YouTube’s New Features Include a Sleep Timer, More Control Over Playback Speed

YouTube has announced updates that give you better control over the playback speed of your videos, let you collaborate on playlists and more. 

The Google-owned platform is rolling out the batch of features across web, mobile, TVs and YouTube Music starting Tuesday, it said in a blog post. They include the ability to choose playback speeds in 0.05 increments rather than 0.25 and a sleep timer that lets you preset videos to pause automatically (previously tested with Premium members). 

YouTube is also introducing a stack of updates to playlists. You can invite others to add to playlists with a QR code on a TV or a link, customize playlist thumbnails using photos or generative AI, and, beginning later this year, vote on videos in playlists. 

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Also included in the list is an improved miniplayer in the YouTube mobile app that you can move to different parts of the screen and resize. The YouTube and YouTube Music mobile apps are getting badges that commemorate “unique-to-YouTube milestones” such as being an artist’s top listener or being among a channel’s first paid members. YouTube emphasized visual improvements and, later in 2024 for iOS users, adjustments such as resized text and thumbnails for better browsing in landscape mode.

For more on YouTube, check out or review of its live TV streaming service and reveals from the company’s Made on YouTube event in September.