Here’s the crux of the article in video form:

New updates are being added at the bottom of this story…….

Original story (published on April 11, 2023) follows:

YouTube Vanced is an alternative service that offers many of the platform’s premium features for free. Other apps such as ReVanced were also born from YouTube Vanced.

YouTube-Vanced-inline-1
Source

However, it appears that currently multiple YouTube Vanced users are facing an issue where the app is not working or the videos are not loading.

YouTube Vanced not working or videos not loading

According to recent reports, several YouTube Vanced users are unable to play videos, getting a ‘The following content is not available on this app’ error message.

youtube-vanced-down-not-working-or-loading-anymore-1
Source

Youtube just killed vanced for good [other]

We may have lost the battle, but the spirit of Vanced lives on in our hearts. Farewell, sweet prince. You will be missed.
Source

Youtube Vanced has been officially blocked and cannot play videos.
Source

It is noteworthy that although a considerable number of users have been affected, there are still others who can watch videos without any difficulty. Therefore, it appears that the issue is specific to certain accounts or regions.

For some people, the situation started with a throttling in the loading speed of the videos.

Videos are suddenly taking a LONG time to buffer. Is anyone else having this issue? I’m trying to figure out if it’s a Vanced issue or if my ISP is throttling me.

I’ve been using Vanced with zero issues for years now. Suddenly beginning a few days ago, videos are taking forever to buffer. I have to wait forever for them to load and they sometimes need to pause midway through to buffer a long time again.
Source

ReVanced, the Vanced spin-off app, also seems to be having the same issue.

youtube-vanced-down-not-working-or-loading-anymore-2
Source

Videos stop playing after a minute

The app was working absolutely fine until a few hours ago. Now when I watch a video it will pause and start buffering after about a minute without restarting. Playing another video will work but the same problem will happen after another minute.
Source

Potential workarounds

Some people suggest that the problem is related to MicroG, a tool that allows you to log into Vanced and ReVanced with your Google account.

In that case, as a potential workaround, go to your phone Settings and look for the option ‘Passwords and Accounts’, look for the account associated with MicroG and remove it. Then, log in again from the Vanced app.

If the above doesn’t work, Google may have limited your account. So, another potential workaround is to create a new account and use it to log into Vanced:

Same thing happened to me. I found a workaround, you can make a new Google account and it works. Hopefully a temporary fix because I would like to use my main account
Source

We will update this story as events unfold.

Click/tap to view older updates

Update 1 (April 12, 2023)

04:48 pm (IST): One of our readers has confirmed that this issue has nothing to do with microg and users just need to enable vp9 or protobuf spoof to make it work.

Thanks for the tip: Gysi Lame!

Update 2 (April 13, 2023)

03:14 pm (IST): It seems that this issue is from the YouTube side as more and more users have started experiencing it.

There is a potential workaround that involves sliding down the video (without closing it, but minimizing it within the YouTube UI itself) and ‘spam’ (press multiple times) the ‘play’ button.

Update 3 (April 14, 2023)

12:25 pm (IST): Although the original Vanced project is not receiving any more updates, some developers have taken over.

For instance, Cuynu has an unofficial Vanced project published on GitHub. The developer confirmed to us that everything points to Google flagging YouTube third-party apps where you have logged in through MicroG.

Therefore, if you uninstall the MicroG app from your device (or even if you just enable Vanced ‘Incognito Mode’) you will be able to play videos. However, you will not have access to your playlists, history, etc.

If after uninstalling MicroG and using Vanced you reinstall the tool and log in again, the videos will play but with a buffer limited to only 1:20 min.

The developer will try to contact the MicroG team this weekend to start looking for a fix. So, fingers crossed that everything goes well.

05:00 pm (IST): We came across a detailed step-by-step guide about fixing the current issues with YouTube Vanced and bringing it back to life. However, this process can be quite extensive so here’s a quicker method.

Do note that this version of Vanced isn’t perfect either. Some are reporting constant buffering issues after every 30-40 seconds. But users were able to fix (1,2) them by turning on ‘Spoof signature verification’ in settings.

