YouTube is one of the most used search engines and video streaming platform. Millions of videos get posted there daily, prompting the use of some features on it. But, a lot of things can go wrong with it. There can be issues of the fullscreen not working, streaming not working, and the search not working.
The search bar is there as a filter to help fetch the desired video from the millions of videos posted on it or to help in streamlining search results. But sometimes, this feature doesn't work appropriately or just stops working totally, which can be a nutcracker!
YouTube is available as downloadable software or can be accessed through the browser. Whichever the situation may be, this post is a step-by-step guide on how to fix YouTube searches not working. Read on to find out more!
Why Isn’t My YouTube Search Working?
There are so many reasons responsible for why the YouTube search is not working. It could be due to spelling errors, too-long keywords, deleted videos, or weak internet connection, which are minor reasons. The major reasons for the YouTube search bar not working can be due to either of the following reasons;
- Restrict Mode Enabled In YouTube: To use the mode to limit kids to view certain content on YouTube, it may cause search glitches.
- Search Blocked by Certain Program or Setting: A easy restart of your device will solve the incompatible among applications.
- Antivirus and Firewall: Sometimes, the Antivirus and Firewall may stop YouTube to search.
- JavaScript or Browser Problem: When using YouTube on a browser, the issue of JavaScript or browser will affect the use of YouTube search.
- YouTube Search Function Is Down
5 Ways to Fix YouTube Search Not Working [Browser]
If you met the issue when using YouTube to search via a browser, some of the below five methods will help you to get it solved.
1. Make Sure The JavaScript Plug-In Is Enabled
JavaScript is a programming language that allows the user to create interactive web pages. It allows users to add special effects to the webpage. To enable the JavaScript plug-in on Chrome;
- Click on the menu icon at the top right corner of your screen
- Click on “Settings”. From there, click on "Privacy and security" and select "site setting".
- Go down the options and click on “content”.
- Set the JavaScript option to “allow”.
- Go back to YouTube and use the search bar.
For Safari browser;
- Click on Safari from the menu bar.
- Scroll down and select preferences.
- Select "Security" from the preferences option.
- Tick the enable JavaScript checkbox to enable it and reload the page.
For Firefox browser;
- Search about: config in the URL bar.
- Click on “accept the risk” and search for JavaScript.
- Double-click “javascript. enabled” and restart your browser.
2. Clear Browsering Data Or Use Incognito Browsing
The steps for clearing cookies and cache are different for Chrome and other browsers. If you're using a Chrome browser;
- Click on the menu button at the upper right corner of your browser and hover the cursor on “more tool” to widen the open. Click on browsing data. Alternatively, press down ctrl+shift+del to open your browsing data.
- From there, switch to the "Advanced" tab and set the time range to "all-time".
- Mark the checkboxes for browsing history, cookie data, and cache data.
- Click on clear data to delete them.
- Return to the browser and check if the issue is fixed.
For Mozilla Firefox browser;
- Click on the “lock” icon close to the URL.
- Click on cookies and website data.
- Click on clear cookies.
For Safari browser;
- Select preference from the Safari option. Click Privacy and then Manage Website Data.
- Click Remove All to clear all cache and cookies.
- Select History > Clear History. Click the menu to clear all browsing history.
Incognito browsing is a private browsing mode that allows you to access the website without saving your browsing activity. You can also try incognito browsing;
- Press down ctrl+shift+N to access the mode.
- Access YouTube through it.
- Try the search bar if it works.
3. Turn off Hardware Acceleration
When certain applications offload some tasks to specific hardware in the device, Hardware acceleration is well equipped to carry out the tasks. It is enabled by default to improve the playback quality. But sometimes, it is responsible for the YouTube search broken issue. To disable it;
- Open your browser and click on Setting from the menu icon in the right corner.
- Scroll down and click on “advanced settings” , then select system from the page.
- Click “use hardware acceleration when available” button to turn off Hardware Acceleration.
4. Update Your Browser
Before concluding, you should exhaust all options. The status of your browser should also be considered. An outdated browser is likely to be the cause of the YouTube search not working.
