As an owner of a Firestick, I was frustrated to find that I was getting a black screen when trying to watch YouTube videos. After some research and testing, I’m here to share how I solved the issue and some other solutions I discovered along the way. In this blog post, I’ll be discussing the possible causes of the YouTube black screen on Firestick and how to fix it.
YouTube may show a black screen on Firestick due to internet connection issues or software glitches. Additionally, it could be because the device isn’t updated with the latest software.
| Causes | Symptoms | How to Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Internet Connection Issues | Black screen, constant buffering | 1. Connect to a mobile hotspot to test the connection 2. Restart your router by switching it off and on after a few minutes 3. Contact your internet service provider’s technical support if the issue persists |
| Firestick Isn’t Updated | Black screen, app not functioning properly | 1. Go to Settings > Device > About 2. Click on “Check for System Updates” 3. Install the update if available and restart your Firestick |
| Software Glitches | Black screen, app crashes, or freezes | 1. Restart your Firestick by unplugging it and plugging it back in, or through the Settings menu 2. Clear the YouTube app cache in Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications > YouTube > Clear Cache |
| Issues with the YouTube Application | Black screen, app not functioning properly | Wait for YouTube to issue a software update for the app to fix the bugs |
Table of Contents
Why Is Youtube on Firestick Giving You a Black Screen?
Here are some of the most common reasons why YouTube may be giving you a black screen when you’re using it on your Amazon Firestick.
We’ve also included steps you can take to resolve each issue mentioned in the sections below.
1. Internet Connection Issues
A common reason behind YouTube showing a black screen or buffering for what seems like forever is a problem with your internet connection. This can usually be the case when using YouTube on your Firestick or any other device.
Issues with your internet could be a result of scheduled network maintenance from your service provider’s side.
They can also happen if too many devices are connected to your Wi-Fi network and are taking up bandwidth.
How to Fix It
To know for sure that your internet connection is what’s making YouTube show a black screen on your Firestick, try connecting to your mobile hotspot instead and see if it works.
If the black screen persists, your next step should be to restart your router. You can do so by switching it off and back on after a few minutes.
If all else fails, then it’s time to pick up the phone and contact your internet service provider’s technical support.
2. Firestick Isn’t Updated
Another possible cause of a YouTube black screen on your Firestick is that your Firestick doesn’t have the latest software installed.
As with all apps, the Firestick version of the YouTube app is optimized for the latest system software. Therefore, the absence of this software on your device could be causing YouTube to malfunction.
How to Fix It
The only way to address this problem is to give your Firestick a system software update. You’ll need to go through the following steps to do this:
- Find the Settings icon on your Firestick’s Home screen and click on it.
- Next, click on “Device,” then “About.”
- In the menu that pops up, you’ll find an option to “Check for System Updates.”
- If your Firestick device detects a system software newer than the one installed, it’ll start downloading it automatically.
- Once the update has been downloaded, all that’s left for you to do is install it and restart your Firestick.
3. Software Glitches
Even if you’ve installed the latest system software update on your Firestick, your device may still experience software malfunctions.
In turn, these glitches can be responsible for why YouTube isn’t working properly on your Firestick.
How to Fix It
The simplest way to try to solve this issue is by restarting your firestick. You can do so the old-fashioned way by unplugging your Firestick and plugging it back in after a few minutes.
You may also restart your Firestick through the Settings menu. To do that, you’ll need to go to the Device section and then click on About. The menu that shows up will have the Restart option.
Another way to fix the software glitches that your Firestick is experiencing is by clearing the cache of the YouTube app on your device.
This is also done from the Settings menu.
You’ll need to click on Applications, then Manage Installed Applications. A list of all the apps installed on your Firestick will show up.
Afterward, all you’ll have to do is select the YouTube app and click on Clear Cache.
4. Issues With the YouTube Application
Finally, the cause behind the black screen that’s showing up when using YouTube may have nothing to do with your Firestick at all.
Instead, it could be a result of bugs in the YouTube app itself.
How to Fix It
If this is the case, there really isn’t much you can do to solve this issue.
However, you can expect YouTube to be quite prompt in issuing a software update for the app.
Conclusion
Read more: Disney Plus won’t load on Firestick
If you’re seeing a Youtube black screen with Firestick, there are several reasons why this may be happening.
This issue could be a result of problems with your internet connection.
It can also be due to software-related problems with your Firestick. These problems can involve your Firestick needing a software update or experiencing glitches.
The black screen that’s showing up could also happen if the Firestick version of YouTube has bugs that need to be fixed from the app’s side.
We hope our article has helped you fix your Firestick YouTube issues!
