How to watch videos on YouTube

What you will learn

In this guide, you will learn how to use YouTube on your phone to find and watch videos on any topic you enjoy, from cooking recipes to news, music, gardening, and much more. You will also learn how to subscribe to channels so you never miss new videos from creators you like.

What you need

• An iPhone or Android phone
• The YouTube app (usually pre-installed on Android, or available free from the App Store on iPhone)
• An internet connection (Wi-Fi recommended for watching videos)

The steps

Step 1: Open the YouTube app

Find the YouTube icon on your phone. It looks like a red rectangle with a white triangle in the centre. Tap it to open the app. If you do not have it, open the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play Store (Android) and search for YouTube, then tap Install or Get.

Step 2: Browse the home screen

When YouTube opens, you will see the home screen with suggested videos. These are videos YouTube thinks you might enjoy. You can scroll down by swiping up with your finger to see more suggestions. Each video shows a small preview image, a title, the channel name, and how many people have watched it.

Step 3: Search for a video

To find a specific video, tap the magnifying glass icon at the top of the screen. Type what you are looking for, such as “how to make pancakes” or “relaxing piano music”. Tap Search on your keyboard. A list of matching videos will appear. Tap any video to start watching it.

Step 4: Control video playback

While a video is playing, you can tap the screen once to show the controls. Tap the pause button (two vertical lines) to pause. Tap the play button (triangle) to resume. Drag the small circle on the progress bar at the bottom to skip forward or backward in the video. Tap the full screen icon (a small square in the bottom right) to watch in landscape mode.

Step 5: Subscribe to a channel

If you enjoy videos from a particular creator, you can subscribe to their channel. Below the video that is playing, you will see the channel name. Tap the red Subscribe button next to it. After subscribing, new videos from that channel will appear on your home screen. You need to be signed in with a Google account to subscribe.

Step 6: Save a video to watch later

If you find a video you want to watch another time, tap the three dots (or the Save icon) below the video and choose Save to Watch Later. To find your saved videos, tap the Library tab at the bottom of the screen, then tap Watch Later.

Step 7: Adjust video quality

If a video is blurry or keeps stopping to load, you can change the quality. Tap the screen while a video is playing, tap the gear icon (Settings) in the top right corner of the video, then tap Quality. Choose a lower number like 360p if your internet is slow, or a higher number like 720p or 1080p for a clearer picture.

Tips

• Turn your phone sideways (landscape) to watch videos in full screen for a better experience.
• If you are on mobile data, choose a lower video quality to save data.
• You can share a video with someone by tapping the Share button below the video and choosing WhatsApp, email, or text message.
• To go back to the home screen, tap the Home tab at the bottom of the screen (the house icon).

External links

• YouTube Help Centre — official help from Google for using YouTube
• Google Account Help — help with creating or managing your Google account