What Can Cause a YouTube Black Screen?
When you see a black screen on YouTube, it’s because the video failed to load for some reason. The problem could be on your end, or it could be caused by problems with YouTube or your internet service provider (ISP). If the problem is on your end, you can usually fix it by updating the web browser, disabling the ad blocker, restarting the computer, restarting network hardware, and other simple solutions. When the problem is caused by your internet service provider or an issue with YouTube, there isn’t anything you can do. Here are the most common causes of black screens on YouTube:
Ad-blocking plug-ins: You can use an ad blocker to avoid watching advertisements on YouTube videos, but sometimes things go wrong. If your ad blocker goes rogue, it may block the video instead of only the ads. Browser problems: The browser may be out of date, or there may be corrupted data. These problems are fixed by updating the browser, clearing the cache, or restarting the browser. Computer problems: When issues with the computer cause YouTube to display a black screen instead of videos, you can usually fix it with a simple restart. Network problems: Slow internet speeds, or issues with your local network, can prevent YouTube videos from loading correctly. YouTube mobile problems: If you experience a black screen and no audio from YouTube on your phone, clear the app data or cache, or restart your phone.
How to Tell If Your Ad Blocker Is Causing YouTube Black Screens
Ad blockers are browser plug-ins that selectively prevent certain web page elements from loading. Most are capable of blocking standalone ads that appear on web pages and ads that play during videos on sites like YouTube. When an ad blocker works properly, it prevents advertisements from loading, and the rest of the page loads normally. When an ad blocker malfunctions, it may allow ads to load or block page elements, like text and video, that you want to see. Here’s how to check if an ad blocker causes black screens on YouTube:
How to Tell If Your Browser Is Causing YouTube Black Screens
There are several browser and computer problems that can cause trouble with websites like YouTube. Issues with the browser, like corrupted cache data or cookies, can prevent videos from loading. Memory issues with the computer can also cause issues with playing videos on the internet.
How to disable extensions in Chrome How to disable Internet Explorer add-ons How to disable Safari plug-ins How to disable add-ons and extensions in multiple browsers, including Firefox.
To rule out a problem with the browser or computer, you can try things like reloading the page, clearing the cache, and switching to a different browser. As a last resort, restarting the computer sometimes does the trick. Here’s how to fix YouTube black screens if the problem has to do with the browser or computer:
How to Tell If Your Network or ISP Is Causing YouTube Black Screens
If your internet connection is completely down, YouTube won’t load at all. Many network and internet problems allow sites like YouTube to load partially while leaving elements like videos as black boxes. To fix a network problem that causes black screens on YouTube, power cycling the modem and router usually does the trick. Internet problems that prevent YouTube videos from loading are more difficult to deal with because these must be fixed by your ISP. If you suspect your internet connection has problems, contact your ISP for assistance. Here are some things you can try to fix YouTube black screens if the problem has to do with a network or internet connection:
How to Troubleshoot YouTube Black Screens on Mobile
When the YouTube app on your phone or tablet displays a black screen instead of playing a video, or you only hear audio with no video component, there may be a problem with the app. You can fix this type of problem by clearing the app data or cache, but restarting the device sometimes works. Here are some things you can try when you see a black screen, or only hear audio, in the YouTube mobile app:
