YouTube Delay Before Video Starts: How To Fix In Seconds

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I am not much of a cook, but I still enjoy cooking meals for myself every now and then.

Since I don’t really know my way around the kitchen, I almost always have to follow a recipe from start to end to come up with something tasty.

I usually just go to YouTube and look for recipes for the dish I plan on creating. However, for about a month, I have noticed that it takes about 30 to 40 seconds to play when I play a video.

During this phase, the screen goes blank, and nothing is displayed. Initially, I thought it was because of slower internet speeds.

However, after ruling out any internet issues, I was pretty curious about what was causing this rather peculiar issue. I have been using YouTube for years now but have never faced an issue like this.

Naturally, the first thing I did was look for a solution online. I was quite surprised to see that many people had either faced a similar problem or were facing it.

Fortunately, I also found several troubleshooting methods that helped me fix the issue.

If you face a YouTube delay before the video starts, disable the ad blocker if you have one running in the background, disable any activated extensions, or try clearing the cache.

If these fixes don’t solve the issue, I have also mentioned other troubleshooting methods, including lowering the resolution of the video, checking your network settings, or updating the app.

Disable Adblock

Ads can be pretty annoying, which is why many individuals end up installing an adblocker on their computers, phones, and tablets.

However, YouTube uses algorithms that prevent adblocking in videos. Hence, if you use YouTube with an adblocker, it will only affect how the website functions.

Hence, if you see a delay before the YouTube video starts, try disabling the Adblocker. This will most likely fix the issue.

To disable adblockers on Google Chrome, follow these steps:

• Open YouTube On Google Chrome.
• Click on the AdBlock icon in the list of extensions.
• You will see a dropdown menu, select ‘Don’t run on pages on this domain’.
• A pop-up will appear on the screen.
• Click on the exclude button at the bottom right.

This will disable Adblock for YouTube.

To disable Adblock on Safari, follow these steps:

• Open the Safari settings and click on preferences.
• Go to the website’s section. A list of general options will open on the left.
• Select content blockers. This will open a list of websites.
• Scroll down to YouTube and select off.
• Restart the browser.

Disable your Extensions

Sometimes, extensions running in the background can hinder the functionality of the media streaming websites, including YouTube.

Hence, if you are facing a delay before the video starts playing on YouTube, there is a chance that one of the extensions on the browser is hindering its functionality.

It is best to disable the extensions and refresh the website to ensure that they do not interfere with the media streaming.

To disable extensions on Google Chrome, follow these steps:

• Open Chrome.
• Right-click on the toolbar.
• From the dropdown menu, click on ‘Manage Extensions’.
• Disable all the extensions that are activated.
• Restart Chrome and reload the video.

If the extensions interfere with YouTube’s video streaming, disabling them will fix the issue.

Reload the Page

While streaming media, some temporary glitches, and bugs can affect the streaming platform. This issue can be reloading the page or restarting the browser in most cases.

To reload the page, click on the circular arrow icon on the top right of the website.

However, know that if you have been facing this issue for a while now, simply reloading the page will not fix it.

However, if it is the first time you face a delay in YouTube, reloading the page might be what you need.

Lower the Resolution

If you are using YouTube at the peak internet rush hour, there is a chance that the internet is overloaded, and you are facing a delay in YouTube due to lower bandwidth.

During times like these, streaming videos make up the lion’s share of the overall bandwidth

since the file sizes are exponentially larger than images and audio files.

In other words, during rush hour, the downstream traffic is majorly affected, leading to horrific download speeds.

This can be tackled by lowering the resolution of the video you’re watching.

If you’re watching the video on your tablet or phone, lowering the resolution will hardly affect the viewing experience. To lower the resolution of videos streaming on YouTube, follow these steps:

• Open the video you are playing.
• Click on the gear icon to open the setting options.
• Select quality.
• Choose 720p or 480p, depending on your preference.

This will reduce the load on the internet and will most likely fix the delay.

Clear Cache

If none of these fixes work for you, an overloaded cache might be affecting the functionality of the app or the website.

To improve user experience and reduce the page loading time, temporary data is saved in the cache folder.

Clearing the cache can help get rid of any temporary glitches and bugs.

To clear the cache on your browser, follow these steps:

• Open Chrome.
• Go to settings.
• Click on the search bar on the left and type ‘Clear Browsing Data.’
• Click on Choose what to clear.
• Select Cached images and files and click on clear data.

To clear the cache on your phone, follow these steps:

• Open the phone settings.
• Go to the app manager.
• Select YouTube.
• Click on Storage.
• Tap the clear cache and clear data buttons.

This will get rid of all the temporary files stored in your phone or laptop.

Update the YouTube App on your Smartphone

If you are using the YouTube app on your phone and are facing an issue while playing videos, there is a chance that you are not using an updated version of the app.

Developers keep on rolling out updates for applications to get rid of any security and functionality issues in the app.

Hence, it is best to update your app whenever possible.

To update your app, follow these steps:

• Open Play Store.
• Type YouTube in the search bar.
• The app page will show two buttons, ‘Update’ and ‘Uninstall’.
• Tab the update button and wait for a few seconds.

If there is no update button, the app is up to date.

Check your Internet Speed

If you face delays while streaming media on YouTube, your internet connection might not be up to the mark.

The best way to rule this out is by performing a speed test. Ookla is an excellent option.

Alternatively, all you have to do is search “internet speed test” on Google and click on the first link. The speed test will provide you with the upload, download, and ping information.

If the numbers are lower than your ISP promises, this is the main cause of the delay.

Check your Network Settings

Sometimes, if your network connection settings are not on point, they can hinder the website’s functionality.

To check your network settings, follow these steps:

• Press the Windows and R key. This will launch the Run box.
• Type cmd in the box and wait for the command prompt to open.
• Type the following commands in the command prompt:

ipconfig /flushdnsipconfig /renewipconfig /registerdns

• Press enter after typing each command.
• Close the command prompt.
• Restart your computer.

This process will reset your network settings and will most likely solve the issue.

Contact Support

If none of the fixes mentioned in this article work for you, it is time to contact support.

You can contact your ISP to see if there is an issue with the server and can contact Google via the Google Search Community.

Conclusion

If you are still not satisfied with the troubleshooting methods you performed, try updating your drivers.

There is a chance that your computer drivers are not up to date, which might be hindering the functionality of the browser and the websites you are using.

In addition to this, if you have turned on hardware acceleration for your browser on any other app, turn it off.

This feature allocates a chunk of resources to one application, affecting media streaming.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do YouTube videos take so long to start?

There might be an issue with your internet connection, or you might have activated an adblocker.

How can I make YouTube load faster?

You can either lower the resolution of your videos or increase the internet speed.

Does YouTube buffer when paused?

Yes, YouTube keeps buffering when the video is paused. However, if only buffers for 30 seconds.

How do I make YouTube buffer fully?

You can download the video to buffer it completely.