Are you curious about why is YouTube slow 2024? If you’re tired of dealing with a slow YouTube, we’ll provide some easy solutions to improve the app’s speed in this guide.
First, let’s talk about why YouTube can be slow. This could be due to an overloaded server, internet or router issues, browser cache, or IP address range. But don’t worry, there are ways to fix it!
Why is YouTube slow 2024?
Here are three ways you can try to improve your YouTube speed:
- Use a VPN
- Choose a lower-quality setting
- Clear the cache
Method 1: Use a VPN
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) can help you improve your YouTube speed. Both free and paid options are available, and NordVPN is a popular choice. It’s worth noting that a paid VPN will provide better protection for your privacy.
Method 2: Choose a lower-quality setting
Sometimes, Google’s efforts to reduce load times can’t keep up with heavy traffic. In this case, try choosing a lower-quality setting for your videos. To do this, click the Settings gear icon at the bottom right of the video, then select “Quality,” and choose a lower quality setting. Keep trying lower settings until the problem is resolved.
Method 3: Clear the cache
Another user found that updating his browser and clearing his cache and cookies worked. You can try the following steps to clear your cache and cookies:
- Open Google Chrome.
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Del on your keyboard to open the “Clear browsing data” window.
- Click the checkboxes for “Cached images and files” and “Cookies and other site data.”
- Click on the “Clear browsing data” button.
Some situations that cause the problem to occur:
Server overload
- During peak hours or when a particularly popular video is released, YouTube servers can become overloaded, leading to slowness.
- Try watching at off-peak hours or waiting for the initial rush to subside.
Hardware limitations
- If you’re using an older computer or device, it may not have the processing power or memory to handle YouTube videos smoothly.
- Consider upgrading your device if it’s significantly outdated.
Additionally, you can use a different browser or check if your internet connection is stable.
It’s worth noting that YouTube has been slow for some users lately, and it’s not just due to heavy traffic. The video-sharing platform is deliberately slowing down its site for users with ad blockers enabled. According to YouTube, using an ad blocker violates their terms of service, and they have started taking action against users who use them.
The first sign that something was wrong came when users started to see a pop-up message saying, “Ad blockers violate YouTube’s Terms of Service.” The message then advised users to turn off their ad blockers. But this was not YouTube’s only tactic to discourage ad blockers.
The second method YouTube began using was to slow down the entire site when an ad blocker was in use. They call this “sub-optimal viewing,” it certainly lives up to its name. Videos buffer slowly, previews refuse to load properly, and entering movie mode or full screen is impossible without refreshing the website.
This tactic is not new but spreads to more users.
So, if you’re experiencing slowness on YouTube, it might be worth checking if your ad blocker is to blame.
If you don’t want to give up your ad blocker, you can try a few things to improve your YouTube speed. One user reported that disabling their ad blocker fixed the problem. In contrast, another user found that updating their browser and clearing their cache and cookies worked.
In conclusion, there are several ways to increase your YouTube speed. Try these methods and see which one works for you.
Featured image credit: Szabo Viktor / Unsplash
