YouTube Go for Android: closed in 2022

YouTube Go was a lightweight version of YouTube for Android made by Google, and it is no longer available to download: Google discontinued the app in August 2022 and moved its users to the main YouTube app. The last build recorded in catalogue data is 3.25.54, but it no longer serves as a way to watch YouTube, so this page explains what YouTube Go was and what to use now.

Overview

YouTube Go was designed for phones with little memory and for people paying for every megabyte of mobile data. It let you see how much data a video would use before playing it, pick a lower quality to save money, and save videos to the phone for offline viewing later. Videos could also be shared with nearby friends directly from phone to phone, without using the internet at all. The interface was stripped down compared with the full app: no comments, fewer recommendations and a simple list of videos. Over time, entry-level phones became more capable and the main YouTube app gained its own data-saving and download features, so Google decided to stop maintaining two apps. In August 2022 YouTube Go was discontinued, and users were asked to install the regular YouTube app or to use YouTube in a mobile browser. Your account, subscriptions and history were never tied to YouTube Go itself; they live in your Google account, so nothing is lost by switching.

Key facts

How to move to the YouTube app

1. Uninstall YouTube Go if it is still on your phone.
2. Install YouTube from Google Play, or follow Google's help page on getting the app.
3. Sign in with the same Google account; subscriptions and history appear automatically.
4. In the settings, lower the default video quality on mobile networks to keep saving data.

Requirements of the successor

According to YouTube's requirements page, the app runs on phones and tablets with Android 6.0 Marshmallow or later. On older phones, YouTube in a mobile browser is the remaining option.

Safety: avoid old APK files

YouTube Go installers still circulate on APK sites. They offer nothing useful now, and repackaged copies may carry malware. Do not sign in to your Google account in an app that claims to be a working YouTube Go.

Price

Both YouTube Go in its time and the current YouTube app are free, with an optional paid subscription for ad-free viewing in the main app.

Pros and cons of switching

• Pro: same Google account and subscriptions.
• Pro: regular updates and full features.
• Con: the main app is heavier on weak phones.
• Con: sharing videos offline with nearby phones is no longer built in.

Alternatives

On our site you will also find YouTube, VLC Media Player and MX Player for watching saved videos, and TikTok Lite for short clips on low data.