Update 4 (April 15, 2023)

01:22 am (IST): A fix for Vanced is already available. However, the ‘trick’ is that it is not the original Vanced app, but the unofficial project by Cuynu.

First, since this is an unofficial project, you should be careful when using the files. However, if you have the necessary knowledge, you can check the code since it is available in the repository.

That being said, all you have to do is download and install the latest v18.02.33 unofficial Vanced update from the repository.

youtube-vanced-down-not-working-or-loading-anymore-3 (1)
Click/tap to expand

Root users (Magisk) should download the ZIP file that has ‘MagiskModule’ in its name, then update the older Vanced version with the latest one (or simply flash it from Magisk if they already deleted the app).

Non-rooted users just need to download any of the 3 APK options (they only vary in theme look), completely remove the old version (this is essential) and then install the new update.

Note: Vanced will probably work fine after you install the new version. However, to avoid issues it is recommended to go to ‘Vanced settings’ – ‘Video’ and turn on the ‘Protobuf spoof’ and ‘VP9 Codec’ options.

Also, if you want to support the project, you can subscribe to the dev team’s YouTube channel.

Update 5 (April 17, 2023)

05:20 pm (IST): According to reports (1,2,3,4), multiple YouTube Vanced users claim that the app keeps on toggling between not working and working states, numerous times.

Fortunately, you can make use of the workaround mentioned in the Update 4, to resolve this problem.

Update 6 (April 18, 2023)

08:25 am (IST): It seems that the backend change made by YouTube to directly attack Vanced has become widespread, since the reports have multiplied in the last few hours (1, 2, 3).

However, the fix described on the ‘Update 4’ is still working, so you can give it a try.

06:03 pm (IST): Vanced fix shared in this story is based on the patch that the ReVanced app received before. Hence, users can try resolving this issue either by using the fix mentioned in ‘Update 4’ or by installing ReVanced.

Update 7 (April 19, 2023)

05:10 pm (IST): It seems that some Vanced users are exhibiting a positive outlook despite the ongoing chaos surrounding the platform. You can check out some of the instances here (1,2,3,4,5).

Update 8 (April 20, 2023)

03:52 pm (IST): According to one of our readers, one of the backend changes made by YouTube to ‘attack’ Vanced was to discontinue older versions of the YouTube app.

However, as the Vanced latest update is based on a newer version and also got some tweaks (check ‘Update 4’) the lock could be bypassed.

Thanks for the tip, Miko Momo (@MikoMoim)!

Update 9 (April 21, 2023)

08:48 am (IST): According to some users (1, 2, 3), Shorts content works perfectly on YouTube Vanced.

Update 10 (April 24, 2023)

08:48 am (IST): One of our readers has provided step-by-step instructions on how they fixed the problem by adding an additional step. You can check it out below:

Did the following steps (after several attempts):
– uninstall Vanced
– uninstall Vanced Manager (if you have)
– go to Settings / App / search “microg” and uninstall the result (my be called “ymicrog”)
– download Vanced.microG.0.2.27.231413.apk and install it
– download YouTube.vanced.v18.02.33_Black_Universal_hotfix.apk and inistall it
– open Vanced and use it as always.

So, those who were still having problems after applying the method mentioned in Update 4 can try removing and replacing the MicroG with the latest Vanced MicroG.

Thanks for the tip: Federico Facchinetti!

Update 11 (April 25, 2023)

11:35 am (IST): One of our readers has suggested a workaround that might help you fix this issue. You can check it out below.

I am simply switch to another gmail account if the one is blocked, and its work for me until at came random causes to block it again. Then, I simply switch again 👍 Fyi: I downgraded to vanced 16.x.x

Youtube Music also work that way,.. Or it just a beginner lucks 😄

Thanks for the tip: Gerard Hikmat!

Update 12 (April 26, 2023)

08:28 am (IST): For those users who want to use Vanced with their main Google account, MicroG is an essential service. Forced closing of the app can lead to a malfunction in Vanced.

There are some Android skins whose battery management is somewhat strict. In these cases, MicroG could be closed suddenly by OS decision.

