If you’re like me, you probably use YouTube a lot. Whether you’re looking for music, tutorials, or just funny videos, YouTube is usually the first place you go. So, imagine the surprise and frustration when, one day, you went to search for a video on YouTube, and your search results weren’t showing up!
Luckily, we were able to figure out how to fix the problem. In this article, we’ll show you how to fix it if you run into the same issue. But before we get to the solutions, let’s understand why this issue is happening in the first place.
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Why are YouTube Search Results Not Showing Up?
It can be frustrating when you search for something on YouTube, and no results show up. You might wonder why this is happening and how you can fix it. There are a few reasons why your search results might not appear on YouTube.
- YouTube’s search algorithm is not working properly.
- You have not searched for the right keywords.
- Problem with your internet connection.
- YouTube is down.
- Problem with your device settings.
- Outdated YouTube app
- Incorrect date and time on your device.
- Data usage is restricted
- The content you’re looking for is not available in your country.
Fix YouTube Search Results Not Showing Up
If you are having trouble finding your search results on YouTube, there are a few things you can do to fix the problem. Here are a few of the solutions you should give a try.
Check Your Internet Connection
If you’re having trouble with your YouTube search results not showing up, the first thing you should check is your internet connection. Go to fast.com to quickly check your internet speed and resolve any issues thereafter. Try restarting your router or modem, and then run a search on YouTube again.
Check if YouTube is Down
If you’re connected to the internet, and your search results still aren’t appearing, you should check if YouTube is down.
YouTube may be down, but you can check for sure using DownDetector. This site uses real-time user reports checking if popular services like YouTube are down or not. Simply head to the site and search for YouTube. Click on the icon for more information about the current issue.
You can also check social media platforms like Twitter. Twitter is a great platform to find out if an app is down because people will often share their experiences on Twitter. You can also search for the hashtag #YouTubeDown to see if there are any tweets about the site being down.
You can also tag the official YouTube Support Twitter account and see if you get any support. They should be able to tell you if the server is down and what the status of the issue is.
Restart/Reload YouTube
You can also try to restart or reload YouTube in case the search results are not showing up. Sometimes, there is a temporary bug or issue with the YouTube app or website and restarting the app should fix the issue.
On Android/iPhone:
While you’re on the YouTube app, close it and remove it from the recent apps page as well. Then, open the app again, and the issue should be resolved.
On Desktop:
Refresh the YouTube webpage, and the issue should disappear.
If you are still having the issue, don’t despair. We have a number of solutions for this issue.
Make Sure the YouTube App is Updated
It’s important to keep the YouTube app updated to ensure that you have access to the latest features and bug fixes. To update the YouTube app:
On Android:
- Open the Google Play Store.
- Tap on the profile icon on the top-right.
- Tap “Manage apps and device.”
- Under the Updates available entry, tap See details.
- Find YouTube in the list of apps. Once found, tap the Update button next to YouTube.
- Once the app is updated, restart your phone, and the issue should be resolved.
On iPhone:
- Go to the App Store.
- Tap on your profile picture.
- Swipe down to see available updates.
- Find YouTube in the list. Once found, tap the Update button next to YouTube.
- Once the update has been installed, tap Open to launch the YouTube app. However, we recommend restarting your iPhone before proceeding.
Check the Date and Time
There’s another simple thing you can check: the date and time.
If your device’s date and time are set incorrectly, YouTube won’t be able to show you any results. That’s because YouTube (like most websites) uses your device’s date and time to ensure that the results you’re seeing are up to date. Here’s how you can check and fix the date and time on your device.
On Android:
- Open the Settings app on your Android.
- Type Date and Time or Date & Time in the search bar and hit Enter.
- Tap on Date and Time and check if everything’s alright.
- If the date and time are incorrect, edit and match them to the current date and time.
On iPhone:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap General >> Date & Time.
- Turn on the Set Automatically toggle.
- If the time is still incorrect, turn off the Set Automatically toggle and tap on Date to manually change the date and time.
On Desktop:
- On a Windows PC, click the clock in the bottom-right corner of your screen.
- On a Mac, click the clock in the top-right corner of your screen.
- Make sure that the date and time are set correctly. If they’re not, click the date or time to open a menu where you can make changes.
- Once you’ve fixed the date and time, try searching on YouTube again. Your results should start showing up.
If you’re still having trouble, move down to the next solution.
Clear App Cache
When YouTube search results are not appearing as they should, another possible fix is to clear the cache on the app or website. This can be done on both an iOS or Android device as well as on a desktop computer.
The cache is where data is stored so that it can be accessed more quickly. Over time, the cache can become full and cause problems. Clearing the cache will delete the stored temporary data and should fix the YouTube search results issue.
On Android:
- Open the Settings app on your Android.
- Search for Apps.
- Find YouTube from the list of apps.
- Once found, tap on it, then tap Storage.
- Finally, tap Clear Cache.
- Try relaunching YouTube, and the search results should start showing up.
On iPhone:
If you are using Safari, go to Settings >> Safari >> Clear History and Website Data >> Remove All Website Data.
If you are using Chrome, you can follow these steps:
- Open the Chrome app.
