YouTube is currently experimenting with a new feature that many users might find quite helpful: a sleep timer. This feature, which is being tested with YouTube Premium subscribers, is designed to stop video playback automatically after a set period of time. If you've ever found yourself deep in a YouTube binge late at night, only to realize that you've fallen asleep with videos still playing, you'll likely appreciate the convenience this feature offers.
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The sleep timer feature is part of a test running now through September 2. It is available to YouTube Premium subscribers on both the mobile app and desktop versions of the platform. Unfortunately, this feature is not yet available on TVs, but it could be added later if the test is successful.
The main benefit of this sleep timer is that it can help users avoid some common issues that occur when videos play continuously while they sleep. For instance, it can prevent unwanted videos from influencing your recommendations or watch history. If you've ever woken up to find that YouTube has continued to play videos through the night, you might have noticed that your recommendations are suddenly filled with content that you're not actually interested in. This can be annoying and frustrating, especially if it skews the personalized content YouTube suggests for you. The sleep timer can help prevent this by stopping the videos after a set amount of time.
The feature is also considerate of those around you, especially if you're watching videos late at night. Whether you're living with family, roommates, or just trying not to disturb others in your home, the sleep timer can ensure that your videos don't keep playing loudly while you’re asleep, which could otherwise bother others.
As for how the sleep timer works, it’s pretty straightforward. On the desktop version of YouTube, the sleep timer can be found in the playback menu. Users can choose from several time options: 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, or 60 minutes. There’s also an option to stop playback at the end of the current video. The mobile app offers the same options, but on Android, it is located under “Additional settings,” which might require a bit of digging to find.
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Given that this feature is currently only available to Premium subscribers as part of a test, it's not yet clear whether it will eventually be rolled out to all users or if it will remain a Premium-only feature. However, given the potential usefulness of the sleep timer, it's possible that YouTube might decide to make it widely available, possibly even for free.
In summary, YouTube's new sleep timer feature is designed to enhance the user experience by allowing you to set a timer to pause video playback automatically. This feature is particularly useful for those who tend to watch YouTube late at night and might accidentally fall asleep while watching. The ongoing test will determine if the sleep timer becomes a permanent feature, but it’s already showing promise as a valuable addition to YouTube’s toolkit.