To avoid this, just go to Settings – Apps on your device (the path might change depending on the Android skin), search for ‘MicroG’ and disable any battery restrictions it has set.

That being said, it seems that the Vanced app has been ‘dying’ for more and more users in the last few hours (1, 2, 3). However, you can easily solve the problem with the ‘Update 4’ method.

Update 13 (April 27, 2023)

10:15 am (IST): If you’re looking for options other than Vanced, you may want to try out Revanced Extended 18.14.41 + MicroG 0.2.27.230755.

A reader has confirmed that they work well together, but it’s worth noting that Revanced requires root access for installation. As such, Update 4 remains the easiest option.

Thanks for the tip, Mike Anderson!

Update 14 (April 28, 2023)

11:04 am (IST): One of our readers has suggested another potential solution that doesn’t require MicroG. You just have to get the Youtube Vanced Black v8apk and install it.

Tysm! Update 4 redepository downloads work splendidly don’t get microG, just the Youtube Vanced Black v8apk by itself and install, Open & You’re set!

Thanks for the tip: Christian Mongalo!

Update 15 (May 1, 2023)

03:05 pm (IST): According to reports (1,2), you can get shadow banned if you make regular use of the YouTube Vanced/ReVanced mods. So, it is recommended that you use the official app after some time.

Update 16 (May 2, 2023)

10:40 am (IST): Some users who maintain the previous version of Vanced (before the fix) report that the app starts working temporarily sometimes, but then stops.

Meanwhile, more people are reporting that Vanced app is no longer working for them, so it seems that the backend change is slowly spreading (1, 2, 3). However, you can fix it using the ‘Update 4’ method.

Update 17 (May 03, 2023)

05:14 pm (IST): As highlighted in Update 13, ReVanced necessitates numerous additional steps, which might make the procedure rather challenging for some.

As a result, there were users who downloaded malicious Revanced APKs onto their devices without even realizing it.

installing revanced is such a pain in the ass that when youtube vanced stopped working I accidentally installed the malware version from the first google result and it installed in 2 mins.
I am only just realizing its sus as hell so im spending hours installing the real revanced
Source

Update 18 (May 04, 2023)

05:51 pm (IST): One of our readers clarifies that ReVanced (the Vanced alternative) does not necessarily require root access, since there are different versions for root and non-root devices.

Those who want to get the detailed instructions and safe links can access the official Reddit. Those who prefer to keep Vanced can still use the ‘Update 4’ method.

Thanks for the tip, Allison Curtis!

Update 19 (May 08, 2023)

05:03 pm (IST): Currently, the list of downloads in the unofficial Vanced repository (Cuynu project) is longer than before, since the Vanced team included versions for more architectures and formats.

vanced-down
Source (click/tap to expand)

However, if you just want to install the app but you don’t know what the CPU architecture of your device is, don’t worry, because you just have to download any of the APKs with ‘Universal’ in the name.

Update 20 (May 09, 2023)

12:20 pm (IST): According to Cuynu, the version 18.18.32 of unofficial YouTube Vanced works without any issues. However, its currently in alpha and the stable version will take some time to arrive. So, users can look forward to this version.

Update 21 (May 10, 2023)

05:05 pm (IST): The list of downloads from the unofficial Vanced repository (Cuynu) now even includes a version of the app for Android Auto.

Update 22 (May 15, 2023)

05:16 pm (IST): The most recent activities on YouTube are considering fighting rival services or applications that could harm their ability to monetize through ads.

These kinds of restrictions could, however, have the reverse impact as more users may start looking for ways to get around them.

Update 23 (May 18, 2023)

05:01 pm (IST): A user recommended the ‘YouTLite’ app as another potential alternative to YouTube Vanced.

Update 24 (May 19, 2023)

04:46 pm (IST): In the recent announcement, Vanced Integration Developer has confirmed that the official sub-reddit of Vanced has been archived.

vanced-reddit-archived
(Source)

Update 25 (May 23, 2023)

04:24 pm (IST): One of the most common searches among YouTube users is how to hide the Shorts from their feeds (1, 2).

For those cases, alternative apps like Vanced (the unofficial version recommended in the story) and ReVanced offer that option.

