YouTube Down? Here's What to Do (And How to Keep Kids Safe in the Meantime)
YouTube outages are frustrating. Here's how to check if YouTube is actually down, when to expect it back up, and how parents can use the downtime productively.
YouTube went down. Your child is telling you — repeatedly — that YouTube isn't working. Or maybe you noticed yourself. Either way, here's how to figure out what's happening and what to do about it.
Is YouTube Actually Down, or Is It Just You?
Before assuming it's a global outage, rule out the obvious:
Check your internet connection first. Try loading another site or app. If nothing loads, the issue is your connection, not YouTube.
Try a different browser or device. If YouTube loads on your phone but not your laptop, it's a browser or device issue, not an outage.
Clear your browser cache. A corrupted cache can make YouTube fail to load even when it's working fine. In Chrome: Settings → Privacy and Security → Clear Browsing Data → check Cached Images and Files → Clear Data.
Check your DNS. Some DNS configurations cause YouTube to fail intermittently. Switching to Google's DNS (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare's DNS (1.1.1.1) can resolve this.
If YouTube still doesn't load after ruling these out, it's likely a real outage.
How to Check If YouTube Is Down Right Now
Downdetector (downdetector.com/status/youtube) aggregates user reports and shows real-time outage maps. It's the fastest way to confirm a widespread issue.
Google's status page doesn't cover YouTube specifically, but YouTube's own status Twitter account posts updates during significant outages.
Reddit (r/youtube) will be full of complaints within minutes of any meaningful outage. A quick search for "youtube down" sorted by New will tell you immediately if others are experiencing the same thing.
How Long Do YouTube Outages Usually Last?
Most YouTube outages are brief — under an hour. Google operates YouTube on highly redundant infrastructure, and even partial outages affecting some users typically resolve quickly.
Notable exceptions: the February 2020 YouTube outage lasted about 90 minutes globally. Regional issues caused by ISP problems, DNS failures, or routing issues can last longer if they're on the ISP's end rather than Google's.
If Downdetector shows a significant spike in reports, YouTube is almost certainly aware of it and working on a fix. There's typically nothing users can do to speed resolution.
What to Do While YouTube Is Down
For kids who are frustrated: A YouTube outage is a low-stakes opportunity to suggest something different. You're not restricting YouTube — it's just down.
Some genuinely good alternatives while you wait:
- Offline YouTube downloads (if you have YouTube Premium): Videos downloaded for offline viewing continue to work during outages
- PBS Kids (pbskids.org): High-quality educational content, completely free, no account required
- Netflix/Disney+/other streaming: Not affected by YouTube outages
- Khan Academy: For kids willing to do something educational
- Library apps: Libby (ebooks/audiobooks) works offline once content is downloaded
For parents: A YouTube outage is also a useful moment to check in on what your child has been watching when YouTube is working. Outages are brief, but the question of what your kids are consuming when you're not watching is ongoing.
The Deeper Question YouTube Downtime Raises
When YouTube goes down and your child has nothing else to do, it surfaces something worth thinking about: how dependent is their entertainment on one platform?
Platform outages, account suspensions, and content removals are normal parts of the internet. Kids who have a range of entertainment options and interests are less disrupted when any one source is unavailable — and they're generally better positioned online, too.
This isn't an argument against YouTube. It's a good platform with a lot of valuable content. But if a 90-minute outage causes a genuine crisis, it might be worth building some resilience into your child's media diet.
What Parents Can Do to Use YouTube More Safely (Outage or Not)
While YouTube is down — or any time, really — it's worth knowing what oversight tools exist for when it's back up:
YouTube's built-in options: Restricted Mode (filter by metadata, imperfect but useful), YouTube Kids (for children under 13), Google Family Link (account-level oversight and screen time).
YouGuard: Monitors your child's YouTube subscriptions and watch activity, runs AI analysis on subscribed channels, and sends parent alerts when anything concerning surfaces. Works as a background layer so you're not constantly checking — you get notified when there's something worth reviewing.
Browser Shield: YouGuard's Chrome extension blocks unapproved channels at the browser level so that even when YouTube is up and running, specific content is filtered before it reaches your child.
YouTube will be back up soon. When it is, the question of what your kids are watching on it will still be there.
YouGuard keeps you informed about what your children are watching on YouTube — without requiring you to monitor every video. Try it free for 30 days.