YouTube’s Sleep Timer feature is officially coming off the Premium paywall and is now available to all users. This update is one of several new features aimed at enhancing the user experience.
How the sleep timer works
The Sleep Timer, which was once only available to Premium subscribers, lets users choose how long a video plays. This makes it ideal for people who want to cut back on screen time or who watch videos right before bed.
Using the sleep timer is easy. While watching a video, users can access the feature by tapping the settings cog, located at the top right of the mobile app or bottom right on the web version. Once they’ve chosen the Sleep Timer, users can set the timer to stop at the end of the video or select from a variety of preset options, ranging from 10 minutes to an hour.
“This feature is helpful for anyone who likes to fall asleep while watching videos,” YouTube noted in their blog post.
Where is it available?
The Sleep Timer is only available in the United States right now, but other countries should get access to it soon. Users in Australia, the U.K., and Canada will need to wait a little while longer to access this feature on their devices. YouTube users outside the U.S. have expressed their eagerness, with one Canadian user saying, “I can’t wait for it to come to my app. It’s something I’d use all the time.”
More features to look forward to
Although the Sleep Timer is a significant feature, YouTube has also released additional updates, such as a redesigned miniplayer and better playback speed options. Not just Premium customers, but all users should expect an improved viewing experience overall from these updates.