Update 26 (June 7, 2023)

02:06 pm (IST): ReVanced has now launched their official website and users can check it out here.

Update 27 (July 31, 2023)

04:43 pm (IST): Developers have reportedly decided (1, 2, 3, 4) to discontinue Revanced Extended.

Update 28 (August 11, 2023)

08:25 am (IST): It seems that YouTube has once again launched another attack on modded apps as Vanced, since multiple users are reporting malfunctions (1, 2, 3).

For now, users can only wait for the dev team of their modded app to release a new patched version.

11:06 am (IST): According to reports (1, 2, 3, 4), videos are freezing or getting stuck at 1:10 for some users. Luckily, there’s a potential workaround to fix this and you can check it out below.

What fixed it for me was uninstalling re-[DACTED] and updating the app by going through the whole download process again to the newest version of the YouTube APK. Since re-[DACTED] can’t update YouTube itself. (Source)

Update 29 (August 14, 2023)

06:25 pm (IST): A few users have reported that using a combination of ReVanced Manager v1.7.0 with YouTube v18.23.35 has resolved their playback issues. You can download ReVanced Manager version 1.7.0 here.

You can also download the latest version (1.8.0) from the official website and see if that works for you.

Update 30 (August 15, 2023)

09:02 am (IST): There’s a detailed step-by-step tutorial to resolve the playback issue where videos get stuck at 1:10 min using ReVanced:

1. Download new YT APK from apkmirror (18.23.35) (nodpi)

2. Open ReVanced Manager app

3. Make sure manager version is 1.8.0

4. Select Patcher

5. Select Application

6. Select from storage

7. Select YT APK you just downloaded

8. Select Patches

9. Press default (top left)

10. Done

11. Patch

12. Install

Note: Make sure you have enough storage free (400MB)

You might have to disable Play Protect if the install fails or uninstall your old YouTube Revanced

– For YouTube Music

Same as above but: YT Music Version: 6.10.52 (arm64 v8a)
Source

Update 31 (August 17, 2023)

09:41 am (IST): Multiple readers have confirmed that the process described in Update 30 (August 15) worked for them to fix the playback issues, so you can give it a try.

Update 32 (August 18, 2023)

11:12 am (IST): ReVanced Manager which is the simplest method to get Revanced app to run (as detailed in Update 30) does not function on Arm v7-based chipsets (32-bit).

So, it’s possible that users with outdated or low-end devices are unable to use ReVanced Manager. Moreover, installing ReVanced on Arm v7-based devices is more difficult because you have to ‘build’ the APK from a computer.

Arm v7 (found on older/lower end devices) is basically 32 bit architecture, whereas arm v8 (more common) is 64 bit architecture. The manager doesn’t work on arm v7, but revamce can still be used by building the apk on a computer with cli and transferring over…
Source

Update 33 (August 21, 2023)

04:44 pm (IST): Even though the ReVanced Manager approach is relatively simple, some users continue to experience issues.

For these situations, the development team is working on an updated ReVanced Manager software that, according to them, would fix all the issues.

A total revamp of ReVanced Manager is in ongoing development, it aims to resolve all the problems that the current ReVanced Manager suffers from
Source

Update 34 (August 22, 2023)

05:17 pm (IST): Some shady websites have appeared to profit from ReVanced’s success, and downloading from them can be risky. Recently, one of those websites was even taken down.

People should take note that this is the only official ReVanced website.

Update 35 (August 23, 2023)

05:15 pm (IST): Thanks to WSA, ReVanced can also be used on a PC for those who want to play. If you want to know more about WSA and its installation process, you can head here.

Featured Image: Source

PiunikaWeb started as purely an investigative tech journalism website with main focus on ‘breaking’ or ‘exclusive’ news. In no time, our stories got picked up by the likes of Forbes, Foxnews, Gizmodo, TechCrunch, Engadget, The Verge, Macrumors, and many others. Want to know more about us? Head here.

Jean Leon
1613 Posts

A tech enthusiast since ever. I like to always be up to date on the latest news in the industry and write about it. Twitter: @jean_ERdC

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