The fastest way: use the built-in app if your TV is recent enough

Most LG TVs made after 2016 come with YouTube already installed. Press the Home button on your remote, look for the YouTube icon in your app menu, and open it. You will be asked to sign in with a Google account — use the same one you use on your phone or computer. If you see YouTube in your app list, you are done in under two minutes.

If YouTube is not there, your TV may be too old to support it, or the app may need to be updated. Check your TV's system settings under Apps or Software Update. If an update is available, install it and check again. LG TVs running WebOS 3.0 or newer (released around 2016 and later) almost always have YouTube available after a software refresh.

Key Takeaways

  • LG TVs made after 2016 usually have YouTube built in — press Home, find the app, and sign in with your Google account.
  • If YouTube is missing, update your TV's software first, because the app may be hidden until the system is current.
  • Older LG TVs can use YouTube through a Roku stick, Fire TV stick, or Chromecast plugged into an HDMI port.
  • Casting from your phone (Android or iPhone) works on almost any LG TV made in the last eight years, even if the YouTube app is not installed.
  • If nothing else works, a basic streaming device costs between $25 and $50 and turns any TV into a YouTube-ready screen.

Cast YouTube from your phone if the app is not on your TV

You do not need the YouTube app on your TV to watch. Open YouTube on your Android phone or iPhone, tap the Cast icon (it looks like a rectangle with a WiFi symbol in the corner), and select your LG TV from the list. Your phone will send the video to your TV, and you can control playback from your phone screen. This works on LG TVs from roughly 2015 onward, as long as your phone and TV are on the same WiFi network.

Casting is slower than using an app — there is a two- to five-second delay before the video starts — but it works reliably and costs nothing. You can also cast from a computer's Chrome browser the same way. If your TV does not appear in the Cast list, restart both your TV and your phone, make sure they are on the same WiFi network, and try again.

Use a streaming stick if your TV is older or casting does not work

A Roku stick, Amazon Fire TV stick, or Google Chromecast plugs into any HDMI port on your LG TV and gives you YouTube when ready. All three cost between $25 and $50, come with their own remote, and work on any TV regardless of age. Roku and Fire TV have YouTube built in as a main app. Chromecast is designed specifically for casting from your phone, so if you want a remote control and a menu system, Roku or Fire TV is the better choice.

Setup takes about ten minutes: plug the stick into HDMI, connect it to your WiFi, sign in with your Google account (for YouTube), and you are ready. The remote that comes with Roku or Fire TV lets you navigate YouTube without touching your phone. If you already use Roku or Fire TV for other streaming services, adding YouTube is just opening another app.

Check your TV model and software version if YouTube is not showing up

LG TVs use a system called WebOS. If your TV is WebOS 3.0 or newer, YouTube should be available. To find your version, press Settings on your remote, go to About This TV or System Information, and look for the WebOS version number. Write it down.

If your version is 3.0 or higher and YouTube still is not in your app list, go to Settings, then Apps, then App Store (or LG Content Store). Search for YouTube and install it from there. If your version is older than 3.0, YouTube is not supported on your TV, and a streaming stick is your only option. LG stopped supporting YouTube on older WebOS versions because Google stopped updating the app for them.

Connect your TV to WiFi before you try anything

YouTube needs an internet connection. If your LG TV is not already connected to WiFi, press Settings, go to Network, and select your home WiFi network. Enter your password and wait for the connection to confirm. If your TV is wired to your router with an ethernet cable, you are already connected and can skip this step.

If your TV connects but YouTube still will not load, restart your TV by unplugging it for 30 seconds, plugging it back in, and waiting for it to fully boot. Then try opening YouTube again. A restart clears temporary glitches that prevent apps from loading.

Sign in with the right Google account

When YouTube opens, it will ask you to sign in. Use the Google account you want to watch from — this is the account whose watch history, subscriptions, and recommendations will appear. If you share the TV with others, you can sign out and let them sign in with their own account, and each person will see their own recommendations.

If you forget your Google password, go to accounts.google.com on your phone or computer, click "Forgot password?", and follow the steps to reset it. Once you have reset it, use the new password on your TV. You do not need to do anything else — the TV will remember your account until you sign out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use YouTube on an LG TV from 2010 or 2012?

No, YouTube is not supported on LG TVs older than 2015 or 2016. Your best option is a Roku stick, Fire TV stick, or Chromecast, which work on any TV with an HDMI port. These cost $25 to $50 and give you YouTube plus hundreds of other apps.

Do I need a YouTube TV subscription to watch YouTube on my LG TV?

No. The regular YouTube app is free and works the same way on your TV as it does on your phone. YouTube TV is a separate paid service for live TV channels, and you do not need it to watch regular YouTube videos.

Why does YouTube keep asking me to sign in every time I open it?

Your TV may not be saving your login information. Go to Settings, Apps, YouTube, and look for a "Clear Cache" or "Clear Data" option. Tap it, then open YouTube again and sign in. This usually fixes the problem. If it happens again, your TV may not have enough storage space — try uninstalling apps you do not use.

Can I use YouTube on my LG TV without WiFi?

No, YouTube requires an internet connection. You need either WiFi or an ethernet cable plugged into your TV. If you do not have WiFi at home, you can buy a basic WiFi router for $30 to $50, or use a mobile hotspot from your phone if your plan allows it.

What if my LG TV is connected to WiFi but YouTube will not load?

Restart your TV by unplugging it for 30 seconds. If that does not work, go to Settings, Apps, YouTube, and select "Clear Cache" or "Clear Data". Then open YouTube again. If videos still will not play, your internet connection may be too slow — YouTube needs at least 2.5 Mbps for standard video and 25 Mbps for 4K.