Fix: YouTube TV Can’t Connect Right Now Error

If you are trying to open the YouTube TV app but keep experiencing an error that says “Can’t Connect Right Now“, the most probable causes of this error include a weak internet connection, an outdated app, incorrect date and time settings, and a corrupted cache.

To help you resolve this error, we have prepared a guide that lists all the possible causes and their respective solutions.

1. Check your internet connection.

Before you try any other solutions to this error, the first thing you should do is check your internet connection. Since the YouTube TV app requires an active and strong internet connection to function, one of the most common causes of this error is a missing or weak connection.

Head over to the home page of your Smart TV’s User Interface (UI) and navigate to the Settings menu. From there, go to the Network & Internet connection settings and check whether you’re connected to Wi-Fi. Alternatively, if your TV is connected to the internet using an Ethernet cable, make sure the cable is properly plugged in.

Once you’ve verified that the device is connected to the internet, the next step is to check whether the connection is strong enough for the app. According to the app’s support page, it requires a connection speed of at least 3 Mbps to function properly.

To check your internet speed, simply open the browser app, search “Internet Speed Test” on Google, and visit the first link. The test will only take a minute to complete, and it will show you your exact connection speed.

If your connection speed is perfectly fine, you can move on to the next solution in this guide. However, if your connection speed is under 3 Mbps, you should try power cycling your router and modem to help resolve the issue. Follow the steps listed below to power cycle your router and modem:

1. Unplug your router and modem (if you have one) from their respective sockets.
2. Wait for 2-3 minutes.
3. Plug the devices back in.

If that doesn’t help, you can either use a different internet connection (if available) or contact your ISP (Internet Service Provider) for further assistance.

2. Check the server status of YouTube.

After checking your internet connection, the next preliminary step you should take is to check the server status of YouTube itself. Sometimes, the servers of online services like YouTube malfunction or even go completely offline, which prevents users from being able to use the service.

Thus, before attempting any further troubleshooting on your end, you should search online to verify whether YouTube’s servers are functional. Websites such as Downdetector can be used for this purpose.

If many other people are experiencing the same error as you, then Downdetector will display all the user reports. This will let you know that the issue lies on YouTube’s end, not yours. In this case, all you can do is wait for the servers to come back online, as the problem is not being caused by anything on your end.

However, if Downdetector states, “User reports indicate no current problems at YouTube,” then it means that the servers are operational, and the error is arising from something on your end. In this case, try the solutions below.

3. Set the correct date and time on your TV.

If the date and time on your Smart TV are incorrect, it is almost guaranteed to be the reason why you are experiencing this error. Having the date and time not set correctly can lead to all sorts of authentication and synchronization issues.

To put it briefly, having the correct date and time helps maintain SSL/TLS certificate validation so you can communicate with online servers, enables proper authentication and authorization processes, and synchronizes your device with YouTube’s servers.

If the date and time on your TV are incorrect, follow these steps to fix the issue:

1. From the home menu of the TV, navigate to the Settings menu.
2. Navigate to the Device Preferences menu.

   

3. Select the Date and Time option.

   

4. Enable automatic date and time.

   

Once that is done, restart the YouTube app and it should start working without any problems!

Note: If you cannot find your TV’s Date and Time Settings menu in this way, search online for help.

4. Update the app.

For the YouTube TV app to work properly, you must ensure that you are using its latest version. An outdated version of the app can cause all sorts of issues, such as the error you are currently experiencing.

Go to the home page of your Smart TV and open the Play Store app. Proceed to the search bar and search for YouTube TV. If the app is not updated to its latest version, you will see an Update button. Click on that button and wait for the app to update. Once it’s updated, you should be able to use it without any errors.

However, if you do not see any update button, that means the app is already updated. In this case, you should try the next solution we’ve listed below.

5. Power-cycle your smart TV.

Sometimes, your Smart TV itself can encounter temporary glitches or software errors that cause certain apps to stop working properly. To eliminate these glitches and errors, you can perform a simple power cycle of the TV.

Follow these steps to power cycle the TV:

1. Press the power button on the TV or remote to shut it down.
2. Wait for a few seconds to ensure that the TV properly shuts down.
3. Unplug the power cable of the TV from its power outlet.
4. Wait at least 2-3 minutes to allow any residual power to dissipate from the TV.
5. Plug the power cable back into the outlet, and press the Power button to start the TV.

This simple fix has a high chance of solving the issue. But if it doesn’t, don’t worry as we’ve listed more fixes below.

6. Clear the cache of the YouTube TV app.

The cache for the YouTube TV app serves as a storage location for temporary files and data that the app frequently needs. This may include images, videos, thumbnails, and other resources. The purpose of saving these items in the cache is to significantly improve loading times, as the cache allows the items to be retrieved quickly.

Sometimes, the cache can become corrupted due to data conflicts and outdated files. A corrupted cache can lead to many errors, such as this one.

To solve this issue, you can simply clear the cache of the app. Keep in mind that clearing the cache will not hinder the functionality of the app or delete any valuable data; it is a completely safe thing to do.

It’s hard to describe where you’ll find the Clear Cache option in your TV’s menu, as each TV model has its own unique interface. However, if you have a Samsung TV, you can follow these steps to clear the cache of the app:

1. From the home menu of the TV, navigate to the Settings menu.

   

2. Navigate to the Support category and select the “Device Care” option.

   

3. Click on “Manage Storage.”
   

   

4. Select the YouTube TV app and click on “View Details.
5. Select the Clear Cache option.

   

If your TV’s interface is different from this, simply search “How to clear cache on (TV Model)” on Google and follow the steps from there.

In case clearing the cache does not work, you can also try clearing the data of the app from the same menu. However, keep in mind that this will delete the saved information for the accounts you have logged in to, so you will have to log into them again.

7. Use a VPN

Often, governments of different countries block access to YouTube in their regions for political reasons. If you live in such a region, that would explain why you are experiencing this error and unable to use the app.

However, there is no need to worry, as these regional restrictions can easily be bypassed by using a VPN (Virtual Private Network). A VPN will encrypt your internet traffic and reroute it so that it passes through a secure server in a location that has free access to the internet, giving you a new IP address. In layman’s terms, it will make it seem like you are accessing the service (YouTube) from a different location so that you do not face any regional restrictions.

There are many VPNs available on the Play Store, but it is very difficult for the average user to find a safe and reliable one. To make your life easier, you can check out our guide, where we have listed the five best VPNs currently available.

8. Reinstall the YouTube app.

If none of the above solutions has solved the problem for you, the final fix is to simply perform a clean reinstallation of the app. There may be some corruption deep within the app files, causing the app not to work properly. Therefore, performing a fresh reinstallation will ensure that all the files are validated.

To reinstall the app, first, navigate to your Settings menu and go to Apps. From there, select YouTube and press Uninstall or Delete. Keep in mind that your TV’s interface may have the uninstall option located somewhere else. Once you’ve deleted the app, open the Play Store app and reinstall YouTube from there.

While YouTube is being reinstalled, ensure you have a strong and stable internet connection, as an unstable connection can cause files to become corrupted during the app’s download.