9 Easy Troubleshooting Steps to Fix the YouTube Offline Error

Simple solutions to fix the "You're offline" error on YouTube on Windows

Co-authored by Darlene Antonelli, MA Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: September 5, 2023

Have you gotten the "You're offline. Check your connection" error from YouTube on your computer? Even if other web pages are loading fine, this YouTube Offline problem is usually caused by internet connectivity issues. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to resolve this error. This wikiHow article gives you a list of fixes to solve the "You're offline" error on YouTube on your PC.

Things You Should Know

Start by refreshing the YouTube page and signing out and back into your account.
Try clearing your browser's cache and flush your computer's DNS.
If the problem continues, unplug your router for a few moments, then plug it back in.
Check your internet connection (is it a public network?) and disable ad blockers and VPNs.

1

Refresh the page.

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To refresh the page in your web browser, you can either press F5 or click the refresh icon on the browser toolbar to refresh the page.

2

Sign in again.

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Your current login may be stuck in a bug. Logging out and back in will force the system to reload and possibly get rid of the offline error!

3

Clear your cache.

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The steps to clear the cache vary by browser, but you can usually clear your data and cache history in Settings > History > Clear History.

4

Flush your DNS.

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A quick DNS flush often clears up the YouTube Offline error. To do a DNS flush:
- Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
- Type ipconfig /flushdns and press Enter.
- Try YouTube again.

5

Restart your internet connection.

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Click the Wi-Fi icon in your taskbar and disconnect from your current network, then reconnect after a few seconds to see if the YouTube Offline error goes away.

6

Restart your router.

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To power cycle your router, unplug it from the wall for about 2 minutes, then plug it back in. Once you reconnect your PC to the network, reload your YouTube video to see if you're still seeing the Offline error.

7

Check your network connection.

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Low bandwidth can be your issue. In some cases, public networks are limited in bandwidth, so it may seem like you have a solid internet connection on other sites while a larger bandwidth site like YouTube gives you an offline error.
- You also want to make sure that you don't accidentally have Airplane Mode enabled! Make sure the tile isn't colored in your taskbar.
- Use internet speed checkers to make sure you're getting the correct speed for what you're paying for.

8

Disable your ad blocker.

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While ad blockers can be helpful by hiding intrusive and annoying ads, they can also sometimes block things that you want to see, like YouTube videos. The steps to disable ad blockers vary, but you can generally click the extension's icon to turn it off for the page you're currently viewing.