diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 75a8071a01..cbb118ee0a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1864,7 +1864,7 @@ The following extractors use this feature:
 * `player_skip`: Skip some network requests that are generally needed for robust extraction. One or more of `configs` (skip client configs), `webpage` (skip initial webpage), `js` (skip js player), `initial_data` (skip initial data/next ep request). While these options can help reduce the number of requests needed or avoid some rate-limiting, they could cause issues such as missing formats or metadata.  See [#860](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/pull/860) and [#12826](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/12826) for more details
 * `webpage_skip`: Skip extraction of embedded webpage data. One or both of `player_response`, `initial_data`. These options are for testing purposes and don't skip any network requests
 * `player_params`: YouTube player parameters to use for player requests. Will overwrite any default ones set by yt-dlp.
-* `player_js_variant`: The player javascript variant to use for n/sig deciphering. The known variants are: `main`, `tcc`, `tce`, `es5`, `es6`, `tv`, `tv_es6`, `phone`, `tablet`. The default is `main`, and the others are for debugging purposes. You can use `actual` to go with what is prescribed by the site
+* `player_js_variant`: The player javascript variant to use for n/sig deciphering. The known variants are: `main`, `tcc`, `tce`, `es5`, `es6`, `tv`, `tv_es6`, `phone`. The default is `tv`, and the others are for debugging purposes. You can use `actual` to go with what is prescribed by the site
 * `player_js_version`: The player javascript version to use for n/sig deciphering, in the format of `signature_timestamp@hash` (e.g. `20348@0004de42`). The default is to use what is prescribed by the site, and can be selected with `actual`
 * `comment_sort`: `top` or `new` (default) - choose comment sorting mode (on YouTube's side)
 * `max_comments`: Limit the amount of comments to gather. Comma-separated list of integers representing `max-comments,max-parents,max-replies,max-replies-per-thread,max-depth`. Default is `all,all,all,all,all`
diff --git a/yt_dlp/extractor/youtube/_video.py b/yt_dlp/extractor/youtube/_video.py
index 93bd8ec8fc..e69e8bc4bf 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/extractor/youtube/_video.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/extractor/youtube/_video.py
@@ -1879,7 +1879,7 @@ class YoutubeIE(YoutubeBaseInfoExtractor):
     }]
 
     _DEFAULT_PLAYER_JS_VERSION = 'actual'
-    _DEFAULT_PLAYER_JS_VARIANT = 'main'
+    _DEFAULT_PLAYER_JS_VARIANT = 'tv'
     _PLAYER_JS_VARIANT_MAP = {
         'main': 'player_ias.vflset/en_US/base.js',
         'tcc': 'player_ias_tcc.vflset/en_US/base.js',