- Tap on the More button or the three-dot.
- Now, tap History and then Clear browsing data.
- Make sure all the categories are selected.
- Finally, tap Clear browsing data to confirm your action.
Note: This will delete all your browsing data, including passwords and cookies.
On Desktop:
On a desktop computer, the process will be different depending on which browser is being used. In Chrome, press Ctrl + H on your keyboard (Command + H on Mac) and select Clear Browsing Data.
In Safari, go to the History tab on the top of your screen and select Clear History.
Once you’ve cleared the cache, restart your device/browser and try searching for something on YouTube again. The results should now appear as they should. If the results still aren’t appearing, proceed with the next solution.
Sign out and Sign in Again
To rule out a problem with your account, try signing out of YouTube and then signing back in. This process will log you out of YouTube, so make sure you have your account information handy before you begin. Once you’re signed back in, try your search again and see if the results appear. If they don’t, there may be another issue at play. an
If you can’t figure out how to sign out and then sign back in, follow these steps.
On Android:
Note: Logging out of YouTube on Android will log you out of all Google Services. So, make sure you have the proper login information before proceeding.
- Open the YouTube app and tap on your profile picture.
- Next, tap on your account name at the top.
- Tap Manage Accounts on the bottom and if prompted, select Google.
- Tap on the account you want to remove and select Remove account.
- To sign back in, open the YouTube app again, and tap on your profile picture.
- Now tap Add Account.
- Enter your login information, and you’re done.
On iPhone:
- Open the YouTube app.
- Tap on your profile picture.
- Tap on your account name at the top.
- Tap Use YouTube Signed Out.
- To sign back in, tap Add account, and then Sign in.
- Enter your login information, and you’re done.
On Desktop:
To sign out, go to youtube.com, click on your profile picture on the top-right, and select “Sign out.”
To sign in, go to youtube.com, and click Sign in on the top-right. Enter your login information, and you’re done.
Use Incognito Mode
If you do not see the results, you expect when you search on YouTube, try using Incognito Mode in your browser. This mode prevents your search history from being used to personalize your results, so you’ll get more objective results. To use Incognito Mode, open a new Incognito window in your browser and search for your term as usual.
On Android/iPhone:
- Open the YouTube app.
- Tap on your profile picture.
- Tap Turn on Incognito Mode.
On Desktop:
To use incognito mode on your desktop, first, open your browser. Then, click on the menu icon in the top-right corner of the screen. From the drop-down menu, select “New Incognito Window.” This will open a new window in which you can browse privately.
If you’re using Safari, click File >> New Private Window.
Reset Network Settings
If you’re having trouble with your YouTube search results not showing up, one thing you can try is resetting your network settings. This can help if there’s something wrong with your network connection or if you’re using a VPN that’s causing issues.
On Android:
- Open the settings app on your phone.
- Type Reset Network Settings in the search bar and hit enter.
- Tap Reset Network Settings from the search results.
- Now, tap Reset Network Settings again to confirm.
On iPhone:
- Go to your iPhone’s Settings app.
- Tap on “General.”
- Scroll down to the bottom of the page and tap on “Reset.”
- Tap on “Reset Network Settings” and confirm that you want to reset your settings.
After your network settings have been reset, try searching on YouTube again. The search results should show up.
Uninstall and Reinstall YouTube Again
Finally, you can try uninstalling and reinstalling YouTube again. This can often fix minor issues with the app.
To uninstall YouTube, go to your device’s Settings, then Apps (or Applications). Find YouTube in the list and tap on it. Tap the Uninstall button.
Once YouTube is uninstalled, restart your device, then go to the Google Play Store and install YouTube again.
Note: Some of you might not be able to uninstall YouTube. In that case, you can try to clear the app data instead.
After you’ve reinstalled YouTube, open the app and try searching for something. We are sure that by now, the issue will be resolved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my YouTube search results not showing up?
There could be a number of reasons why your YouTube search results are not appearing. It could be due to an issue with your internet connection, a problem with your device, or it could be because your search query is too specific. If you’re still not seeing any results after trying a few different things, then it’s likely a technical issue on YouTube’s end.
How to fix YouTube search results not showing up on my desktop?
There are a few things you can try to fix the problem. First, check to see if YouTube is down or if there are any known issues with the site. If not, try refreshing your page or clearing your browser’s cache. If the problem persists, try restarting your device.
How do I clear the YouTube cache on my desktop?
To clear the YouTube cache on your desktop, you have to clear your browsing data from your browser. For this, go to your browser history and click Clear Browsing Data.
What other things can I try to fix the YouTube search results not showing up?
There are a few other things you can try if you’re still not seeing any search results. First, try clearing your browser’s cache and cookies. If that doesn’t work, then try using a different browser altogether. You can also try searching from a different location, such as a different country or city.
Finally, if you’re still having no luck, then it’s likely that YouTube is experiencing a technical issue. In this case, the best thing to do is wait for YouTube to resolve the issue.
Final Words
These were some of the ways to fix the YouTube results not showing up. By the end of this guide, you should be able to resolve the issue. Let us know which solution worked for you. And if you are still having any issues, leave a comment and we will try to help you out.