YouTube’s iOS app is now unsupported on the iPhone and iPad models that cannot be upgraded to iOS 16 or later, including the iPhone 7 and iPad Air 2.
The iPhone in Canada blog spotted a change in the YouTube for iOS v20.22.1 update, which now requires at least iOS 16. So if your iPhone or iPad cannot upgrade beyond iOS 15, the app will stop running after the latest update has been installed.
To be clear, unsupported devices remain compatible with the final version of the app supported. So if you’re still on the previous version, what you can do is turn off automatic updates to prevent future updates to the apps on your device from being automatically downloaded and installed. Over time, however, the old version may refuse to work if Google decides to purposefully block it.
YouTube stops working on these iPhones and iPads
YouTube for iOS version 20.22.1 or later now requires iOS 16.0 and iPadOS 16.0 or later. As a result, the app won’t work on the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus as these smartphones cannot be updated beyond iOS 15. The first-generation iPhone SE and the seventh-generation iPod touch have also disappeared from YouTube’s device compatibility list.
As for tablet owners, the YouTube app has stopped working on the iPad Air 2 and the fourth-generation iPad mini, which don’t support iPadOS 15. Parents who repurposed their iPad Air 2 as a kids’ YouTube tablet will need to teach their juniors how to use YouTube in Safari instead.
Using YouTube in a browser
Of course, you can always run YouTube in a web browser if the mobile app is unsupported on your device. That’s a viable workaround if you don’t mind losing a native interface, your Premium perks and other benefits. On the other hand, running YouTube in a web browser works without ads (refresh the page as soon as the ad autoplays) and is battery-friendlier than the mobile app.
Google continues improving the YouTube app. It recently rolled out a minimalist minioplayer and announced it’s bringing the functionality of Lens to YouTube Shorts, letting you use Lens to search what you see in a short, including items, plants and animals, while continuing to watch. It’s also testing AI-powered overviews in video searches, a two-person YouTube Premium tier for roommates and couples, etc.