YouTube error · Occasional
YouTube not loading — the full troubleshooting checklist
YouTube's site appears blank, partial, or stuck on a loading screen. Different from "Video unavailable" (which is a specific video) — this is the YouTube site itself failing to load.
Why this happens
- DNS resolution failing for youtube.com or googlevideo.com.
- ISP-level throttling or blocking.
- Browser extension breaking the YouTube SPA.
- Service worker corruption from a previous broken state.
- YouTube CDN edge issue in your region.
How to fix it
- 1
Try a different DNS resolver
Switch to 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare) or 8.8.8.8 (Google). Some ISPs return broken DNS for YouTube during throttling events.
- 2
Disable all extensions and try again
Extensions that hook into youtube.com (ad blockers, dark mode tools, video speed controls) are the #1 cause of "YouTube not loading".
- 3
Clear site data for youtube.com
A corrupted service worker can lock the page on a stuck loading screen. Chrome → DevTools → Application → Storage → Clear site data.
- 4
Try a different browser
If Firefox works and Chrome doesn't, the issue is in your Chrome profile, not on YouTube's side.
- 5
Try mobile data (vs Wi-Fi)
Eliminates ISP-level issues. If YouTube loads on cellular and not on home Wi-Fi, the issue is your network.