TV to reinstall the app and check to see if the issue persists.

Solution 5: Correcting Time

In some cases, the time might not be set properly due to which this error is being triggered. Therefore, it is recommended to correct the time on your TV and check to see if that fixes the issue. For that:

1. Navigate to “Settings” and then click on “System”.

   

2. Select “Timer” and then click on “Clock”.
3. Check if your time is set properly.
4. After correcting time, check to see if the issue persists.

Note: If the issue still isn’t fixed, try to update the firmware of your device and check to see if that fixes the problem for you. Also, try to clear the history and search results of your Youtube Account and check if that fixes this problem. In the end, Disconnect your ethernet connection and try to connect with the Wifi network.