Search Filters greyed out?
Search filters on YouTube go grey and stop working for lots of people. You pick Upload Date or Channel, but nothing changes. Filters look dead, or just never show up. People see this on phones and computers. Some folks think it is their account, but it happens everywhere. The issue is not new, and it does not care how you use YouTube.
Why YouTube search filters not working?
There are a few reasons. Sometimes YouTube disables filters on purpose while they update things or try to stop rule-breaking videos from showing up. Sometimes it is just a bug, and nobody really knows what's going on. Filters vanish or turn grey for days, not hours. People try logging out, clearing cache, or even reinstalling the app, but nothing really fixes it.
YouTube staff sometimes claim it is only temporary, but no clear fix is announced.
Reddit users react
Most Reddit users sound annoyed. Some say filters are “useless right now.” Others guess YouTube wants bigger channels to get more attention, maybe hiding smaller creators. A few tried every trick—switching browsers, using incognito mode, wiping cookies. Nothing helped.
Some users even switched to searching YouTube through Google using “site:youtube.com” to get recent uploads, but it is not as easy. Many just stopped bothering with search, watching less than before.
View Reddit Post
Extra reasons and fixes that don't work
Some think ad blockers break filters, but turning them off doesn't usually help. Others suspect restricted mode blocks some filters—turning it off may work, but it is not a real fix. If YouTube is down or having a busy day, filters bug out even more. People notice it can work for a few hours, then break again.
For now, search filters going grey is just another YouTube problem nobody can control. Filters let you sort by relevance, date, duration, and more but if YouTube disables them, nothing fixes it until they flip a switch back.
Disclaimer:
This article discusses the ongoing issue with YouTube search filters being greyed out and not functioning as expected. While various reasons for this problem have been speculated, including updates and bugs, YouTube has not provided an official fix or timeline for resolution. For the latest updates or possible workarounds, please refer to YouTube's official support channels or community discussions.
