A YouTube TV blackout is a viewing restriction set by the sports league or network, not by YouTube TV, and it depends on where you are, what you're watching and which device you're using. YouTube TV lists three kinds: mobile, location-based and total. A mobile block can often be beaten by casting to a TV or switching to a computer, but location and total blocks can't be switched off.
It's maddening when you pay for a channel and the game you wanted is greyed out. The good news is that YouTube TV's help pages are clear about why it happens, and a fair few blackouts are caused by a location setting you can fix in a minute.
The three types of YouTube TV restriction
| Restriction | What it means | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile viewing restriction | The program can't be watched on a phone | Cast it to your TV, or watch on a computer or tablet |
| Location-based restriction | The program isn't available where you are, often sports, set by the content owner | Record it: if you can't watch live, the recording appears in your library after the program ends |
| Total viewing restriction | A program on a broadcast network isn't available to stream at all | Nothing on YouTube TV: digital streaming rights for that program differ from TV rights |
YouTube TV marks affected programs with an icon and says it'll do its best to warn you when a restriction is in effect where you are. When a program is restricted, extras like Related on YouTube and recommendations for similar shows may disappear too.
The check-in rules that cause surprise blackouts
This is the part most people miss. YouTube TV needs to see you in your home area now and then, or it can't be sure which local and regional games to give you:
- Frequent travellers should use YouTube TV in their home area at least once every 3 months.
- MLB fans should use YouTube TV in their home area once every 30 days to avoid baseball-related viewing restrictions.
- If you've moved, you need to update your home area, or you'll keep getting the wrong local networks.
If you watch baseball and you've been away for a month, that's the first thing to rule out. Open YouTube TV while you're at home, then try the game again.
What happens when you travel
YouTube TV works anywhere in the United States, but programs change with your location. While you're away from home, you get the local networks for the place you're visiting, and you can't record or watch networks local to your home area. Your recordings from home are all still there, and you can still record from your home area and national networks.
Sports are where travel bites hardest, because which games you see depends on content rights in the area you're visiting. And outside the US you can't watch anything on YouTube TV at all. If you're often on the road, my guide on how to change your location on YouTube TV explains home area versus current playback area.
What to do when a game is blacked out
- Check your location. In YouTube TV, select your profile photo, then Location, and look at both your home area and current playback area.
- On a TV or streaming box without GPS, verify your location from your phone. YouTube TV says devices without built-in GPS need a mobile device to confirm where you are before local programs work.
- Turn off any VPN or proxy. YouTube TV says you can't stream at all while connected to one.
- If the icon shows a mobile restriction, cast the game to your TV or switch to a computer.
- If it's a location-based restriction, record it so you can watch the replay once it ends.
- If you think the restriction is wrong, contact YouTube TV support and say which game and where you are.
Moving house? Update your home area
Your home area decides which local channels and regional sports you get. You change it at tv.youtube.com: select your profile photo, then Location, then Update next to Home area. There are two limits. You can't change your home area if you've already changed it twice in the last 12 months, and you have to be in the new area when you make the change. So don't change it while you're on holiday, or you'll burn one of your two changes on the wrong place.
A mobile block is the one you can often get round, so see casting YouTube TV to a Chromecast.
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Why streaming has blackouts cable doesn't
YouTube TV is an internet-based service, and the rights to stream a program aren't always the same as the rights to broadcast it on TV. That's why you can occasionally see a program on a broadcast network listed but not playable. It isn't a fault with your account, and no setting will change it. For more on how games are carried, see my guide on how to watch sports on YouTube TV.
My verdict
Most blackouts people complain about fall into two camps. Either it's a league rule you can't beat, or it's a location issue you can fix. Check your location settings first, make sure you open YouTube TV at home regularly, and cast when it's a mobile block. When it's a true location blackout, set a recording: see how to record on YouTube TV, so you can watch the game the minute it's over.
Frequently asked questions
Why does YouTube TV say a game is blacked out?
The league or network has set a viewing restriction for your location, your device or that program. YouTube TV doesn't set these rules, its content partners do.
How do I get around a YouTube TV blackout?
If it's a mobile restriction, cast to your TV or use a computer. If it's location based, record the game and watch it after it ends. YouTube TV says you can't stream while using a VPN or proxy.
Why am I getting MLB blackouts on YouTube TV?
YouTube TV asks MLB fans to use the service in their home area once every 30 days. If you haven't, you can see baseball-related viewing restrictions.
Can I watch YouTube TV outside the US?
No. YouTube TV says you can't access any programs while traveling internationally.
