Some YouTube users frustrated over ‘Video unavailable’ glitch

Imagine paying for YouTube Premium, hyped to catch your favorite content only to see the message “Video unavailable. This content isn’t available.” Now picture this happening on every device, on every browser, every time you’re logged in. That’s the nightmare some YouTube users are facing, and it’s been going on for weeks.

Since late August 2024, a growing number of people have reported being locked out of watching any YouTube content while logged into their accounts. The issue seems sporadic, but frustratingly persistent. On Reddit and the YouTube support forums, users are painting the same grim picture: whether on mobile, desktop, or TV apps, trying to watch a video results in the dreaded “this content isn’t available” message. The odd thing is, everything works fine when they’re not logged in, or when they switch to an alternate account.

One user shared that even purchasing a YouTube Premium subscription didn’t fix the issue. They’ve tried troubleshooting steps like reinstalling apps, clearing caches, restarting devices, and even switching browsers. But the problem persists. Others with channel memberships are feeling the sting of this as well — some can’t even access paid content they subscribed to, and for creators, it’s even more puzzling, as they’re unable to watch their own videos.

What’s making this particularly hair-pulling is that this issue is specific to certain YouTube accounts, not devices. Many users report being able to browse comments, like, and even dislike videos, but they can’t actually watch anything. It’s like being invited to a party but only being allowed to stand in the corner.

There seems to be no consistency in the accounts affected, with users running into issues on PC, mobile apps, and even smart TVs. One workaround some have found is using an incognito window, or creating a dummy account. Still, others feel it’s unfair that they should have to sacrifice their subscriptions, playlists, and recommendations just to fix what they feel is a server-side issue.

From the chatter online, this problem could be linked to brand accounts or some sort of flagging mechanism by YouTube’s algorithms. Users have speculated that some accounts might be flagged due to suspicious activity, like two-factor authentication, payment problems or even being logged into 3rd-party YouTube apps like ReVanced, SmartTube and so on. There’s also a more paranoid group that believes YouTube is running some kind of experiment on them.

As for YouTube’s response? Crickets, for the most part. Those who’ve contacted YouTube support said they’ve been offered the usual runaround, from “clear your cache” to “try using another browser,” neither of which solve the problem. Many users are getting the same canned responses, leading some to believe that support staff are either unaware of the glitch or don’t have a solution.

While the issue hasn’t blown up enough to suggest it’s affecting millions, it’s clear that for those experiencing it, it’s a major problem. After all, YouTube is an essential platform for both entertainment and creators’ livelihoods. The affected users are itching for a fix that doesn’t require them to ditch their accounts or lose their paid memberships.

Until YouTube acknowledges the issue or rolls out a fix, those facing the glitch are left hanging, their accounts effectively in limbo. It’s a waiting game that’s getting more frustrating by the day, especially when other platforms work just fine. And while we wait, the only guaranteed way to dodge this bug seems to be not logging in at all.