YouTube audio always out of sync

iMac (M1)

Ventura 13.4

Safari 16.5


I've been using Apple products for about a decade now and this has never happened before but it's happening all the time now. I got this iMac this summer and it was fine for a few weeks but it's just getting worse. Youtube audio is always WAY ahead of the video. When it started it was only about a second but lately it's been more like 10 or 12 seconds. Clearing cache/cookies/what-have-you makes no improvement. The only thing I have noticed that works is doing a full reboot. A soft reboot (restart) doesn't work. It has to be a hard boot (shut down). The more often I do the hard boot thing the faster it goes out of sync. It used to take several days to become misaligned, then a few hours, now a few videos. I have checked my Safari settings. JavaScript is enabled. There are no extensions. I am not blocking cookies.


Ideas?

iMac 24″, macOS 13.4

Posted on Oct 13, 2023 1:45 PM

Reply
3 replies

Oct 14, 2023 1:32 PM in response to BMW-KTM

Hello BMW-KTM,


To help isolate this further, you'll want to test that behavior with other websites with video content. Knowing if you experience the same behavior with other websites will assist in determining if this is a website specific or system wide behavior.


Additionally, have you had the opportunity to test this behavior with another web browser?


Let us know, and we'll keep moving forward based on your results.

Oct 14, 2023 3:42 PM in response to chuckbl

I only use Safari. I've tried alternate browsers in the past and I just didn't see the point. They didn't give me anything I didn't already have in Safari.


Vimeo behaves the same as YouTube.


I believe I have noticed something that may be important. I think the audio is being processed faster than the video. The video time lag gets worse with time and upon a reboot the same video, now in sync, sounds lower in pitch than when it was out of sync. It's noticeable in voices; people talking.

Oct 14, 2023 4:07 PM in response to BMW-KTM

Hi BMW-KTM,


Since you're noticing this issue with two different video websites, we have some additional steps to try.

1. Use Safari Private Browsing to test if the issue is repeated. Browse privately in Safari on Mac - Apple Support

2. Check for any Safari extensions. If you do have any, especially if Private Browsing didn't have the issue, remove them one at a time, to see which may be the issue. Use Safari extensions on your Mac - Apple Support

3. Try starting up in safe mode, as safe mode does some system checks, and can sometimes resolve issues.  

It may take longer to finish the start up, and you'll also see some differences in the display. This is expected with safe mode, and when you restart normally, they'll be gone. Wait a minute or so after reaching the Desktop, then restart normally. Test if the issue reoccurs.


Let us know what you discover.

Thanks!



YouTube audio always out of sync

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.