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tvfan126's avatar
tvfan126
Channel Surfer
4 years ago
Solved

Watch history not updating on Roku TV YouTube App

Hello, for this past week I've encountered an issue with my TCL Roku TV's YouTube app.

Whenever I watch a video, the watch history does not update showing that I've watched the video. It is updating whenever I watch a video on my phone or laptop, but my Roku is no longer contributing to my watch history. This started happening after I randomly got logged out of the YouTube app and had to sign in again.

I contacted YouTube support, and after an extensive chat, they said there were no problems on their end and it was 100% "a Roku issue." I don't necessarily agree with that, just relaying information here.

I've restarted the TV, logged in and out of the app, deleted the YouTube Roku app and reinstalled it, used different Wi-Fi connections, have all the latest updates and have no idea where to go from here.

Any help is GREATLY appreciated! The YouTube app and watch history have worked perfectly for 5 years.

  • Hi tvfan126

    Thanks for reaching out here in the Community!

    Did you restart your Roku TV before adding the channel back in? That step is crucial when performing the troubleshooting. If you haven't tried it yet, we would recommend giving it a shot once again. Here are the detailed steps you can follow:

    1. Remove the channel: Highlight the channel tile on your home screen and press the Star button to open the options menu. Select Remove channel and confirm.
    2. Restart your Roku device: Restart the device from the settings menu. Go to Settings > System > Power > System restart > Restart.
    3. Re-install the channel: After your Roku device restarts, visit the Roku Channel Store and add the channel again.

    If the issue persists after attempting the suggestions above, contact the channel provider's customer support team to report the issue and get help. Channels on Roku are maintained by the channel developer themselves. In this case, there's likely an issue within that specific channel that needs to be addressed with an update from the channel developer.

    All the best,
    Kariza

  • RokuKariza-D's avatar
    RokuKariza-D
    Retired Moderator

    Hi tvfan126

    Thanks for reaching out here in the Community!

    Did you restart your Roku TV before adding the channel back in? That step is crucial when performing the troubleshooting. If you haven't tried it yet, we would recommend giving it a shot once again. Here are the detailed steps you can follow:

    1. Remove the channel: Highlight the channel tile on your home screen and press the Star button to open the options menu. Select Remove channel and confirm.
    2. Restart your Roku device: Restart the device from the settings menu. Go to Settings > System > Power > System restart > Restart.
    3. Re-install the channel: After your Roku device restarts, visit the Roku Channel Store and add the channel again.

    If the issue persists after attempting the suggestions above, contact the channel provider's customer support team to report the issue and get help. Channels on Roku are maintained by the channel developer themselves. In this case, there's likely an issue within that specific channel that needs to be addressed with an update from the channel developer.

    All the best,
    Kariza

    • Sistasa's avatar
      Sistasa
      Reel Rookie

      Same problem here. YT history shows up on my phone & PC... Plus, if I watch it on my phone, it will then show up on Roku as history. ... but not if I watch it directly on Roku. So that seems, to me, to be a Roku problem. I heard YouTube might be leaving Roku...could this be the real issue?

      • RokuKariza-D's avatar
        RokuKariza-D
        Retired Moderator

        Hi Sistasa

        Thanks for the post.

        My suggestion above worked with the OP. I would recommend trying it out and see if that will resolve the issue you're experiencing.

        Please keep us posted.

        All the best,
        Kariza

    • tvfan126's avatar
      tvfan126
      Channel Surfer

      Thank you so much, this seems to have worked!

      • AlanTownUSA's avatar
        AlanTownUSA
        Reel Rookie

        These steps did not resolve the same exact issue for me.  I reached out to YouTube and they are not fully aware of this issue and have opened a ticket to solve the issue.

    • Johninbaltimore's avatar
      Johninbaltimore
      Newbie

      tried your directions.  Did not work. still feel helpless.  Roku player working just fine one day, and won't contribute to the watch history the next.

      • MrMark's avatar
        MrMark
        Streaming Star

        I even went so far as to create a new YouTube brand channel, and for a moment, I thought it was working because I saw some history on my Roku...but then I noticed that the same history was not replicated in the browser version of YouTube.  It's just messed up.

  • MrMark's avatar
    MrMark
    Streaming Star

    There is another thread with a similar title - it is marked as resolved, but it is most definitely not resolved.

    I have three Roku Ultras.  On two of them, when I search YouTube, the search phrases are reflected in my search history.  It propagates between all of the other Rokus as well as my real computers and mobile devices.  That's how it's is supposed to work, and it has always done so  until I got my latest Roku Ultra 4800.  On this most recent Roku, the search history is updated only if I use my default Google ID, but if I use my YouTube "brand" ID (which is what I always do), the history doesn't reflect any of my search history on that particular Roku device.  Instead, the search history is filled with things that I have never searched for, and my searches never replace those things.

