: As of early 2026, the YouTube app generally requires Android 8.0 (Oreo) or higher to function properly and access new features.

If the official app becomes unbearable or crashes constantly, you have excellent alternatives:

: You can "Add to Home Screen" from your browser settings to create a shortcut that looks and acts like an app icon. 2. Check for the Last Compatible Version

to collect critical data such as current playtime, buffered playtime, video encoding, and quality switches.

He tapped the screen again. The video progress bar appeared—a bright red line with a crisp white dot for the playhead. No grayed-out dislikes yet (those were visible and clickable). The comments section beckoned, a wild west of opinions typed out on phones just like his.