YouTube error · Occasional
YouTube like / dislike button not working — fix the rating buttons
You click the thumbs-up or thumbs-down button but nothing happens. The icon doesn't fill in, the like count doesn't change, or you see "couldn't rate this video" briefly.
Why this happens
- You're signed out — rating requires a Google account.
- Account is signed into the wrong YouTube profile (Brand vs personal).
- Anti-spam rate limit hit — too many rapid likes from new accounts trigger throttling.
- Channel disabled ratings on this video.
- Browser extension intercepting the API call.
How to fix it
- 1
Confirm you're signed in
Profile icon top-right — should show your avatar, not "Sign in". Click and verify the active account.
- 2
Check the dislike count
YouTube hides the dislike count publicly, but creators can still see it. Like counts are visible. If neither button responds at all, you're probably signed out or hitting an error.
- 3
Wait a few minutes
YouTube rate-limits rapid rating actions, especially from new accounts. Waiting 5-10 minutes lifts the limit.
- 4
Try in a different browser
Extension interference can break the rating action. Test in a clean browser or incognito.
Frequently asked
Where did the dislike count go?
YouTube removed public dislike counts in 2021. Creators still see their own; viewers don't see anyone's. Extensions like "Return YouTube Dislike" estimate the count from historical data but they're estimates, not real data.