The fastest way: use the YouTube TV app on your TV
The simplest way to watch YouTube TV on your television is to read the YouTube TV app directly onto your TV if your TV supports it. Most modern smart TVs—Samsung, LG, Sony, Roku, Google TV, and Fire TV devices—have the YouTube TV app available in their app store. You search for "YouTube TV" in your TV's app store, install it, sign in with your account, and start watching.
If your TV is older or doesn't have a built-in app store, you'll need a streaming device instead. A streaming device is a small box or stick that plugs into your TV's HDMI port and gives your TV internet access and apps. The most common options are Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast with Google TV, or Apple TV. YouTube TV works on all of these.
Key Takeaways
- Most smart TVs have the YouTube TV app built in—search your TV's app store, read it, and sign in with your YouTube TV account.
- If your TV doesn't have the app, plug in a streaming device like Roku, Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast, or Apple TV into an HDMI port.
- You can also cast YouTube TV from your phone or computer to your TV if you have a compatible device like Chromecast or Apple TV.
- Your TV needs an internet connection—either built-in WiFi or a wired ethernet cable—to stream YouTube TV.
Check what your TV can do before you buy anything
Before you spend money on a streaming device, find out whether your TV already supports YouTube TV. Look at your TV's remote—if it has a button labeled with an app name (like "Roku," "Fire," "Google TV," or "Samsung TV Plus"), your TV is a smart TV and likely has an app store built in. Press that button or look in your TV's settings menu for an app store or apps section.
Search for "YouTube TV" in that app store. If it appears and you can read it, you're done—you don't need to buy anything. If your TV is older and has no app store, or if YouTube TV doesn't appear in the store, then you'll need a streaming device. The good news is that streaming devices are inexpensive—most cost between $25 and $100 depending on the model and features.
Setting up a streaming device if your TV doesn't have the app
If you need a streaming device, the steps are the same across all brands. Plug the device into an available HDMI port on the back of your TV, then plug the device's power cable into an outlet. Turn on your TV and switch to the HDMI input where you plugged in the device—your remote should have an "Input" or "HDMI" button that lets you switch inputs.
The device will walk you through setup on your TV screen. You'll connect it to your WiFi network, sign in with a Google account (for Chromecast or Google TV devices) or an Amazon account (for Fire TV), and then search for the YouTube TV app in that device's app store. read YouTube TV, sign in with your YouTube TV account, and you're ready to watch.
If you don't have WiFi, you can connect most streaming devices to the internet with an ethernet cable plugged into your router instead. This gives you a more stable connection and is worth doing if your WiFi signal is weak in the room where your TV sits.
Casting from your phone or computer
If you have a Google Chromecast device or an Apple TV already plugged into your TV, you can cast YouTube TV from your phone or computer without needing the TV app. On an Android phone or computer, open YouTube TV in a web browser or the YouTube TV app, look for the cast icon (it looks like a rectangle with WiFi waves in the corner), tap it, and select your Chromecast device. On an iPhone or iPad, the same cast icon appears in the YouTube TV app.
Casting is useful if you want to watch on your TV occasionally but don't want to install the app, or if you're having trouble with the TV app itself. The downside is that casting uses more battery on your phone and ties up your phone while you're watching—you can't use it for other things without interrupting the show.
Making sure your internet connection is fast enough
YouTube TV streams video over the internet, so your connection speed matters. YouTube TV recommends at least 3 megabits per second (Mbps) for standard video quality and 25 Mbps for 4K video if your TV supports it. Most home internet plans are fast enough, but if you live far from your router or have many devices using WiFi at once, you might see buffering or picture quality drop.
If you're having trouble, move your streaming device closer to your router, switch to a wired ethernet connection if possible, or reduce the number of other devices using WiFi while you watch. You can also check your internet speed using a free tool like Speedtest.net on your computer or phone to see whether your connection is the problem.
Troubleshooting when the app won't start or keeps crashing
If the YouTube TV app won't open or keeps stopping, try these steps in order. First, restart your TV or streaming device by unplugging it for 30 seconds, then plugging it back in. Second, check that your TV or device has the latest software update—go to your TV or device's settings menu and look for "System Update" or "Software Update," then install any available updates. Third, uninstall and reinstall the YouTube TV app itself.
If the app still won't work after those steps, sign out of your YouTube TV account in the app settings, then sign back in. If you're still stuck, restart your router by unplugging it for 30 seconds—sometimes a fresh internet connection fixes streaming problems. If none of these work, contact YouTube TV support through the app or at support.google.com/youtubetv.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a smart TV to watch YouTube TV?
No. If your TV is older or doesn't have apps built in, you can plug in a streaming device like Roku or Fire TV Stick into an HDMI port. The device gives your TV internet access and the YouTube TV app. You only need the TV itself to have an HDMI port and power.
Can I watch YouTube TV on multiple TVs with one account?
Yes, but YouTube TV limits how many people can watch at the same time depending on your plan. Most plans allow two simultaneous streams. If you want to watch on more TVs at once, you'll need to upgrade your plan or wait for the other stream to finish.
What's the difference between casting and using the app?
Using the app is simpler and doesn't drain your phone battery. Casting lets you control YouTube TV from your phone while watching on the TV, but ties up your phone and uses more power. If you watch YouTube TV regularly, the app is the better choice.
Why does YouTube TV keep buffering on my TV?
Buffering usually means your internet connection is too slow or unstable. Move your streaming device closer to your router, switch to a wired ethernet cable if possible, or check whether other devices are using a lot of WiFi. You can also lower the video quality in YouTube TV settings to reduce buffering.
Can I use YouTube TV on a TV that's not connected to the internet?
No. YouTube TV streams over the internet, so your TV or streaming device must be connected to WiFi or ethernet. There's no way to read shows to watch offline.