One of the cool features of WhatsApp is link previews in the chat. Every time you send the link to a website in a chat, WhatsApp loads a small preview card, giving the user some idea about the link that has been sent to them. These previews are best utilised for YouTube links, as they allow the receiver to see the thumbnail and title of the video. Sometimes, these previews don’t work as intended. Users also report that WhatsApp often has trouble loading YouTube links that are sent to them. In this article, we bring you the top 6 ways to fix the ‘YouTube links or previews not opening or loading in WhatsApp’ issue on your smartphone.
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In This Article
Load YouTube links in the browser
Clicking on a YouTube link on WhatsApp redirects you to the YouTube app. If the YouTube app is malfunctioning on your phone, the video may not load. To get around this issue you can try loading the YouTube link on a web browser. To reduce the extra effort of copying the link and pasting it to the browser’s address bar, here’s how you can get a YouTube link on WhatsApp to open directly in a browser.
Step 1: Go to Settings and select Apps.
Step 2: Select YouTube.
Step 3: Tap on Set as default.
Step 4: Turn the toggle bar off for Open supported links.
Clear YouTube’s app cache
A cache is a storage location for temporary files. Sometimes these files get corrupted and interfere with the functioning of the app. Here’s how you can clear YouTube’s app cache.
Step 1: Go to Settings and select Apps.
Step 2: Select YouTube.
Step 3: Tap on Storage.
Step 4: Select Clear cache from the toolbar at the bottom of the screen.
Make sure the YouTube app is compatible with shortened and mobile URLs
Step 1: Go to Settings and select Apps.
Step 2: Tap on YouTube.
Step 3: Tap on Open by default.
Step 4: Tap on verified links and make sure they contain the shortened (youtu.be) as well as mobile (m.youtube.com) links.
YouTube previews not working on WhatsApp? Try these fixes
There’s an annoying bug on WhatsApp that pops up every now and then. While doesn’t affect the essential functions of the app, it is frustrating to deal with as it prevents YouTube previews from loading in the conversation when you send a link to a video. Here are some common fixes to this issue.
Force Stop WhatsApp
Force-stopping WhatsApp will put an end to all background processes and activity. Any background glitches that may be preventing the preview from loading will now be resolved. Here’s how you can force-stop WhatsApp on your smartphone.
Step 1: Go to Settings and select Apps.
Step 2: Select WhatsApp.
Step 3: Tap on Force Stop from the toolbar at the bottom.
Step 4: Confirm your selection in the popup box.
Try sending the link through WhatsApp Web
If the WhatsApp app on your smartphone refuses to load YouTube previews, you can try sending the link through WhatsApp Web on your PC. Here’s how you can login to WhatsApp Web.
Step 1: Open the WhatsApp Web portal on your PC’s web browser.
Step 2: Launch WhatsApp on your phone. Tap on the ellipses and select Linked devices.
Step 3: Tap on Link a device and scan the QR code displayed on the WhatsApp Web portal.
You will be logged in to WhatsApp on your PC. Open the relevant conversation and paste the YouTube link. The preview should load in the chat.
Clear WhatsApp’s app cache
Step 1: Go to Settings and select Apps.
Step 2: Tap WhatsApp.
Step 3: Select Storage.
Step 4: Select Clear cache from the toolbar at the bottom of the screen.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I fix ‘WhatsApp not opening YouTube links’?
If you can’t open YouTube links on WhatsApp, try loading them in the web browser. Go to Settings>Apps>YouTube>Set As Default and turn the toggle bar off ‘Open Supported Links’.
Why is WhatsApp not showing a preview of YouTube links?
To fix this issue, update WhatsApp and YouTube on your phone. If WhatsApp still doesn’t preview YouTube links in the chat, force stop the app and try again. You can also try sending the link through WhatsApp Web.
How do I enable YouTube preview on WhatsApp?
Every time you send a YouTube link on WhatsApp, it automatically loads a preview of the video title and thumbnail in the chat.
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Conclusion
This is how you can fix the YouTube links not loading or opening in WhatsApp issue on your smartphone. If your WhatsApp and YouTube apps aren’t updated make sure they are. Developers usually fix recurring bugs with a quick update. Go to the Google Play Store and update the app. If you found this article helpful, let us know in the comments!
