The YouTube TV app has been disappearing for some Roku users. Luckily, if you are among those affected, there are a few fixes you can try for this issue.
Starting this week, several users on both Reddit and Roku’s forums have separately reported issues opening the YouTube TV app or even locating it on their Roku devices. Those who tried reinstalling the YouTube TV app were able to see an Open App button, but pressing it simply resulted in an error. What’s worse is that the issues seem isolated to Roku, with users of devices like the Google TV Streamer 4K not issuing the same complaints.
Luckily, this issue only seems to be impacting people with dedicated Roku devices and not smart TVs with Roku streaming built-in. Here’s how you can try to bring back YouTube TV if it’s disappeared from your Roku.
Fix disappearing YouTube TV app on Roku
Roku has acknowledged the problem and provided a temporary solution while it investigates. To start using the YouTube TV app on your Roku again, try manually updating the device. Follow these steps:
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Press the Home button on the remote.
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Select Settings.
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Click System.
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Go to Software update.
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Hit Check Now to start a manual update.
Once the software update is complete, Roku says you might be able to see the YouTube TV app on your Roku device again, but it’s not guaranteed. If you’re still experiencing the problem, some Reddit users have also proposed just accessing YouTube TV from the standard YouTube app instead, which you can find on the very bottom-left of the app’s interface.
This little hiccup comes at a bad time for both Roku and YouTube. Recently, Roku has been in the news for experimenting with a new way to force users to watch ads, while YouTube TV’s pricing has also been going up quite a bit. So maybe the real solution to this issue is to just stop using YouTube TV. OK, I jest, but while the app has gotten a facelift, the service may not always offer value for your money if the content you need isn’t on it.
