YouTube Go is the official ‘lite’ version of YouTube designed for smartphones. Developed to reduce data usage in areas with low connectivity, this app offers users access to their favourite videos at lower data costs.
However, due to various reasons the app may not function as intended.
What is YouTube Go?
YouTube Go is a lightweight version of the main app designed to allow you to download and watch videos offline, specifically targeting areas with limited connectivity, high data costs or lower-end phones that cannot run the main YouTube app well enough. Users can select which quality video they wish to download as well as display how much storage space the downloaded file will consume; sharing downloaded videos using Wi-Fi Direct or Bluetooth consumes no data whatsoever.
This app features a personalized home screen feed that recommends videos based on users’ viewing history, location and interests. Additionally, it provides an efficient and quick way of browsing videos from channels, creators and friends alike; supporting multiple regional languages with easy search capabilities so you can quickly find exactly what you’re searching for.
YouTube Go, introduced in 2016 as an alternative to its long-standing main app, was designed specifically for emerging markets with poor Internet connections, including India and Indonesia, where mobile data costs tend to be high and phones tend to be inexpensive. YouTube Go features include an intelligent storage management system as well as the option to choose lower storage video quality settings by default.
Google wants as many of its users to enjoy the full YouTube experience with a Premium subscription that unlocks ad-free streaming and higher video quality – thus justifying Google’s decision to discontinue YouTube Go. Therefore, major upgrades were made to improve compatibility between entry-level devices and slow networks and its main app, in order to make both more enjoyable for all.
SnapTube and SaveTube provide comparable functionality, but with additional features such as data-free video transfer, night mode for watching in bed, customizable search function customization. Another alternative to YouTube Go is LibreTube which provides extra features that don’t exist within its main app.
How to download videos on YouTube Go?
Sometimes you may wish to download YouTube videos for offline viewing or when there is no internet access. But keep in mind that this constitutes intellectual property theft and could violate YouTube’s Terms of Service without proper authorisation from the copyright holder – therefore using this feature solely for personal or educational use should be enough.
For Android Go devices, the quickest and simplest way to download YouTube videos is with their official app. Just find a video that you want to download, tap it, select your preferred quality, or opt for data-saving mode and download smaller versions instead.
YouTube Go is an official app created for people who have limited data plans or live in areas with poor Internet access, providing a lightweight video player and downloader which helps reduce mobile data usage, allows sharing downloaded videos with others, and offers various features designed to enhance the YouTube platform experience.
YouTube Go may require users to sign up for a premium subscription plan (which may not suit all), yet still offers many advantages over third-party apps. For example, its official app can download high-resolution videos for optimal viewing while many third-party apps only provide low-resolution clips.
To download videos with YouTube Go, simply open the app and search for what you’d like. Alternatively, browse different categories or use sorted tabs to locate it. When you find it, tap on it to open and decide whether or not you want to save or play locally – the video will be stored either in your internal memory or SD card depending on your settings; or transfer it by deleting from one device’s internal storage and setting to download on another’s internal or SD memory if applicable.
How to watch videos on YouTube Go?
Watching videos offline is an extremely helpful feature when travelling or going somewhere with limited Wi-Fi availability, but some precautions must be taken when using this feature. First and foremost, ensure you only download videos that have your permission; otherwise you could be violating copyright laws and taking content without paying for Premium subscription – similar to downloading music or stock photography illegally.
If you’re uncertain whether a video is safe to download, review its description for more information and check its privacy settings before making a decision. Alternatively, using an online video converter may help create a file which can be easily downloaded from YouTube.
An alternative option is using YouTube Go, which is a lightweight version of its main app and available to download to both phones and tablets. It enables you to store and share videos locally while helping manage data usage more effectively.
To download videos on YouTube Go, tap the Download icon (which resembles an arrow pointing downwards). You can also search through YouTube Go’s search function if necessary. Once your video download has completed, it will appear in your Downloads tab, while any saved videos can be transferred between devices using Saved tab & Device Selection feature.
One important thing to keep in mind when using YouTube Go is that it only supports Android phones; iPhones do not work, nor does it support other Google devices such as Chromecasts or Android TV. Furthermore, only 20 videos at any one time can be downloaded via this application; any time there are more than 20, some may need to be deleted in order to download more.
How to fix the ‘YouTube Go not working or not loading’ issue
If you’re having issues with YouTube Go, there are a few steps you can take to try to resolve them. Restart your device, as this often helps when there’s an app bug preventing its proper operation; clear cache for YouTube Go or upgrade Android OS version if available – these options might all provide temporary relief from problems related to using this platform.
If none of these solutions work, YouTube’s help center may provide further assistance. Your problem could stem from hardware or software issues or be an Internet connectivity issue; to reset either routers or modems by unplugging and plugging them back in for about 10 seconds before plugging back in again may help as well as switching Wi-Fi networks or changing DNS settings on your computer as an option.
Alternative explanations could include incorrect date and time settings on your mobile phone, leading to problems with apps and browsers. To check that they are accurate, go into Settings and tap on “Date and Time”, before changing it from automatic. This should solve the issue quickly.
Once again, clearing your cache for YouTube Go can help enhance performance and speed up its operation. To do so, open the Settings app and navigate to App Management; from here select YouTube Go app before tapping Force Stop button – after this restart your device before relaunching app to check if everything works as expected.
YouTube Go is an effective way to save data and storage on mobile devices, but sometimes the app won’t download videos properly or load new ones properly. If the above fixes don’t help, reach out to YouTube’s help centre for assistance.
