YouTube TV Not Working on Nvidia Shield [Quick Fix]

ByNelson Morgan Last Updated on: Streaming

If you’re like me, you learn, watch movies and music, enjoy comedy, and even motivate yourself by watching the videos on YouTube. So, if your YouTube TV doesn’t work on your Nvidia Shield, you may feel cut off from the world.

Luckily, there are several ways to fix this issue.

Nvidia Shield and YouTube TV

If YouTube TV is not working on your Nvidia Shield, you can quickly resolve the problem by rebooting your Shield TV. You can also try signing out and signing back into your YouTube TV app. Another proven solution is to clear the cache on your YouTube app.

Keep reading this article to learn how to apply these solutions.

How to Fix ‘YouTube TV Not Working on Nvidia Shield’

Reboot Your Shield TV

If you’ve been using your Shield TV non-stop for several hours, the device might develop bugs. These bugs can prevent the YouTube TV and other apps on the device from working.

The fastest way to fix this issue is to reboot the Nvidia Shield TV.

Follow these steps to reboot your Shield TV:

  • Disconnect your Shield TV from your power outlet.
  • Wait for five seconds.
  • Next, press the Power button on the TV.
  • Hold this button for five seconds.
  • Repeat this process a few more times.
  • Reconnect the TV back to the power outlet.
  • Turn on the TV.

Now, try streaming a YouTube video on your Shield device. If the TV doesn’t play the video, move on to the next step.

Clear Your YouTube TV Cache

Another reason why your YouTube TV might fail to work on the Nvidia Shield is an overloaded memory.

When the memory of the app is too full, it may affect the security of the app. This leaves the app vulnerable to bugs and viruses. As a result, the app may fail to work properly on your streaming device.

You can fix this issue by clearing the cache on your YouTube TV app.

Take these steps to delete your YouTube TV cache:

  • Click on the Settings tab on the Home Screen.
  • Tap Apps.
  • Select See All Apps.
  • Scroll to YouTube TV and click on it.
  • Tap on Clear Cache.

Reboot your Shield TV. When the TV turns on again, check if your Nvidia Shield can now play your YouTube videos.

If none of the videos on your YouTube TV app plays on your Shield TV, continue to the next tip.

Related: How to Fix ‘Amazon Prime Video Not Working on Nvidia Shield’. 

Sign Out and Sign in to YouTube

The Android 11 update contains bugs that prevent the apps on the system from verifying your login details. So, even if your login information is correct, you might be unable to stream videos on the app.

One easy solution to this problem is to sign out of your YouTube account, close the YouTube app, and log in again. This will give your YouTube app and Shield TV the opportunity to re-read and store your login information.

The guide below will show you how to sign out and sign in to your YouTube account:

  • Search for your YouTube TV app on the home screen of your Nvidia Shield. Then open the app.
  • Tap the menu on the left side of the screen.
  • Click on the Account icon.
  • Scroll to the bottom of the account.
  • Then, tap on Sign Out to log out of the account.
  • You can reboot your Shield TV again.
  • When the screen turns back on, open the YouTube app on the TV and sign in again.

Once you apply this tip, you should be able to play your YouTube videos on the Shield TV. But if YouTube TV still doesn’t work on your Nvidia Shield after this, try the next tip.

Cast the YouTube TV from Your Phone Screen

If you still can’t access the videos on your YouTube TV app on your Shield TV, you may need to cast the YouTube app from your phone onto the TV.

It’s unclear why this works, but several users claim to make headway after applying the tip.

The following guide will show you how to cast the YouTube app on your Shield TV:

  • Make sure your Shield TV and phone are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
  • Then, tap on the Settings tab from the home screen.
  • Click on Apps and choose YouTube TV.
  • Tap Uninstall to remove the YouTube TV app from the screen.
  • Next, clear your TV’s cache memory.
  • Open the YouTube app on your phone.
  • Log in to your account.
  • Then, pull down the top of your screen.
  • This will reveal the Shortcuts menu.
  • Search for the Cast icon on the Shortcuts menu and tap on it.
  • All the devices around you will appear now.
  • Select your Shield TV.
  • Go back to your YouTube app.
  • Then, tap on the video you’d like to cast on the TV screen.
  • Your Shield TV will light up and ask you to confirm the cast prompt.
  • Once you confirm the prompt, the system will tell you to install the YouTube TV app.
  • After you’ve installed the app, the app should start loading the video you selected earlier.
  • Turn off the Cast icon on your phone.
  • The video will disappear.
  • Reboot your Shield TV.
  • Open the YouTube TV app on the Shield device.
  • Log in to your account.
  • You should be able to play your videos directly from your Shield TV now.