To update your Chrome,
- Click on the menu icon and scroll down to “help” and hover the cursor on it.
- Click on “About Google Chrome”.
- The browser will automatically update itself if it is outdated.
The steps of other browsers are similar to those for Chrome.
5. Try Another Browser
If the YouTube search bar is still not working after trying the previously mentioned options, the next thing to do is change your browser. There are different browser options to choose from Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari . Open YouTube on another browser to see if the issue is from your browser.
3 Ways to YouTube Search Bar Not Working [App]
If YouTube search is not working on iPhone or PC when you search a video on the application, the below three ways will work for you.
1. Update Your YouTube App
Just like the browser, if your YouTube app is not up to date, it may malfunction. Go to the Apple store or Google play store to update the application on your phone. If you were using the lastest YouTube applicaiton on PC, you may try other ways below.
2. Clear Cache or Use Incognito Mode
If you were using YouTube application on Android phone, click data and cache of YouTue app will solve the issue. Here are the steps;
- Open Setting app and find Apps.
- Find YouTube app and click on it.
- Choose Storage and click on Clear cache.
Just like broswer, YouTube application also have the Incognito Mode. You can click on your profile image to turn on the Incognito Mode.
3. Reinstall The YouTube Application
There may be a fault in the current YouTube app you are using, causing the search function is not working. Uninstalling and reinstalling it may deal with the glitch.
To reinstall YouTube app from your device, you can long press the app on your phone, open Control Panel on Windows computer or drag the application to Trash on your Mac. When you have done uninstalling it, you can reinstall it from the play store or app store.
Bottom Line
There is more than one way to skin a cat – or is it to fix the YouTube search glitch. Whether you're accessing it through your browser or the app, the highlighted ways can help you fix the issue of your YouTube search not working. Feel free to try one or all of the ways!
To access Restricted Mode, click on your YouTube profile, then click Settings, then General, and then enable Restricted Mode.
Once you've done that, you should be able to browse videos for some reason. Since it's in Restricted Mode, you might not be able to gain access to some content, so keep that in mind the next time you're trying to watch the Eternal Champions fatality montage.
You can simply download the YouTube app and search for your desired videos with an internet connection. However, sometimes, you may encounter ‘An error occurred. Please try again.’ or ‘No results found‘ messages while searching on the YouTube app. The app won’t display any related videos on the screen.
It may occur due to a bad internet connection on your device. Likely, if your device runs on an outdated version of the app, you may face the issue.
In this article, we will explain the methods to fix the YouTube app not working problem.
Why is Youtube App Search Not Working?
Some of the possible causes for the YouTube app search not working issue are:
- Poor internet connection
- The device is not up to date.
- Outdated YouTube app.
- The date and time on the device are incorrect.
- Corrupted file in the app’s cache memory.
- Network connection issues.
- Problem Re-registering with the Google account after the update.
How to Fix Youtube App Search Not Working?
The YouTube app search not working issue may be solved if you simply close the application and launch it again. Likely, you can review your phone’s internet connection and switch to another internet connection option.
Below you can get a detailed explanation of the fixes along with the step-by-step guide to solve the problem.
Note: The steps provided below may differ for Android devices based on the Original Equipment Manufacturer.
One of the most common fixes you can try is to close the YouTube app and reopen it. Doing so can help resolve some minor errors in the app and make the app search work again.
Check the Internet Connection
Another probable solution for you to try is to make sure that you have a proper internet connection. Whether you are using the YouTube app on iPhone or Android, you can switch between Wi-Fi and cellular network. To do so,
On iPhone
- Tap the Settings icon.
- Then, choose Wi-Fi or Cellular data.
- Toggle the button next to Wi-Fi. Similarly, you can turn on Cellular data by switching on the button based on your internet connection method.
On Android
- Go to the Settings menu.
- Select the Connections options. You may also see Wireless & Networks based on your Android device.
- To use Wi-Fi, choose Wi-Fi and turn on the button next to it. If you want to use Mobile data, select the Data usage option and turn on the Mobile data option.
