Getting YouTube to work on devices stuck on iOS 9.3.5 (like the iPad 2, iPad 3, or iPad mini 1) is a common challenge because the official app version for that firmware has long been deprecated by Google. While you can still find YouTube IPA files for these legacy devices, simply installing them often leads to "Update Required" or "Error Loading" messages. Ways to Get YouTube on iOS 9.3.5
These IPA files do exist on various third-party archives, firmware repositories, and legacy app databases. However, Apple does not host or endorse these files, and you will not find them on the official App Store.
Conclusion
| Myth | Reality | |------|---------| | "Someone must have archived it" | They have. Those don't work anymore. | | "I can modify the plist to fake the version" | Google's API rejects the request anyway. | | "Jailbreak will fix it" | Helps with sideloading but not with API incompatibility. |
Use a Shared Apple ID: Ensure your Apple ID has downloaded YouTube at some point on any device. If you haven't, download it on a newer iPhone or iPad first. youtube ipa file for ios 9.3.5
: This is the current gold standard for fixing legacy YouTube. Add the repository
AVFoundation and CoreMedia, which are loaded at runtime. This approach allows for more efficient memory usage and easier maintenance.Troubleshooting
Jailbroken device + TubeFixer = videos play sometimes, but searches fail after ~10 minutes. Crashes often.