However, if the Shield TV fails to play your YouTube videos, move on to the next tip.

Sign in to Another YouTube Account

Sometimes, your YouTube TV might not work on your Shield TV because your YouTube account has inherent login problems. In that case, you’ll need to try playing the videos from another account to see if it works.

If your Shield TV doesn’t play the YouTube videos on the new account, don’t give up yet.

The next tip might solve the problem.

Update Your YouTube TV App and Nvidia Shield

An outdated YouTube app might not work on your Nvidia Shield. Likewise, an Nvidia Shield device without the latest update may be unable to stream your YouTube videos. This is because they often contain glitches, which tend to ruin their systems.

The only way to remove these glitches is to update your YouTube TV app and Nvidia Shield.

Start with the YouTube TV app.

Take the following steps to update your YouTube TV app:

  • Open the Google Play Store on your Nvidia Shield TV.
  • Search for YouTube TV app.
  • Then, click on Update.
  • After updating your YouTube TV app, reboot your Shield TV.

Now, you can update your Shield TV.

Here’s how to do that:

  • Click on the Settings tab on the home screen.
  • Then, tap Device Preferences.
  • Click on About.
  • Scroll to the System Upgrade option and tap on it.

Restart your Shield TV. Then, check if the YouTube TV app works on the Shield TV now. If it doesn’t, go on to the next tip.

Run a Network Speed Test

The YouTube TV app needs a decent amount of bandwidth to work on your device. Depending on your video quality, the app may require between 3-25 mbps to run smoothly.

 So, if your network speed is below 3mbps, your videos may take hours to load. In worse cases, you won’t be able to stream the videos.

To eliminate this possibility, you should check whether the network speed is low. You can do this by running a speed test on the Wi-Fi network using an app like fast.com or speedtest.net. 

The test results will show you the network speed and signal strength. If the results confirm that your network speed is slow, or your signal strength is weak, move on to the next tip.  

Power Cycle Your Router

A faulty router is another possible reason why your YouTube TV won’t work on Nvidia Shield. is a malfunctioning router.

 If you are using a faulty router, your signal strength might be weak. Your Shield device can’t stream your YouTube videos without a strong signal.

The fastest way to resolve this problem is to reboot your router.

Follow these steps to reboot your router:

  • Unplug the router from its power outlet.
  • Wait ten seconds.
  • Now, reconnect the router to the outlet.

Now, close the YouTube TV app. Wait a few seconds before opening it again. Then, check if the YouTube TV is working on the Shield device.

If not, try the next tip.

Change Your Wi-Fi Band

The Nvidia Shield and YouTube TV app support 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi bands. That said, 2.4GHz bands provide a stronger signal strength than 5GHz bands. In contrast, 5GHz bands offer higher bandwidth than 2.4GHz bands.

A weak signal strength or low bandwidth can prevent your YouTube TV from working on your Shield device.

Changing your Wi-Fi band might help your Nvidia Shield load your YouTube videos more quickly. But before you switch your Wi-Fi band, you need to access your network issue.

If your Wi-Fi signal strength is weak, switch to the 2.4GHz band. However, if you’ve already connected several devices to your Wi-Fi network, select the 5GHz band.

Study your router’s manual to learn how to change your Wi-Fi band.

Factory Reset Your Nvidia Shield

If your YouTube TV doesn’t work on Nvidia Shield after you’ve tried all the tips above, you may need to factory reset the device.

A factory reset will remove all the bugs and glitches in the Shield device.

Keep in mind that factory resetting the Nvidia Shield will also delete all the apps and settings you’ve added to the device. So, if you have any important files on your Shield TV, back them up before factory resetting the device.

Follow the guide below to factory reset your Nvidia Shield:

  • Click on the Settings tab on your home screen.
  • Choose Device Preferences.
  • Scroll to Reset.
  • Then, tap Factory Data Reset.
  • Now click on Reset Everything.

Once the factory reset is complete, add the YouTube TV app to the device. Then, open the app and click on the video you want to watch.

Related: How to Fix Nvidia Shield USB Problems. 

Wrapping Up

Your YouTube should work on your Nvidia Shield after you’ve tried all the tips above. However, if your Shield TV still fails to play the videos, contact Nvidia Shield Customer Support for further assistance.