    I have removed the app, restarted the device, power cycled the device, re-installed the YouTube channel/app multiple times, but to no avail.  I think it's worth mentioning too that each time I try to sign in, it never works with the phone option.  As far as I can tell, it doesn't even try.  It looks very much like the Roku is malfunctioning.  The only way I can get connected it to either tediously log in via the Roku interface, or resort to my laptop.  This may be connected in some way.

    I have contacted YouTube/Google multiple times, but they contend that this is a Roku problem, so I really do hope that someone at Roku will take ownership of this problem and come up with an actual solution.

    • Psilobite's avatar
      Psilobite
      Roku Guru

      It's happening to me as well, and I'm a Roku 4660X user.

      I actually had the entire search section go blank in the YouTube Roku channel. It came back when I switched to Google DNS, but without personal search history. It only shows the same search suggestions that it would show if no user is logged in, with the little flame icons appearing to the left of them. I also am using my YouTube "brand" ID.

      I have an older smart TV that has YouTube on it. It looks exactly the same as it does on Roku, and shows the same internal version as Roku (web_20211003_10_RC00). There, search is working as expected... no blanking, and shows personal search history, even with the YouTube "brand" ID. So, it would appear this issue is only affecting Roku. Update - I logged out of the YouTube app on the TV, then logged back in, and it now has the same symptoms as the YouTube Roku channel. So this does appear to be a problem on YouTube's end.

      (My YouTube Premium account costs me $11.99 per month.)

       

      • MrMark's avatar
        MrMark
        Streaming Star

        Thanks for the reply.  I have YouTube Premium as well, so maybe that figures in somehow.  FWIW, I spent quite a lot of time on chat with Roku support last night, but got exactly the same reply that I saw elsewhere in this forum.  I had the impression that it was a copy/paste.  They kept passing the buck to another person and at the end, they hung up on me.  I tried to make the point, but they weren't having it.  They're just delivering the company line, whether it makes any sense or not.  I mean, I could have been talking to a bot because what I was saying didn't affect the responses at all.

        YouTube is Google, so their arrogance is real, but at the same time, in a contest of arrogance where Google is blaming Roku and Roku is blaming Google, I would tend to believe that Google has superior expertise, if only because of the sheer magnitude of their user base.  I believe Roku has a problem, but have no idea how to get through to anyone who cares.

         

    • proto57's avatar
      proto57
      Binge Watcher

      Have you gotten a solution to your problem yet? I have the same problem. I think you might have a clue in your question, because like you, I do not use my "default" google ID, but rather I use my youtube ID.

      When the youtube app logged me out recently, by itself, I was forced to sign back in. When I did, I did use my youtube/google ID. But for the first time, it started showing my google ID in the opening screen, the one asking who was using youtube.

      So I think that there is something in this, having now seen that a similar thing is happening to you. We can't be the only two... why is no one else talking about this? The usability of the Roku Youtube app is really poor, if I can't go back to previous searches without typing them all in again.

      Proto

      • MrMark's avatar
        MrMark
        Streaming Star

        I agree - the broken YouTube app is all but useless to me.  But sadly, Roku has done nothing but to deflect.  And YouTube is Google, so they don't have to bow down to anyone.  I philosophically agree that Google shouldn't have their way just because they are more powerful than Roku, but that is, after all, how things work in the real world.  I would happily sign a "Dethrone Google" petition, but it would take an epic uprising to change Google's direction at this point.  Heck, most people don't even realize that Google is not their benevolent advocate.

        But having said that, by perpetuating the feud, Roku is doing a disservice to their customers.  That's on them - not Google.  Everyone who bought a Roku device did so with the expectation they it would work with YouTube, because that is the expectation that Roku set.  Roku needs to honor that promise by doing whatever it takes to make it work again.  After that, they can duke it out with Google on their own time.  If Roku can present their case in a way that enlightens the jury as to just exactly what Google has become, that jury just might decide against the beast.

    • coastjerry1's avatar
      coastjerry1
      Newbie

      Just maybe it's not roku's problem. Just maybe YouTube is and Google are not wanting people to stay with Roku so they've sabotaged their own software to work on those devices. Just a thought nothing I can prove.

  • For some reason, I followed all the instructions, and my brand account still doesn't work in updating the watch history. For my personal account, it works. But, I usually use my brand account to watch Youtube. 

    • Luna_Starshootr's avatar
      Luna_Starshootr
      Newbie

      I followed all the steps here except for when I logged in I had to do so through the app on my phone and select the brand account so the one with my username instead of the one Google forced on me is the only one that shows up on the Roku and it started recording my watch history again. Hope this helps!

      • MrMark's avatar
        MrMark
        Streaming Star

        If you're saying that you were able to make it work somehow, I am super-interested, but I'm not understanding exactly what you did to make it work.  Can you expand on this for me?

  • I'm having this issue as well. Youtube history builds only if I use phone/tablet/pc/cast-to roku. Using the roku app alone will not build the history. I tried the fix recommended here, and no change. I tried disconnecting from power too....still no history builds unless the app is used from another device. This is clearly a roku issue. Maybe time to try Firestick.

