YouTube is the world’s best platform for streaming videos online. It is the go-to place to watch videos on almost all topics. You will find all kinds of videos on YouTube, from cartoons to mythology, TV series to stand-up comics. However, many users have reported that the streaming platform lags on the latest Windows version, i.e., Windows 11.

As YouTube is one place everyone visits to kill their free time, no one likes to face any disturbance while watching their favourite video. Many users have reported that YouTube is lagging on Windows 11, even if they are streaming at the lowest resolution. And this problem is mainly occurring on Google Chrome. So, if you are also facing the same issue, then this is where you need to be.

In this post, we will talk about how to fix YouTube lagging on Windows 11. It doesn’t matter whether you are streaming YouTube via a browser or using its extension; the solutions will help in both scenarios. So, without any further ado, let’s get started.

Why Does YouTube Lag in Windows 11?

As of now, there isn’t any specific reason why YouTube is lagging on Windows 11. There can be multiple culprits causing the issue. From outdated drivers to faulty extensions, anything can be the reason why YouTube is lagging on Windows 11. Still, here are some basic reasons for the issue.

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  • Outdated graphics card.

  • A huge amount of cached and browsing data.

  • Weak internet connection.

  • Faulty extensions

  • A bug in the browser.

  • Viruses and Malware

How to fix If YouTube lagging on Windows 11

Now that you are aware of the different reasons causing the issue, it’s time to find out how to fix them. For similar reasons, there isn’t any specific solution to the problem. Thus, you will have to go through different workarounds and stick with the one that fixes the problem. So let’s check out how to fix it if YouTube is lagging on Windows 11.

Fix 1: Clear Cache Memory and Browsing Data

It’s very important to keep on clearing the cache data of the browser that you are using at regular intervals. Clearing cache data ensures that you will receive the best performance from the browser. Plus, it also makes sure that the browser is free from any minor bugs and glitches. Nevertheless, here are the steps you need to follow to clear the cache data of Google Chrome.

  • Tap on the three dots present in the top right corner of Google Chrome.

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  • Select “More Tools” and then “Clear Browsing Data”.

  • The Clear browsing data windows will open up. Check the “Cookies and other site data” and “Cached images and files” options.

  • Tap on “Clear Data.”

Now, relaunch the browser, and open YouTube. Play any video and see if you are still facing any kind of lag or not. If not, you are good to go. However, if the problem persists, it’s time to clear the browsing data.

Note that clearing browsing data will clear every history from all the synced devices. So, make sure you have backed up any important websites that you have recently visited. Here are the steps you need to follow to clear the browsing data from Google Chrome.

  • Come to the “Clear browsing data” window by following the above steps.

  • This time, checkmark the “Browsing history” option and tap on “Clear Data.”

Re-launch Google Chrome, open YouTube, and see if you are still facing the leg or not. If so, continue with the next workaround.

Fix 2: Uninstall Faulty Extension

Installing add-ons or extensions on Google Chrome has its own set of pros and cons. On the one hand, it eases the task on the internet, but on the other hand, it can be the main culprit that causes different issues for the browser. YouTube lagging on Windows 11 can be one of many issues. So, as a solution, make sure you only have all the necessary and trustable extensions installed on the browser. Then immediately delete or remove any extension that you no longer need.

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Nevertheless, here are the steps you need to follow to uninstall an extension in Google Chrome.

  • Click on the three-dots present at the top right corner of Google Chrome.

  • Tap on “More Tools” and then “Extensions”.

  • The Chrome Extension Window will open up, containing all the extensions installed on the browser.

  • Tap on the “Remove” option present under the name of the reaction you want to uninstall.

  • Again, tap on “Remove” in the confirmation dialogue box that pops up.

That’s it. Now relaunch YouTube on Google Chrome, and check if the problem continues. If so, carry on with the article.

Fix 3: Download the Latest Version of the Browser

An outdated driver can be the main reason why you are facing YouTube lagging on Windows 11. Developers of every browser keep on releasing updates to fix minor issues that are causing problems on different platforms, including YouTube. So, it’s always recommended to keep on updating the browser to be free from any kinds of bugs and glitches.

Here are the steps you need to follow to update Google Chrome on Windows 11.

  • Click on the three dots present in the top right corner of Google Chrome.

  • Tap on “Help” and then “About Google Chrome”.

  • Google Chrome will automatically check for any available updates.

  • If there is an available update, download it immediately to fix the YouTube issue.

Once updated, relaunch the browser, open YouTube, and play any video. Check if you are still facing the problem or not.

Fix 4: Change Video URL

Changing the video URL is among the best ways to fix any kind of lag you are facing on YouTube. You can do this to improve the performance and stability of YouTube videos. All you have to do is to replace the “www” part of the URL with “uk.” or “ca.”. Let’s check out how it’s done in detail.

  • For instance, if you are watching the “How to Fix Google Chrome Not Responding in Windows 11” video by Get Droid Tips,

  • Tap on the “video URL”.

  • Now, replace the “www” part with “uk.” or “ca.”.

That’s it. Press enter to start the video. Check if the lagging problem is fixed or not.

Fix 5: Lower the Video Resolution

If you have a slow internet connection, then it’s almost assured that you will face lagging issues on YouTube. So, as a workaround to it, you will have to lower the video resolution until your internet normalizes. For instance, if you are playing the video in 1080p, reduce the quality to 240p or lower.

Here are the steps you need to follow to lower the video quality of a video on YouTube.

  • Open the video that you want to watch on YouTube.

  • Click on the gear icon present at the bottom of the video.

  • Tap on Quality.

  • Now, choose the quality at which you want the video to play.

Once done, check if the problem persists.

Fix 6: Close Unnecessary Tabs

If you are streaming YouTube on a very old PC while keeping multiple tabs open, then there’s a probability that you will experience different kinds of lagging issues. An internet browser is one such application that consumes the most system memory. So, if you want to obtain the best and lag-free performance, make sure you only have all the important apps open. For instance, if you want to stream YouTube, close all the other tabs that are open without any reason.

Fix 7: Update Graphics Driver

Like applications, it’s important to keep on updating the drivers installed on your system to obtain the best performance. Graphics drivers are one type of driver that should be updated on a regular basis. So, here are the steps you need to follow to update the graphics driver on Windows 11.

  • Tap on the search icon present on the taskbar.

  • In the search bar, type “Device Manager” and press Enter.

  • Double-tap on the display adaptors.

  • Right-click on the installed graphics. In my case, it’s Intel (R) HD Graphics 620.

  • Tap on “Update”.

  • Click on “Search automatically for drivers”.

Now, the system will update the driver automatically if there is an available update. Once updated, restart your system and check if you’re still facing the YouTube lagging on Windows 11 issue or not.

Final Words

This was how to fix YouTube lagging on Windows 11. Let us know if the methods mentioned above helped you or not. You can even share any workaround you are aware of in the comments.

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