Help You Tube!

[Archie]

Hi Guy’s For some reason I can no longer type anything into YouTube Search box on my PC. Any idea’s how I can resolve this?

Clearly I have done something wrong. If I sign out of YouTube the SEARCH box works. However when I sign back in I cannot type anything into the search box. I have tried all the usual stuff like clearing cache rebooting, shut down etc. Google SEARCH works fine.

[sideshow]

Have you tried updating your browser? (2) Make sure Ad Block is off…(3) download another browser Search Engine other than what you have? Not an IT guy by any means but have had similar issues with other sites and a fresh new start all the way around sometimes helps. Wishing you luck…

[Archie]

Yes thank you. Done all these things. I am convince it’s something I have done rather than a software issue. It’s not a big deal, I do have a workaround, more of a frustration than a hinderance.

[Bhive]

Does the same thing happen in a different browser? What about incognito mode?

[Archie]

Hi Greg

1. It works fine when I am NOT logged in.
2. It works fine when I log in using Incognito mode.
3. It works fine when I log in using MS Edge

[Bhive]

I found this… does it mean anything to you?
““Disable Personalized Search Results: If you have personalized search results enabled, try disabling this feature to see if it resolves the problem.””

[Archie]

Thanks Greg, where did you locate this? I can’t find it anywhere.

[Bhive]

I used an AI chat to look up troubleshooting steps.

See these steps… Good luck…
+++++++++++++
Since the YouTube search bar works in a different browser and in an incognito tab within Chrome, the problem is almost certainly related to your Chrome profile and its settings or extensions. It’s unlikely to be directly tied to your Google/YouTube account itself, but rather something within your Chrome profile that’s interfering.

Here’s a more targeted troubleshooting approach:

1. Disable Chrome Extensions (Focus on those related to YouTube): Since incognito mode disables extensions by default, this is the most likely culprit. Systematically disable your Chrome extensions, one by one, restarting Chrome after each, and testing the YouTube search bar. Pay particular attention to any extensions that interact with or modify YouTube’s functionality.
2. Clear Chrome’s Cache and Cookies (Specifically for YouTube): While you may have already cleared your general browsing data, try clearing data specifically for YouTube. In Chrome:

• Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Site Settings > Cookies and site data > See all site data and permissions.
• Search for youtube.com.
• Click on the entry and select Clear data.

3. Create a New Chrome Profile: This is a more drastic step, but it will help confirm whether your current profile is corrupted.

• Go to chrome://settings/people.
• Click “Add person”.
• Follow the prompts to create a new profile.
• Test YouTube in the new profile. If it works, you can migrate your important data (bookmarks, passwords, etc.) to the new profile.

4. Check for Conflicting Software: Although less common, other software running on your computer could potentially interfere with Chrome. Consider temporarily disabling any recently installed programs or antivirus/firewall software to see if that makes a difference.
5. Hardware Acceleration (Long Shot): Sometimes, hardware acceleration can cause strange browser behavior. Try disabling it in Chrome’s settings:

• Go to Settings > System > Toggle off “Use hardware acceleration when available”.
• Restart Chrome.

If none of these steps work, you might consider resetting Chrome to its default settings. This is a last resort, as it will remove all your extensions, themes, and customized settings. However, it can often resolve persistent problems. You can find the “Reset settings” option in Chrome’s advanced settings.

By systematically trying these steps, you should be able to pinpoint the cause of the problem and get your YouTube search bar working again.

[Archie]

Thanks Greg much appreciated.

I am not that tech savvy and this seems a lot to work through so I’ll live with in for now. I am planning to upgrade my computer in a few months, it’s pretty old and doesn’t meet the spec for Windows 11. Funds are a bit tight right now as we have just replaced our washing machine which was on it’s last legs. As I said earlier I have a workaround using Notebook to copy and paste text directly into the search box. It’s weird I have been using a PC since the birth of the Internet in the early 90’s and I have never experienced anything like this in all these years.

[Archie]

Ah ha I just disabled AdGuard Adblocker extension and I am able to type in the search box. I’ve been using AdGuard for about 4 years with no issues. At least I now know the cause.

[Bhive]

AdGuard probably did an update.

[Archie]

Yes I think you a right or YouTube caught up as it has with AdBlock Pro.