3 Ways To Fix YouTube Pause Button Not Working

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Syeda Laiba Alam

At HI Digital I test and write about different hardware configurations to show other PC users what they can expect from their build. My end goal is to educate the masses to make the right decision when they are looking for new PC parts to buy

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There were a few instances when the YouTube pause button was not working for multiple team members despite clicking it multiple times. The highlight bar was visible, but pressing the button would not play/pause the video. While searching further about the issue, we found another user reporting being stuck in a similar situation. Hence, we researched and discovered several effective fixes that immediately eliminated the problem. 

Methods Difficulty Rating

Update AdBlock

When using the AdBlock extension on Chrome, we noticed that it was slowing down our PC and causing a higher CPU usage of 24.7% when browsing YouTube, as evident in the Task Manager stats. Besides this, it also led to interruptions in YouTube performance, like the pause button being stuck on the screen while the AdBlock plugin was active. Upon researching, we discovered the same was true for many other users in a public forum.

However, after contacting the team at AdBlock, we learned that their engineers had already fixed the issue and released updated patches, ABP 3.22.1 and AB 5.17.1, for both premium and free versions on January 17th, 2024. The plugins are ready to use in Opera, Chrome, Mozilla, and Edge browsers.

So, we updated the extension in our Chrome browser and noted the CPU usage falling to 6.6% when playing YouTube. The decrease in CPU usage and the temperature was significant, and the overall PC speed was back to normal. Other users also confirmed that installing the updates effectively solved the problem on their computers.

Clear Browser Cache

If the above fix did not work for you, clearing the browser’s cache is another viable technique that has gotten us out of similar troubles, such as the Youtube Audio Renderer error. It removes corrupt and outdated data and should do the trick if you use the YouTube website version.

Disable Accessibility Player In The App

YouTube offers an in-app Accessibility Player feature, specially designed for those who need extra assistance navigating the app. While this mode is helpful, it can sometimes interrupt the play/pause button’s functioning, rendering it ineffective. Try turning off the feature in the YouTube app. These are the steps you can use to disable the Accessibility setting.

1. Launch App Settings: Open the YouTube app > Tap your profile icon on the extreme right of the bottom panel > Press the Settings gear.
2. Disable Accessibility Mode: Scroll to Accessibility > Turn off the toggle switch.

   

Several users in the OnePlus Community found this fix effective in resolving YouTube’s pause/play button issue.

Wrap Up

Being unable to use the pause button on YouTube was certainly inconvenient and greatly disrupted our experience. Disabling the AdBlock extension did work, but with drawbacks- it exposed us to various ads while watching YouTube. However, upon discovering that the problem had been addressed in recent updates, we promptly installed them and re-enabled the plugin on YouTube, after which the buttons worked fine.

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Syeda Laiba Alam

[How-To Guides Expert]

Laiba, our tech guru at HI Digital, simplifies and crafts How-To Guides with a Google IT Support Certificate. Beyond tech, she captures the city’s aesthetics through her lens. Join her journey where tech meets creativity!

Get In Touch: Laiba@hidgt.com