When YouTube Premium isn't working, the cause is usually one of four things: you're signed in to a different Google account, your app is out of date, your payment failed or the membership is paused, or you're in a country where Premium isn't available. YouTube's help pages say benefits only appear when you're signed in with your Premium account on the latest app version.
It's maddening to pay for Premium and still see an ad. The good news is that YouTube's own help centre explains almost every version of this problem, and most fixes take under a minute. Work through these in order.
Match the symptom to the likely cause
| What you see | Most likely cause | First fix |
|---|---|---|
| Ads on videos | Signed in to the wrong account | Switch to your Premium account |
| No download button | Old app or wrong account | Update the app, then sign in again |
| Audio stops when the screen locks | Background play is set to Off | Change the Background Play setting |
| Premium badge missing | Payment failed or membership paused | Check youtube.com/paid_memberships |
| Benefits vanished abroad | Premium isn't available in that country | Wait until you're home |
| Promotions still inside videos | Creator's own promotion | Nothing to fix, this is expected |
Eight fixes, in order
- Check you're signed in with the right account. YouTube says benefits are available when you're signed in with your YouTube Premium membership account. Tap your profile picture and switch accounts if needed.
- Update the YouTube or YouTube Music app. YouTube's supported devices page says to update to the latest version to make sure you have all member benefits.
- Check your membership status. Go to youtube.com/paid_memberships and select Manage membership. YouTube says you'll see your next billing date, or an option to unpause if the membership is paused.
- Check your payment method. On the same page, expand the membership details to see your active payment method. YouTube suggests adding a backup payment method so your benefits continue if the first one can't be charged.
- Check Background Play. In Settings, under Background and Downloads, YouTube lists three options: Always on, Off, or Headphones or external speakers.
- Sign out and back in on your TV or console. YouTube says Premium works on any streaming device, smart TV or game console where you're signed in to the YouTube app.
- Check where you are. YouTube says that if you travel to a country where Premium isn't available, you won't be able to access your membership benefits.
- Check the family plan. If you get Premium through someone else's family plan, ask the family manager to open their paid memberships page and confirm the plan is active.
Why you might still see some ads with Premium
This is the one that catches people out. YouTube's help page says Premium removes ads before and during videos, plus third-party banner and search ads, but you may still see branding or promotions the creator has built into the video itself. YouTube also says ads or promotions may appear on Primetime Channels and during some live events, such as sporting events.
So a creator reading a brand message, or a merchandise shelf under a video, isn't Premium failing. A pre-roll ad before a normal video is.
Downloads not working
YouTube's travel policy says videos you downloaded before travelling stay available offline for 30 days, so reconnect to the internet before that window runs out. Also note that background play isn't available in the Shorts player, according to YouTube, so Shorts behaving differently isn't a fault.
If you've used Smart Downloads, my guide to YouTube Smart Downloads explains how to manage what's saved.
Billed by Apple?
If you joined through the iPhone app, YouTube's billing page says you'll see Billed by Apple under your membership details and you need to manage the membership through Apple. A failed Apple payment can pause your benefits even though everything looks fine on the YouTube side.
And if your plan came as part of another bundle, YouTube says standalone subscriptions aren't cancelled automatically, so check you're not looking at an old, lapsed membership on a second account. My overview of YouTube Premium Lite also explains why Lite members still see some ads.
A paused membership looks like a broken one
If you or the family manager paused the membership, everything stops. YouTube's help page says that while a membership is paused, you and any family members on the plan won't have access to any Premium benefits. The pause starts at the end of the current billing cycle, which is why it can seem to switch off out of nowhere a few weeks after someone pressed the button.
The fix is on the same paid memberships page: YouTube shows an option to unpause if the membership is paused, and says you'll be billed at the current price when you resume.
My verdict
Nine times out of ten, YouTube Premium not working comes down to the wrong account or a payment problem, not a broken service. Check which account you're signed in with, update the app and look at your paid memberships page before anything else. If it still fails after the eight fixes above, use the Troubleshoot a YouTube charge button on YouTube's billing help page.
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If a failed payment is behind it, see how to update your YouTube Premium card.
For the rest of the series, see the YouTube Help: 30 Guides to Channels, Subscribers, Monetisation, Thumbnails and Fixes.
Frequently asked questions
Does YouTube Premium work in the YouTube Music app?
Yes. YouTube says Premium includes ad-free listening, downloads and background play in the YouTube Music app, as long as you're signed in with your Premium account.
Why did my YouTube Premium stop working suddenly?
Check whether the membership was paused. YouTube says a pause starts at the end of the current billing cycle, and while it's paused you and any family members lose all Premium benefits.
Why am I seeing ads with YouTube Premium?
The most common reason is being signed in to a different Google account. YouTube also says creator-embedded promotions, Primetime Channels and some live events can still show promotions with Premium.
Why is YouTube Premium not working on my TV?
YouTube says Premium works on any smart TV, streaming device or game console where you're signed in to the YouTube app with your Premium account, on the latest app version.
Does YouTube Premium work abroad?
YouTube says your benefits continue in countries where Premium is available, but not in countries where it isn't. Downloaded videos stay available offline for 30 days.
How do I check if my YouTube Premium is active?
Go to youtube.com/paid_memberships and select Manage membership. YouTube shows your next billing date, or an option to unpause if it's paused.
