YouTube won’t open on Safari? Check out how to fix YouTube not Opening in Safari on Mac in this guide.
YouTube is the most well-known and convenient platform for streaming and uploading videos around the world.
However, accessing the Safari browser may be difficult, especially if it is the most recent version. The same video may play perfectly in other browsers such as Firefox and Chrome, but your preferred OS browser (in this case, Safari) may be acting strangely.
This bug can occur for a variety of causes that most people are unaware of. Despite checking the Apple Support Forums for a solution, nothing concrete appears to have come up.
Fortunately, we have a solution to the problem of Safari not playing videos that may work! But, before we go into that, let’s try to get to the bottom of the issue. This may also assist you in avoiding the same problem in the future.
Related: How to fix Chrome won’t Open on Mac
Ways to fix YouTube not Opening in Safari on Mac
Check if Safari loads other Websites
If you’re reading this via Safari, your internet connection is fine. You can go forward to the next solution. If you’re reading this in another browser or device, launch Safari on your Mac and go to a website.
Is it working? If so, proceed to the next fix. If not, find out how to fix YouTube not Opening in Safari on Mac.
Check Internet Speed using Online Speed Test
To put it simply, YouTube is fantastic and works well even on slow connections (with reduced video quality). If Safari isn’t playing YouTube videos on your Mac, run a short performance test.
Step 1 Using Safari, go to fast.com and let it analyze your internet speed.
Step 2 You should be fine if it is only a few Mbps.
Step 3 If it is lower, YouTube will not function properly. Make contact with your internet service provider.
Check if YouTube is down
If you suddenly can’t play videos, the problem is most likely not on your end. Instead, YouTube might be having technical difficulties.
To check, type “is YouTube down?” and select one of the web search results, such as:
If YouTube is unavailable for a number of users, please be patient while they resolve the issue.
Force Quit Safari Browser
Begin by Force Quitting Safari Browser and see if that helps to resolve the issue.
Step 1 Click the Apple logo in the top menu bar and then choose Force Quit from the drop-down menu.
Step 2 Select Safari in the Force Quit Applications box and press the Force Quit button.
Relaunch the Safari browser and check if you can now view YouTube on your Mac with Safari.
Restart your Mac
This is one of the most important (but often missed) solutions. A restart resolves various minor issues that your Mac accumulates during normal operation.
To do so, click the Apple logo in the upper left corner and select Restart. Try using YouTube on Safari after turning on your Mac. It should work perfectly.
Restart your Wi-Fi router
When I lived in a shared place, YouTube would occasionally fail to load in Safari on my Mac when connected to the establishment’s Wi-Fi. Restarting the router was frequently helpful.
If you’ve tried the above options and the problem still continues, restart your home or workplace Wi-Fi router.
Turn off VPN on Mac
Do you use a VPN on your Mac or Wi-Fi router? Though YouTube is not as rigorous as other streaming services such as Hotstar and Netflix, I would recommend disabling VPN for an uninterrupted experience.
Clear YouTube Cache and Cookies
Step 1 When in Safari, hit Command +, (comma), or click Safari Preferences from the top menu.
Step 2 Select Preferences from the top menu bar after clicking Safari.
Step 3 Click Privacy webpage data in Safari Preferences.
Step 4 To find it, go to youtube.com and search for it.
Step 5 Choose youtube.com and then click Remove Done.
Step 6 To exit Safari, use Command + Q.
Step 7 After a few seconds, relaunch it and try using YouTube. It ought to work.
Turn off Safari’s content blocker for YouTube
Step 1 Enter youtube.com into Safari’s address bar and try to access it.
Step 2 It is fine if YouTube does not fully load.
Step 3 Select Settings for This Website from the top menu bar by clicking Safari.
Step 4 Uncheck Enable content blockers.
Step 5 Now, press Command + Q to exit Safari.
Step 6 Relaunch it after a few seconds and go to YouTube.
