Sign in to your Apple ID on a newer device (like a modern iPhone) and download the current YouTube app there first.
However, in 2012, with the release of iOS 6, Apple removed the native YouTube app. The official reason was that their licensing deal with Google had expired, but industry insiders pointed to the escalating rivalry between the two tech giants.
The old YouTube app that users remember so fondly was actually developed by Apple, not Google. Up until iOS 5, the YouTube app was a native, built-in fixture of the operating system, much like the Calculator or Weather apps. old version of youtube for ipad
This was the era of "Skeuomorphism"—Apple’s design philosophy under Steve Jobs where digital interfaces mimicked physical materials. The play buttons had depth, the menus had texture, and the overall feel was tactile. It didn't feel like you were browsing a database; it felt like you were curating a collection.
So, go ahead. Try to find that old YouTube IPA for your iPad. Hit the forums. Ask for a link. You’ll likely come up empty—but the search itself is a lovely little trip down memory lane. Sign in to your Apple ID on a
On your older iPad, go to the App Store and tap your profile icon to find the "Purchased" section.
Even if you manage to install the 2013 version of the app on an old iPad today, it likely won't play videos. The underlying code that fetches the video stream has been updated on YouTube’s servers, rendering the old app obsolete. It becomes a digital museum piece—a beautiful interface that can no longer connect to the world. The old YouTube app that users remember so
Shortly after, Google released their own, standalone YouTube app on the App Store. This marked the end of the "brown bar" era. The new app was a bridge to the modern web—faster, more frequently updated, and inundated with ads.