Set the Correct Date and Time on the Device
There may be a connection interruption between the YouTube app on your device and the app server when your device time is incorrect. As a result, the problem we are discussing may arise. So, you may need to check and correct the date and time on the device.
Here’s how you can implement the fix:
On iPhone
- Open the Settings app.
- Then, tap the General option.
- Next, hit the Date & Time option.
- Now, turn on the Set Automatically option.
- After this, tap Time Zone, enter your city name, and choose it.
Note: Users can select the nearest City under the Time Zone option if they don’t see their city name on the list.
On Android
- On your phone, click the Clock app.
- You will see three Horizontal dots on the top-right corner; tap it and choose Settings. You can directly select the gear icon on some Android devices to open the date and time settings.
- Under Clock Settings, select the Edit system time option.
- Toggle the button on for Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically.
Turn on Incognito Mode
Some users have disclosed that they face the issue only on their Google accounts. For that, you can try using the incognito mode for the YouTube app.
Below is the method to turn on Incognito mode for the YouTube app:
On iPhone and Android
- Open the YouTube app.
- Then, select your Profile photo from the upper left corner of the screen.
- Next, tap the Turn on Incognito option.
- You will see a message about anonymous browsing. Tap Got It.
- It will log you out from your Google account. After this, you will see the Incognito icon on the upper left side instead of your profile image.
Clear Youtube’s Data and Cache Data
Using YouTube will collect loads of temporary files and data on the device. In that mix, a corrupted file can hamper the performance of the app. It can also result in the YouTube search not working. In such a case, you need to clear the app’s data and cache.
Follow the steps below to carry out the possible way to solve the issue.
On iPhone
- Go to iPhone’s Settings menu.
- Select the General options.
- Next, choose iPhone Storage.
- A list of apps will appear on the screen. Navigate and select the YouTube app.
- Tap the Offload App button.
- You will need to choose Offload App once again to proceed.
On Android
- On the Settings menu, choose the Apps option.
- Then, select App management.
- On the search bar, type YouTube and select the app.
- Next, tap the Storage usage option.
- Tap on the Clear data and Clear cache buttons.
Reset the Network Settings Option
The problem can also arise if your device has a connectivity issue. So, you may also consider resetting network settings on your device.
You can follow the steps below to reset your iPhone and Android network settings.
On iPhone
- Open the Apple’s Setting.
- Then, press the General option.
- Next, select the Transfer or Reset iPhone option.
- Now, tap Reset.
- You will then need to choose Reset Network Settings.
- When the system asks, input your device password.
- Finally, tap on the Reset Network Settings option.
On Android
- First, launch the phone’s Settings menu.
- Then, scroll and select the System settings option.
- After that, navigate and tap Back up and reset.
- Next, you need to choose the Reset phone option.
- Finally, choose Reset network settings.
- If prompted, you need to input the phone’s password to proceed.
Update the YouTube App
With every new update, YouTube fixes bugs and improves the overall app for a better user experience. If the app is not updated, it may also cause a problem. So, an ideal solution would be to get the latest version of the app.
On iPhone
- Open the App Store.
- Then, tap the Profile icon.
- Scroll down to see the available updates.
- Select the Update button next to the YouTube app logo.
On Android
- Tap on the Play Store option.
- Then, select the profile photo on the upper-right side.
- Next, choose the Manage apps & device option.
- Now, select Updates available.
- After this, select the Update next to the YouTube app.
Update Your Device
Outdated device software can also hinder the proper functioning of the YouTube app, causing the search issue. Therefore, updating the device software can help solve the problem.
You can follow the steps below to know the process.
On iPhone
- First, open the Settings menu.
- Then, tap on the General option.
- Next, choose Software Update.
- Now, hit Download and Install.
- After this, you will need to enter iPhone’s Passcode to proceed further.
- Finally, select Install Now.
On Android
- Go to your phone’s settings menu.
- Scroll and tap on the System option.
- Next, you need to choose the System Update option. Based on the Android device, you can find it directly on the Settings menu.
- Now, you need to tap the Check for system updates.
- After this, follow the message on the screen.