As a TV-lover, I know the frustration of trying to watch YouTube videos on a TV screen only to have them not fit properly. After hours of trial and error, I eventually found a way to make the videos fit my screen. But I knew there must be an easier way, so I did some research to figure out why the videos weren’t fitting my screen and how I could fix it. In this blog post, I’ll be sharing what I found out, including the pros and cons of different solutions, as well as tips and tricks to make the videos fit your TV screen.
YouTube videos will not fit your TV screen when your settings are wrong, and the TV has been set to the wrong aspect ratio. To fix this, you will need to change the TV settings and adjust YouTube settings to fit better with your TV and the device you are using to play YouTube.
| Issue | Cause | Solution | Steps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wrong Aspect Ratio | The TV’s aspect ratio has been set incorrectly. | Set the TV to Just Scan | Change the aspect ratio setting on your TV to “Just Scan” to ensure your devices can communicate with each other and adjust as needed. |
| Incorrect YouTube Settings | YouTube settings may not be optimized for your TV. | Check YouTube Screen Size | Ensure YouTube is not playing in windowed mode or with ads on the side of the video, causing it to use a small amount of space on your TV. Adjust the screen size in YouTube settings if necessary. |
| Device Resolution Mismatch | The device’s resolution doesn’t match the TV’s. | Change Device Resolutions | Check and adjust the resolution of the connected device (e.g., PC or smart device) to match the maximum resolution the TV can handle. Make sure the smart TV is using the maximum resolution when watching YouTube. Be aware that zooming in on a smart TV can cause some videos to look wrong, especially when ads are playing. |
Why Won’t YouTube Fit On A TV Screen?
Before discussing how to easily and quickly fix your YouTube to look perfect while watching, we must look at the causes. Many people make simple changes to their TV and then forget about how those changes will affect their viewing experience in the future.
We always recommend that you understand how your TV will interact with YouTube, with many people making the mistake of assuming it will work. Understanding how things work will ensure that your viewing experience is as good as possible.
The Aspect Ratio Is Not Set
The most common issue with YouTube not fitting on a TV screen is that the aspect ratio of the TV has been set to the wrong one. This setting can cause the YouTube screen to be overstretched or to be way too small for the size of the TV; many times the out of the box settings will not work either.
Older TVs are more likely to have a faulty aspect ratio when plugging in a new device, with many people having to change the settings. More modern TVs will have a few different features that can help you get the right aspect ratio each time you watch YouTube.
The YouTube Settings Are Wrong
This is more likely to happen when you are using YouTube for the first time on a new Smart TV. YouTube has settings that affect the overall size of the video and the quality it is currently loading, as many people forget to change these to what you need.
Playing around with these settings will ensure that your viewing experience is not only amazing but not filled with cut-off parts. Many people assume that YouTube will always automatically deliver the best possible experience without your help.
Check Your Device Resolution
This is something that many people forget to do when they start adding new devices to their TV, whether they are watching YouTube or Blu-rays. If you are using a PC or other smart device, you can change the resolution it sends to the TV, affecting what is shown.
Changing the resolution, your device sends to the TV can change how things are zoomed in or cut off. We always recommend checking that the maximum resolution the TV can handle is your device’s resolution, helping to keep everything in line.
How To Fix YouTube Not Fitting On TV Screen?
Now that we know why your YouTube is not working properly or some parts are being cut off, we can look at how to fix it. Many people know the basic things to try when they have image troubles on TV.
It is important to know which exact things you should e looking to change and what steps to try other than what you would normally try. Each of these is things we know work simply because we’ve had to use each of them to fix the YouTube size problems we’ve had to face on our own.
Set The TV To Just Scan
This is the best way to ensure that not only YouTube but all other things you watch will not be cut off or zoomed in. The aspect ratio of your TV should be on the just scan setting when available, ensuring that your devices can all talk to each other.
We always recommend changing this setting first, as your TV can change to the aspect ratio sent from your device. Often, with computers, the aspect ratio will change as the screen you are using changes, which means that your TV will need to adjust as the things you are watching change.
Check YouTube Screen Size
On the other side of YouTube being too zoomed in or cut off on the edges of your TV is the window size of YouTube being too small. This often happens when using smart-enabled TVs, devices, or computers linked to your TV is playing YouTube in windowed mode.
We always recommend considering this when you are watching YouTube on your TV, and you notice that there are unexpected black bars. If there are ads on the side of the video you are watching, you should also consider this, as it may mean that you only use a small amount of space on your TV.
Change Device Resolutions
If everything, not just YouTube videos, looks too big on your TV, the resolution may not have been set properly for the connected device. Simply going into settings or changing the resolution through settings on a computer will usually ensure that your TV is being used at its maximum resolution.
Watching YouTube on a smart TV will already be using the maximum resolution that it can handle. However, it should be noted that it is still possible to zoom in with your smart TV, which can cause some videos to look wrong, especially when ads are being played.
Conclusion
Simply changing the settings on your smart TV or the devices connected to the TV will ensure that your YouTube videos fit perfectly on the screen. Many people have made the mistake of not properly changing the TV settings, leaving them with a viewing experience that is not quite as good as it should be.
Always remember that no setting you can change on the TV cannot be undone through a simple factory reset!
References
Youtube Videos Too Big For Tv Screen? : PS4 (Reddit.Com)
Solved: YOUTUBE Screen Is So Big It Does Not Fit My TV. – Roku Community
