Lowering a video's quality is often a more useful first step than changing obscure browser settings. A connection that cannot keep up with the selected bitrate will keep running out of buffered video.
Narrow down the cause#
Select a lower video quality and let playback run for a short time.
Pause other large transfers on the same connection.
Compare another video, then another supported browser. That helps separate one video problem from a browser or connection problem.
If you use extensions, test with them disabled in a separate browsing session before changing your normal setup.
YouTube's playback troubleshooting guide covers supported browsers and common playback errors. A speed-test result is only a snapshot; congestion and Wi-Fi interference can change while a video is playing.
The old Feather Beta tip#
This URL originally described YouTube Feather Beta, a stripped-down viewing experiment. Do not expect that old experimental URL to act as a current speed setting. Removing page decorations also cannot create bandwidth that the connection does not have.
If several services buffer, investigate the local connection first. If only YouTube fails, check its own troubleshooting steps. VLC playback and downloads are a separate topic, not a guaranteed buffering fix.
