YouTube filters not working is a problem many users have had to deal with from time to time. When this happens, you will not be able to sort your search results on this platform. Normally, Youtube allows you to filter your search results by such parameters as video quality, length, upload date, type, and features. 

With such functionality, users have an easy time searching for the videos they desire on the platform. However, there are times when the filters just do it work. This may be caused by a glitch in the YouTube interface or restrictions by YouTube management. Throughout this guide, you will learn what causes the problem, as well as how you can fix the Youtube search filters. 

Why are Youtube Filters Not Working 

The inability to sort search results on YouTube is known to occur while accessing the site from a browser or through the Youtube app. In either case, you will be unable to apply one or multiple filters to narrow your search results down. 

This error may be caused by two main things, as explained below: 

Glitch on the YouTube Interface 

On rare occasions, a glitch in the YouTube user interface may cause one or multiple search filters to malfunction. This will, in turn, prevent the affected filter(s) from working as it should. The same problem may also occur if the cache and data files for the YouTube App are corrupted. 

 In such a case, you will need to clear the data and cache files for the YouTube App on your mobile device. If you are using a browser to access Youtube, clearing history and cache can also resolve the issue. 

Youtube Restrictions 

In most cases, you may be unable to sort Youtube files simply because the management has deactivated the filters. Youtube management may deactivate certain search filters to prevent the user(s) from watching violent or graphic content. 

For instance, Youtube deactivated search filters in 2019 to prevent users from accessing inappropriate content, related to the 2019  New Zealand Shooting. In this case, the management may disable some or all the filters either temporarily or permanently.

If this is the problem, you may use Google search filters to narrow your Youtube search results instead, as illustrated later in this guide. 

Youtube Filters Not Working Fix 

Since this problem may only be caused by two things, there are not so many solutions for the YouTube filter, not working problem. In some cases though, it could be as a result of a minor bug, which can be cleared by refreshing the device. 

It is advisable to first rule this possibility out before progressing to the mere advanced solutions. The following procedure will help you refresh your device, especially Smartphones:

Step 1: Launch the Task Manager 

If you are having this problem on your Smartphone, refreshing the device may restore the YouTube filters to their proper working condition. In this regard, you need to launch the Task Manager by tapping on the square button on the navigation bar, at the bottom of the screen. 

Step 2: Close Recent Apps 

The above-mentioned operation will display minimized windows of the applications you recently opened on the device. Close all the recently opened applications, including Youtube. Once done, launch the YouTube App again and carry out a search to see if the problem has been fixed. 

If refreshing the device does not restore the filters to their working order, you should try the following methods to fix the problem:

Method 1: Clear Youtube App Cache and Data 

If you are unable to apply search filters on your YouTube application, chances are that some of the cache and temporary data files are corrupted. In this case, you will need to clear the cache and temporary app files to fix the problem. 

To do this, you should navigate to the settings menu on your phone and then click on the ‘Apps’ or ‘Apps & Notifications’ depending on the phone make and model. In some models, you may need to click on the ‘Show system apps’ option as well. This operation will display all the apps installed on the device.

On the YouTube App that just opened, tap on the ‘Clear Cache’ button, and allow the device some time to complete the operation. Once done, tap on the ‘Clear Storage’ button to clear temporary data on the app. Now launch the YouTube App to check whether the filters are working. 

Method 2: Clear Browser Cache and Cookies 

If the filters have failed to work while accessing Youtube from a browser, you should try clearing the browser cache and cookies. This solution has helped a considerable number of users fix the Youtube filters not working problem. 

The right procedure for clearing the browser cache and cookies will depend on the browser you are using. Here is how you should go about it 

How to Clear Cache and Cookies on Chrome 

A large number of cookies or cache data can also prevent Youtube filters from functioning as they should. To clear this data, you first need to launch the Chrome browser on your PC. You should then click on the three-dot icon, towards the top right corner of the window, to display the options menu. 

Now select ‘Settings’ from the options context menu. At this point, you should scroll downwards, to select the ‘Clear browsing data’ option. Ensure that the checkboxes adjacent to the Cookies, Data, Cache, Browsing History, and Download History fields are all checked. 

Once you have checked the relevant boxes, click on the blue ‘Clear Data’s button at the bottom of the window. Allow the computer some time to complete this operation. Now launch the browser, and navigate to YouTube to check whether the problem has been resolved. 

How to Clear Cache and Cookies on Firefox 

If you are accessing Youtube from the Mozilla Firefox browser, clearing the cache and cookies can also restore Youtube filters to their working order. In this case, you should launch the Firefox browser, and click on the three lines, at the top-right corner of the window. 

From the menu that opens, navigate to Library> History> Clear Recent History. Click on the ‘Time Range’ field, and select ‘Everything’ from the drop-down menu that appears. Now click on the blue box adjacent to the Cookies option, then click on the ‘Clear Now’s button. 

This operation will clear all cookies saved on the Firefox browser. Once you have cleared the cookies, re-launch the browser and open Youtube to check whether the filters are now working. 

Method 3: Use Google Search Filters Instead 

If the above-described methods do not fix the YouTube filters not working problem, you will need a more advanced solution. The objective here is to filter your video search results using Google search filters instead of Youtube filters. 

The following procedure will help you achieve just that: 

Step 1: On your preferred browser, open, and click on the empty search bar.

Step 2: Type the YouTube search query into this search box, followed by ‘ site:youtube.com’. for instance, you could type such a query as “how to make the perfect cake site:youtube.com”.

Step 3: Now press the Enter button or click on the ‘Search’ button just below the search box.

Step 4: After Google has displayed the search results, navigate to the Videos tab, and then open the ‘Tools’ option to bring up Google filter options. 

Step 5: At this point, you need to configure the search filters according to your preferences. Once you are done, click on the ‘Apply’ button to narrow the search. 

Final Verdict 

With millions of videos to choose from, it is almost impossible to find what you are looking for on the platform without Youtube filters. These filters are known to fail from time to time as a result of a glitch or restrictions by the YouTube management team. 

In either case, this guide will help you fix or work around the YouTube filter not working problem in a couple of steps.

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