- Clear the YouTube Music cache on Android from its App info > Storage and cache > Clear cache.
- Reduce audio quality from the YouTube Music app settings > Data saving > Audio quality on mobile data/Audio quality on Wi-Fi.
Basic Fixes
- Check your subscription : Ensure you have an active YouTube Music/YouTube Premium subscription. To check it, open the YouTube Music app, tap your account icon at the top right, and select Paid memberships to check the status.
- Check the YouTube Music server status : Visit Downdetector to check an active YouTube Music service outage.
- Verify your network connection : Ensure your phone is connected to a stable internet connection. I recommend at least 5-10Mbps to stream music without interruptions.
- Disconnect Bluetooth devices : Head to your device settings, and select Bluetooth to disconnect the connected accessory. This will prevent audio routing to your Bluetooth device and it will come out of your phone’s speakers.
- Switch to audio-only music : Tap the Song tab while playing music instead of Video in the YouTube Music app to use less internet bandwidth and play audio without any breaks.
- Disable Battery Saver or Low Power Mode: Swipe down from the top right to open the Android notification panel, and tap the Battery Saver toggle to disable it. On iPhone, access Control Center and tap the Low Power Mode toggle to turn it off.
- Update or reinstall YouTube Music : Open the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, search YouTube Music, and tap Update (if available). Alternatively, uninstall the app and install it afresh from your phone’s app store.
Fix 1: Clear YouTube Music Cache (Android)
A corrupt app cache is a common reason why YouTube music does not work on your Android phone. To fix this, clear the cache manually from the YT Music app settings and reopen it.
Long-tap the YT Music app icon > select App info > Storage and cache > Clear cache .
Fix 2: Allow Background Data for YouTube Music
If YouTube Music stops working on your phone when you run it in the background , missing background data permissions are the underlying culprit. Enable them from the app settings and retry playing your favorite track.
On Android
Open the YT Music app info > select Mobile data and Wi-Fi > turn on Unrestricted data usage .
On iOS
Step 1: Open iPhone Settings , scroll down, and select YouTube Music .
Step 2: Toggle on Background App Refresh to enable it.
Fix 3: Offload the YouTube Music App and Reinstall (iOS)
Unlike Android, iOS doesn’t allow clearing the YouTube Music app cache. Instead, you can offload the app and reinstall it from the App Store to restore its normal functioning.
Step 1: Select General under iPhone Settings and tap iPhone Storage .
Step 2: Tap YouTube Music and select Offload App . Select Offload App to confirm when prompted.
Step 3: Head to the Apple App Store, search YouTube Music , and tap the Cloud icon to reinstall it.
Fix 4: Switch Audio Quality in YouTube Music
If your internet connection is slow or unstable, you might face hiccups in playing your desired song in the YouTube Music app. Reduce the audio quality to get an uninterrupted music streaming experience.
Step 1: Tap your account icon at the top right of the YouTube Music app and select Settings .
Step 2: Select Data saving , tap Audio quality on mobile data , and lower it to resume playback.
Step 3: Repeat the step to lower Audio quality on Wi-Fi .
Fix 5: Sign Out and Sign Back In
If the problem persists, log out and sign back into the YouTube Music app to fix account authentication issues that are preventing you from playing the music.
On Android
The YouTube Music app on Android lacks a direct sign-out option. To log out, you must sign out of your entire Google account on the device and log in again.
Note: Signing out of your entire Google account on Android also logs you out of other Google services, such as Gmail and Docs.
Step 1: Open Android settings , select Accounts , and tap your Google account .
Step 2: Tap Remove account and follow the on-screen instructions.
Step 3: Once removed, select Add account on the previous page, pick Google , and type your account credentials to sign back in.
On iOS
Unlike Android, the YouTube Music app on iOS offers a dedicated option to remove and add your Google account. Here’s how to access it:
Step 1: Open the YouTube Music app, tap your profile icon at the top right, and select Switch account .
Step 2: Select Manage accounts on this device and tap Remove from this device under your Google account. Confirm it using the Remove option.
Step 3: Once removed, select Add another account and type your Google account credentials to log in.