Clear Safari Browsing History
The issue could be caused by an error page being cached in the browser.
Step 1 Open Safari Browser > pick the Safari tab in the top menu bar and then select the Clear History… option from the drop-down menu.
Step 2 Click the Arrow button next to Clear in the pop-up that displays.
Step 3 Select All History before clicking the Clear History button.
This will delete all of your Safari Browsing histories, including any cached error pages that may be causing your Mac to crash.
Disable Ad Blocker in Safari
Turn off any ad blockers you have installed in Safari. Alternatively, bookmark YouTube.com. This ensures that no conflicting codes block you from watching YouTube.
Tip: If you must use an ad blocker and your current one does not work well with YouTube, try a different one.
Disable Safari Extensions
The issue could be caused by a Safari browser Extension that has become incompatible or is blocking access to YouTube for whatever reason.
Step 1 Open the Safari browser, then pick the Safari tab in the top menu bar and select Preferences from the drop-down menu.
Step 2 Select the Extensions tab on the Safari Preferences screen to see all Safari Extensions installed on your Mac.
Step 3 Unchecking Extensions on the Extensions screen will disable them. If you no longer want to use a specific Extension, select it and click the Uninstall option.
After you’ve disabled all extensions, restart Safari and see if you can again view YouTube.
Ensure JavaScript is enabled
By default, it is activated. But maybe you were messing around with the options and accidentally disabled it. So, let us fast check if it is enabled.
Step 1 While in Safari, hit Command +, (comma).
Step 2 You can also select Preferences from the top menu bar by clicking Safari.
Step 3 Select Security.
Step 4 Check the Enable JavaScript box.
Update Safari on Mac
Apple distributes Safari upgrades to guarantee that it functions properly in general. Update the Safari browser to resolve the YouTube issue. Once that is completed, this issue may be resolved.
How to update the Safari browser in macOS Mojave or later
Step 1 In the menu bar, tap the Apple logo.
Step 2 Select System Preferences from the Apple Menu.
Step 3 In Mac System Preferences, select Software Update.
Step 4 Check back frequently for new updates. If further information is available, click it.
Step 5 Check the box next to Safari and click Install immediately if an update is available.
How to update Safari on Mac running macOS High Sierra or earlier
In comparison to macOS Mojave or later, there is no option to update Safari independently. As a result, you’ll need to apply the macOS update to acquire the most recent version of Safari.
Step 1 Search for the App Store on the Dock or in Launchpad.
Step 2 Navigate to the Updates tab.
Step 3 Check for macOS upgrades.
Step 4 If it’s available, click Update Now to get it.
Step 5 Wait for the Mac to install it.
Clear Safari Cache On Mac
The problem is sometimes caused by expired or corrupted files in the browser cache.
Step 1 Open the Safari browser, then pick the Safari tab in the top menu bar and select Preferences… from the drop-down menu.
Step 2 On the next page, check the Show Develop Menu in the Menu Bar option from the Advanced menu. This will enable the Develop Menu option in your Mac’s top menu bar.
Step 3 Then, on the top menu bar, select the Develop tab and then the Empty Caches option from the drop-down menu.
After clearing the cache in Safari, restart the browser and see whether you can access YouTube.
Use a different browser
Finally, if nothing seems to be working, try using a different browser for a while. You can use Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, and other browsers. They will very certainly have no trouble playing YouTube videos.
YouTube not Opening in Safari on Mac – Conclusion
This is how to resolve the YouTube not working in Safari on Mac issue. I hope the options provided above assisted you in resolving the YouTube not Opening in Safari on Mac problem. If you require further assistance, please contact us in the comments area below.
Also Read:
- Safari Won’t Open on Mac, How to Fix
- How to Fix Netflix won’t Open on Apple TV
- How to fix Mac won’t Start in Safe Mode
Should I, Do I, How to – these are some of the topics I would love to cover to share what I know about All apple products.