Are you trying to access YouTube on your Sky Q but it is not working, or the loading screen keeps spinning as the Youtube logo with the spinning circle doesn’t move any further?
Don’t fret if you’re having trouble using the Youtube app on your Sky Q, there are numerous users complaining about the audio not working, the screen going black or it not opening at all.
Once, I thought it was my internet connection that was the issue.
Eventually, by taking time to look through multiple forums including the official Sky forum along with my own troubleshooting, I was able to fix the issue and I’d like to share with you what you can do when you find yourself in a similar situation.
In a similar way to any other streaming app, YouTube also has these kinds of issues and though the root cause remains the same, the solution differs slightly based on which device you’re using.
The apps that are installed on Sky Q do have a limited cache and other stored data that sometimes gets corrupted, and needs to be cleaned manually if it does not get cleared automatically when you close the app or turn off the Sky box.
You will eventually see a black screen with no pictures, no sound, stuck on loading, and more such issues where you will not be able to use the app itself on Sky, just like Youtube, which we will troubleshoot.
Without further ado, let’s get into the main part of the article and learn more about how YouTube and Sky Q work and why they rarely work as expected.
Table of Contents
Does the Youtube App work on Sky Q and Sky Q Mini?
The answer to the question ‘Does Sky Q Support the Youtube Application?’ is a resounding yes. Youtube is fully compatible with Sky Q.
As a matter of fact, Sky Q features popular streaming apps like Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon Prime by default, and you can access YouTube on Sky by going to the Settings section and then clicking on the Youtube button.
Therefore, all models of the Sky Q box come with the available apps such as Netflix, YouTube, and BBC iPlayer pre-installed.
Why Is My Youtube App Not Working on Sky (Sky Q and Sky Q Mini)?
Some users experience minor issues which seem insignificant at the time, but when they persist even after restarting the Sky box, they can become quite annoying.
The Youtube app does not work on your Sky Q box when you have a faulty connection, corrupted app data, an outdated app, a misconfigured internet connection, or a minor glitch inside the Sky box.
It is often enough to power cycle the Sky box to solve the issue, but sometimes it takes troubleshooting to restore it.
Youtube users commonly encounter the following problems when using it with their Sky Q, Sky Q mini, or Skybox:
- Black Screen with no picture
- No Sound
- Stuck on loading
- Logo with spinning circle while opening Youtube on Sky
It is interesting to note that the steps are quite easy and are worth knowing so that you can solve these minor issues yourself in the future as well.
The question is why did my Youtube suddenly stop working when I hadn’t changed anything on my Sky Q?
The problem is that streaming apps are all so dynamic, and when you use them, the data has to be synchronized constantly with the device, and this frequently gets corrupted due to low storage, half synchronization, outdated software, etc.
Listed below are all the possible reasons why your Sky Q cannot run the YouTube App:
- Weak internet connection
- Temporary glitch with Sky Q
- Outdated or corrupted Youtube TV app data
It is because of the above reasons that this kind of problem arises and it is therefore not something to be concerned about because none of the problems are major and can be fixed easily.
How To Get Youtube To Work On Sky Q and Sky Q Mini?
There are several things you can do in order to get the Youtube App back to working normally on your Sky Q box. Identifying the problem on your end is imperative.
To start with, make sure your internet connection is working. You can do this by navigating to your Sky Q settings and then selecting the network status option.
I have outlined the steps below, and you should follow each one until you resolve the issue. Be sure to follow them carefully as we often miss important steps because we are in a rush to get things done.
These are the different ways in which you can fix Youtube on Sky Q:
Power Cycle Sky Q
Minor glitches or temporary conflicting data can cause the Youtube App to stop working on Sky Q boxes. In those cases, you will need to do a proper power cycle in order to clear the conflicting data and get it working again.
- Turn off your Sky Q box from the main source or switch it off by pressing the Standby button on your remote control
- Plug your Sky Q box back into the wall and turn it back on
- You will need to wait for the on-screen instructions to disappear before pressing Home on your Sky Q remote.
Once this is done, launch the Youtube App and check if it is working normally.
If it still does not work, you will need to perform a router optimization and power cycle so any conflicted IP address that may have been assigned by your ISP might be cleared since those addresses are dynamic in nature and may change over time.
Rebooting and Optimizing the Wifi router
By putting the 2.4 GHz bandwidth of the router to 20/40 Bandwidth, you can improve the performance of the wireless internet connection since you will be able to provide more bandwidth to all wifi-connected devices.
If you are not sure how to optimize or adjust the bandwidth, you can click on the router’s admin page or contact your internet service provider for assistance.
In addition, make sure you unplug the cable for about 1-2 minutes and then plug it back into your router, as this will assign a fresh IP address and might allow you to enter your Sky box’s internet connection and restart your Youtube app.
Reset Sky Q Box
The following steps will help resolve the loading/spinning icon issue after you have completed the box restart process and power cycled your wifi router:
- On your Sky Q remote, press the Home button, highlight Settings, then select 0,0,1.
- Confirm the reset by selecting Reset, then select Reset settings.
- Once the instructions on the screen have disappeared, press the standby button on the front of your Sky Q box instead of the home button on your remote.
Note: Resetting the settings will wipe out any remote pairings you may have set up.
How To Refresh or Reset Youtube App On Sky?
Unlike any other streaming device, such as firestick, Roku, and android tv, Sky Q does not have the functionality to clear the individual app caches and other storage data so that is the reason why if you wish to perform or reset the Youtube app, you need to perform a reset of your Sky Q box as a whole.
In addition to the reset which must be performed as a whole, you can also refresh the Youtube App by going to settings > apps > “refresh”.
Conclusion
I would say that it is not a pleasant experience for anybody to watch something on their Sky Q and only find issues where the Youtube app does not work. It is not an enjoyable experience and is something most people do not want to encounter.
There are many ways to correct these issues, and there is no reason why you can’t do the same thing I did or some other user did. Use the above guide and you should be able to get it sorted out.
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Kazhiko Kuro is the Founder of StreamingStash.com. Over a span of 8+ years, He has tested, researched, and written hundreds of articles and guides on how to fix common issues with TVs, streaming media players, streaming services, and related devices. See our Editorial Guidelines and Content Integrity.