  • Having the same issue on my Roku's with the YouTube App.  The above solution does not work.  Roku really needs to fix this soon!

    • RokuKariza-D's avatar
      RokuKariza-D
      Retired Moderator

      Hi everyone,

      We do apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you.

      If the available troubleshooting steps posted in this thread's solution didn't work out for you, I'd recommend following my latter suggestion which is to reach out to the channel's customer support team to report the problem. There might be an issue within the YouTube channel on our platform that needs to be addressed with an update from them.

      Thank you for your patience and understanding.


      All the best,
      Kariza

      • SaintlyK's avatar
        SaintlyK
        Newbie

        Here's a possible solution for those with Roku Sticks who tried the Roku-recommended solution without success:

        1. Remove the YouTube channel

        2. Turn off your television

        3. Disconnect the Roku Stick and wait 30 seconds

        4. Reconnect the Roku Stick

        5. Turn on your television

        6. Reinstall the YouTube channel and log in

        This worked for me when nothing else did. Maybe it will help someone else.

    • Lizette's avatar
      Lizette
      Reel Rookie

      I have 4 roku Ultra's using different accounts and all 4 of them are no longer recording history since about a month ago. This suggested solutions does not work. 

      Edit: Sorry I did not see all the pages. So I can see this is a real confirmed issue and wont be resolved soon if ever. 

       

      • MrMark's avatar
        MrMark
        Streaming Star

        I doubt that this will get fixed until such time if/when Roku and Google come to terms.

    • mdphilps's avatar
      mdphilps
      Reel Rookie

      Started working for me tonight.  I didn't do anything different - but just saw my watch history now showing up.

      Am I just lucky?  or did YT or Roku finally fix this issue?

      Thanks!

      • Fretman's avatar
        Fretman
        Channel Surfer

        Yes, appears to be fixed now.  I think the issue was with Youtube as I had the issue with Roku, Firestick, and my Vizio TV.  Thanks for the update.

  • Fretman's avatar
    Fretman
    Channel Surfer

    I just got the Roku Streaming Stick+ model and installed the Youtube app.  I am also having the same issue where the Watch and Search history is not saving the content.  This happens when I'm accessing the Youtube app via Roku, my television, or my Blu-ray player.  However, as someone mentioned, if I use my non-branded account, I don't have these issues.  I do not have this issue when using the Youtube app via my IOS tablet or laptop.

    I am thinking this might have something to do with the latest Youtube update.  A few weeks ago, I was not able to access Youtube via my television.  It would just freeze on the logo screen.  Up to that point, the History content was still being saved.  A few days later, I was able to get past the frozen logo screen.  At that point, the History content was no longer being saved.

    If and when someone notices that this issue is fixed, please post back to this topic to let everyone know.  Thanks.

     

    • MrMark's avatar
      MrMark
      Streaming Star

      One might imagine that this is the over-powerful Google demonstrating that they don't care about making it work right on any device where the the manufacturer of that device doesn't bow down to Google.  Or maybe Google knows that Apple will sue them again if they fail to make it work on Apple devices...kind of like an evaluation of threat level.  Apple's revenue for last quarter was $366 billion.  Roku's was $680 million (0.68 billion).  'Probably not scary enough to Google.  If a company doesn't either bow down or have have sufficient monetary and political might, then then Google does what bullies do.

      • Psilobite's avatar
        Psilobite
        Roku Guru

        Here's the state of things:

        Search history will work on a brand account in the YouTube Roku app, using these steps:

        1) Reset the app (Settings -> Reset app)

        2) Go to upper left "Sign In"

        3) "Sign in with your phone" -> "Try another way"

        4) Do not go to the URL shown, instead go to youtube.com/activate and enter the code

        5) Select the brand account you want to sign in with on Roku, not your main Google account

        6) Done!

        Under "Accounts" (upper left), you will see your brand account... on the right part of the screen, you should see a "fake" e-mail address that ends in pages.plusgoogle.com.

        Search history is working properly with a brand account signed in to the YouTube Roku app in this way. Unfortunately, starting today, you are no longer able to view age restricted videos when signed in this way to a brand account in the YouTube Roku app, even if your brand account is age-verified.

        If you want, you can do an "Add account" and this time, on step 5, select your primary Google account. This will automatically add your Primary Google ID/email, and all associated brand accounts to the Roku app. They will appear under your primary main Google e-mail address. When you select one of these brand accounts, it will have **no** e-mail address on the right part of the screen. This will not affect the "brand only" sign-in that you did above... that appears separately, and again, has a "fake" e-mail address that ends in pages.plusgoogle.com. You can view age restricted videos when using brand accounts that appear under your main Google e-mail. However, when signed in this way, there is still the unsolved, ongoing issue of search history not appearing and watch history not updating. You will see "top" searches in the app's "search" section ("flame" icons) instead of your personal search history ("clock" icons).

         

         

         

         

        I started a thread on Google support, but I don't have any confidence that it will do any good.

        Hopes this helps some people...

         

  • This totally worked. Thanks!