Today we want to share some great YouTube viewing tips that will help you easily learn how to get the most out of YouTube features. Video content has become the next big thing. 73% of Americans use YouTube, surpassing Facebook by 4%. But for all the time we spend on YouTube, how many people know how to use the site? Too few. Google has gone out of its way to include convenient shortcuts and useful features — many of which simply make YouTube better. If you’re like the average American, you visit YouTube every week. Why not get the best video experience possible? Learn how to better enjoy the latest viral videos with these YouTube viewing tips.
1. Looping YouTube Video
mohamed_hassan / Pixabay
Sometimes one viewing just isn’t enough. YouTube doesn’t put the loop feature front and center, but it’s been part of the website for years. What is a looping video? Simply put, it’s a video that replays itself over and over. This feature is best used with music videos or short ones with plenty to unpack.
On the desktop version of YouTube, head to the video you want to watch again and again. Mouse over the video, right-click, and find the “Loop” tag in the extended menu. Rather than auto-playing the next video, this one will continue to loop until you head elsewhere or right-click to unselect the “Loop” option.
On the mobile app, it doesn’t make looping as easy. You’ll first want to put the video within a playlist all by itself. While playing the video from your playlist, you’ll find the option to repeat it across the top menu selection. There are a variety of other ways to replay a video, and we can’t cover them all. Discover different options for setting up a YouTube loop.
2. Create a Queue for Later
Playlists are a fantastic way to keep track of videos you want to watch later or never forget. They’re big folders that hold any videos you desire. But playlists aren’t perfect. For one, they are a tad bulky to set up, such as having to deal with names and public or private settings. Plus, you can only create a playlist if you’re logged in. This isn’t always an option when you’re on a public computer or at work.
Queue videos instead. It’s as easy as clicking the “Watch” icon while hovering over a video thumbnail. Queuing will automatically add the video to a default “Watch Later” playlist. Whenever you want, you can click the play button on this playlist to watch your collection of saved videos. Note that if you aren’t logged in, your queue will only exist on the computer you used to create it.
3. Turn on Closed Captioning
Peggy_Marco / Pixabay
Anytime someone uploads a video to YouTube, they have the choice to enable captions. Google has an algorithm that immediately attempts to transcribe any audio. That said, it’s notoriously inaccurate in most circumstances. The good news is video creators can also insert a custom-made set of captions, or viewers can volunteer to write the captions after publication.
In either case, captions can sometimes be useful for non-native speakers or videos with poor audio quality. While watching a video, scroll your mouse over it. The time bar will appear, along with a small collection of options. On the far right of this navigation bar, you’ll see a CC icon if captions are enabled. Click the icon and continue watching the video. Captions should be running.
Want a transcription of the video? That’s an excellent idea for students working on a paper. To get a transcription of the captions, find the “Likes and Dislikes” bar. To its right, you should notice three horizontal dots. Select this, and you’ll find the option to open and save the transcript.
It’s as simple as that.
4. Bookmark a Video in Progress
Although YouTube is not strictly a social media site, it’s designed around the idea of sharing. That’s why Google makes it easy not only to share videos, but to share specific timestamps within them. You may also want to bookmark or save the timestamps for your own reference.
irfanahmad / Pixabay
To do so, search under the YouTube video player. In the same row as the video name and view count, search for the share function to the right. Once you select this, the video URL will appear in a small box for an easy copy and paste. It’s here you’ll see an unchecked “Start At” box. By clicking this option, the video URL will change and set a video to start at its current time. You may have to fiddle with the video to find the exact starting timestamp you’re looking for.
Once done, simply copy the URL and share it with your friends and family. You can also enter the URL in your browser and then bookmark the page for later.
5. Change YouTube Video Speed
Regardless of the author’s wishes, every video can be sped up and slowed down. This feature is essential for slow documentaries or fast talkers. You can save your time, improve your comprehension, or just enjoy a quick laugh.
To change the YouTube playback speed, first, select a video. While hovering, the standard settings bar will appear at the bottom. Choose the cogwheel. In this menu, you’ll find the “Playback Speed” option. When you select it, you’ll have the chance to make speed adjustments by 25% intervals.
There’s no right or wrong here. Change the playback speed around and test the video playback until you find the selection that works best for your preferences.
YouTube Viewing Tips Make Videos Better
Basic YouTube functionality seems good enough until you try out these YouTube viewing tips. With the ability to save and alter videos at your whim, you’ll never go back to the way things used to be. Want more on the latest entertainment news and tips? You’ll find it across our site.
Read more tech articles at ClichéMag.com
Images provided by Flickr, Unsplash, Pexels & Pixabay
