If you want an app experience without the overhead of the official YouTube app, several third-party clients still support Android 7.1.
As of April 2026, using the official is largely restricted due to discontinued support. Google officially dropped app support for Android versions 6.0 through 7.1 in late 2022, starting with YouTube app version 17.35.35. Current State of YouTube on Android 7.1.1 youtube android 7.1.1
If your device is stuck on Nougat, you are not entirely locked out of the platform. There are several reliable workarounds to continue watching content: If you want an app experience without the
The blue LED light pulsed one last time. Current State of YouTube on Android 7
: If your current app is crashing, try going to Settings > Apps > YouTube > Storage and selecting Clear Cache and Clear Data . 3. Lightweight Alternatives