Open Play Store → YouTube → Three dots → Uncheck “Auto-update”.
Before we dive into the solutions, it is important to understand the technical "why." Google officially ended support for Android 4.4 KitKat in 2021. Consequently, newer versions of the YouTube app—designed for modern 64-bit architecture and relying on updated API frameworks—simply refuse to run on old 4.4.4 devices. If you try to open the Play Store, you likely see a message indicating that your OS version no longer supports newer versions of the YouTube app.
Since you aren't using the Play Store, you need to manually install the file.
To help narrow down the best solution for your specific device, could you let me know:
