Uncaught ReferenceError: ytcfg is not defined (also __ytRIL is not defined)

Question

I have been using the YouTube IFrame Player API without problem for months and started to see this exception recently when the player loads: Uncaught ReferenceError: ytcfg is not defined Inspecting the iframe, I see a successful call to yt.setConfig, but ytcfg.set fails later. Was the API changed recently? Any player parameter could cause this problem?

<script src="//s.ytimg.com/yts/jsbin/www-embed-player-vflnzmqns/www-embed-player.js" type="text/javascript" name="www-embed-player/www-embed-player"></script>
<script src="//s.ytimg.com/yts/jsbin/player-en_US-vflr--npw/base.js" name="player/base"></script>
<script>
    yt.setConfig({
        ...
    });
    writeEmbed();
</script>
<script>
    ytcsi.info('st', 35);
    ytcfg.set({
        "TIMING_ACTION": "",
        "CSI_VIEWPORT": true,
        "TIMING_INFO": {
            "c": "WEB",
            "yt_li": 1,
            "cver": "1.20161112",
            "yt_lt": "cold"
        },
        "CSI_SERVICE_NAME": "youtube"
    });
    ;</script>

There several variations of this issue:

https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/35178202 "ytcfg is not defined" https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/35177930 "__ytRIL is not defined"

I also just started receiving this error in my test suite, which has been passing for months. — andyisnowskynet, Nov 16 '16 at 01:36
We had the same Problem with our automated Tests tonight. I filed a Bug in the Youtube Help Forum. https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/youtube/3Z7dSnwkCH4;context-place=forum/youtube — fwebdev, Nov 16 '16 at 07:49
I got this error several minutes ago too, it seems not my fault now :) — Tien Do, Nov 16 '16 at 13:36

score 47 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 16 '16 at 01:46

47

It looks like the bug is on youtube's side. You can see the same JS error here: https://www.youtube.com/embed/U-xetxYwyak

answered Nov 16 '16 at 01:46

andyisnowskynet

691
1
5
7

that exact link doesnt have error at this moment. However, **`__ytRIL is not defined`** error still un-fixed – T.Todua Feb 24 '17 at 09:39

David Dehghan · Accepted Answer · 2017-01-06T06:05:11.650

30

This is a Google bug. It also happens on Youtube's developer page. https://developers.google.com/youtube/youtube_subscribe_button

The following bugs tracks this issue.

https://code.google.com/p/gdata-issues/issues/detail?id=8569 (Still active -as of Jan 5h 2017)

Please up vote on this bug using the links below so that it gets their attention. They have been sitting on it since Sep 9, 2016!!.

edited Jan 06 '17 at 06:05

answered Nov 17 '16 at 22:31

David Dehghan

22,159
10
107
95

That’s very helpful. Everyone affected please star the issue! For clarification, the google bug corresponding to the OP’s issue is the 2nd one (id 8745), not the first, as noted in this comment in the other bug’s comment thread: https://code.google.com/p/gdata-issues/issues/detail?id=8668#c62 – Andrew Patton Nov 27 '16 at 19:17
294 people have already starred (id 8745) but unfortunately still there no fix for this bug. Please keep staring this bug. – David Dehghan Nov 29 '16 at 22:10
Looks like the google bug id 8745 was fixed some hours ago – Thomas Vanier Nov 30 '16 at 06:02
Now that https://code.google.com/p/gdata-issues/issues/detail?id=8745 was fixed we are back in seeing this bug again. https://code.google.com/p/gdata-issues/issues/detail?id=8668 Unbelievable !! – David Dehghan Nov 30 '16 at 18:47
Your top hyperlink is broken – Mahendra Gunawardena Dec 05 '16 at 01:55

score 6 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 16 '16 at 07:18

6

This started happening even on youtube.com when you click the "Share" button under any video and then the "Embed" tab to copy paste the embedding html code. Definitely their fault.

answered Nov 16 '16 at 07:18

Hakakou

522
3
6

score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Nov 17 '16 at 10:47

2

I had the same issue. Temporary fix was using objects instead of iframes. It worked for me.

answered Nov 17 '16 at 10:47

Nejc Rodošek

143
2
11

Uncaught ReferenceError: ytcfg is not defined (also __ytRIL is not defined)

4 Answers4

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