Are you limiting yourself to just the main YouTube features, like watching videos, making lists, and commenting? There’s far more to YouTube and it’s time to start checking out all the other features hiding the background.
1. Podcasts
When you think of YouTube, podcasts probably aren’t your first thought. But, the video giant quietly added in podcasts, giving creators yet another platform to have their voices heard. Just look for Podcasts in the menu. While some are audio only with a static image, many are videos of your favorite podcaster doing their shows.
There’s just one problem. Many podcasts have ads, even if you’re a YouTube Premium member. This is because these are ads the show’s host places in. When they upload the video and/or audio, the ads are part of it. If there are ads placed there by YouTube, being a premium member gets rid of those. Or, skip sponsored sections with this trick. If you prefer podcast apps instead, try these Android podcast apps.
2. Courses
I ran across YouTube Courses by accident. These are similar to what you might find on Udemy or Skillshare, though the topics are still fairly limited. Courses are playlists of videos that often have downloadable materials. Some even let you earn certifications for work, such as mastering Excel skills.
Some courses are free, but others require a fee, which the creator sets. Most premium courses I’ve seen cost around $6. The good news is most premium courses let you check out the first video for free. Find Courses in the YouTube menu.
3. Playables
Sure, Netflix has games, but one of the more fun YouTube features is Playables. These are games you play directly in YouTube. There’s no need to download anything, though you’ll want to log in if you want to save your stats and progress.
This started as a premium-only experimental feature that was later released to all users. You’ll find it in the YouTube menu under Playables or as you scroll through your recommended videos. Sometimes, it’s nice to stop watching YouTube and play a quick game without downloading yet another app.
4. Experimental Features
Want to try out the latest YouTube features before they’re released to everyone? Check out the experimental features. The bad news, you have to be a YouTube Premium member to access these, but I personally think it’s worth it if you use YouTube often.
Access the latest experimental features by tapping your profile icon in YouTube. Please note that some features are only available on mobile devices. Tap the Settings cog in the top right and select Try experimental new features. Then, select anything you want to try. All features are only available for a limited time.
5. Get Notifications to Take Breaks
I think we’re all guilty of spending too much time on YouTube. If you find yourself staying up way too late watching videos, have YouTube tell you to take a break. Yes, most phones have a feature to do this, but why not use the tool that’s already built into YouTube?
Open YouTube’s mobile app, tap your profile icon, and select the Settings cog. Tap General and toggle on Remind me to take a break. Set how often you should take a break. You can even turn on Remind me when it’s bedtime so you don’t binge watch too late.
6. Watch Incognito
Nothing frustrates me more than YouTube destroying my recommendations just because I watched a single video that didn’t match my usual routine. The easy solution – just watch in incognito mode. It’s one of my favorite YouTube features to keep my YouTube feed full of what I like, while still watching the occasional random video.
For mobile devices, tap your profile icon and tap Turn on Incognito just under your name. When you’re done, tap the incognito profile icon at the bottom right and tap Turn off Incognito.
For desktop, I’d just recommend using your browser’s incognito mode and not signing in. Or, open YouTube’s hamburger menu at the top left, select History, and choose Pause history.
While YouTube still tracks everything you do even in Incognito mode, it doesn’t influence your search history or recommendations.
7. Watch Picture-in-Picture (PiP)
Multi-tasking while watching YouTube is a great way to feel productive. Yes, there are several ways to watch YouTube in the background on Android, including upgrading to premium. But, if I want to keep watching and use my mobile browser at the same time, I just take advantage of PiP.
On mobile, start playing a video on YouTube. Then, tap your back or home button to exit YouTube. Your video continues playing in a smaller window. Tap it to bring up controls to exit it when you’re ready.
On desktop, start playing a video and right-click inside the video. Move your mouse slightly outside the context menu that opens and right-click again. Then, select Picture in Picture. After that, it works the same as mobile devices.
This YouTube feature is available for free, but it depends on your country. In some countries, only premium members can use this.
YouTube’s adding new features all the time. Keep a check on the menu and settings to see if something new has popped up in the latest updates. Or, if you’re tired of YouTube, check out these alternatives.
Image credit: Unsplash, All screenshots by Crystal Crowder
