Never got an adequate response.

i use chrome and win 11 on an old desktop.

And tablet. I switched my browser to Firefox and have had no problem since.

Might have to add that.
Thanks.

My security software automatically turns on the VPN after restarting or a cold start. You-tube videos do exactly the same for me until it is turned off (then it loads automatically). The VPN is a good idea for any financial transactions or purchases, however (better protection for those situations).

thanks watcher

I can get the videos on my laptop but not my phone.

But I switched to duck duck go and the pop ups get blocked seamlessly. It's a much better user experience.

It tells me to sign in when I’m already signed in. Once in YouTube, I now have to search out the video as it does not take me to the video that I wanted to view.