YouTube Premium is making multitasking and binge-watching even smoother. The platform is rolling out two brand-new, highly requested experimental features for its Premium subscribers: On-the-go and Auto speed.
On-the-go: The Ultimate Commuter’s Companion
Replacing the previous “Premium controls,” the new On-the-go feature gives you a streamlined, listener-friendly interface designed specifically for moments when you are walking, running, or multitasking. It optimizes your screen for easy listening, ensuring you don’t accidentally tap the wrong button while your phone is in your hand or pocket.
Smart Motion Detection
The coolest part about On-the-go is its intuitive design. The YouTube app can now automatically detect motion. If your phone is unlocked and the app registers at least 60 seconds of continuous movement (like walking or jogging), a prompt will pop up asking if you’d like to switch to On-the-go mode.
What You Can Do in On-the-go Mode
Once activated, you get a clean interface—available whether your phone is locked or unlocked—that puts essential controls front and center:
- Chapters Panel: Easily jump to different sections of the video using the icon on the right side of the scrubber.
- Skip Controls: Quickly skip forward or backward.
- Download: Save the video for offline listening with a single tap.
- Audio/Video Toggle: Seamlessly switch between watching the video and just listening to the audio.
- Speed & Queue: Adjust your playback speed and access your upcoming queue without digging through menus.
How to Manually Turn On “On-the-go”
If you don’t want to wait for the automatic prompt, you can enable it yourself:
- Open a video while signed in to your YouTube Premium account.
- Tap the Settings icon on the video.
- Select On-the-go.
(Note: On-the-go is currently available exclusively on the YouTube app for Android).
Auto Speed: Watch Smarter, Not Harder
Auto speed is a smart playback feature that dynamically adjusts the video’s speed for you. It automatically speeds up during slower speech or lengthy introductions and smoothly returns to a slower, more digestible pace during information-dense segments. This ensures you save time without sacrificing comprehension.
Customize Your Baseline
You aren’t just stuck with one default setting. You can select a minimum baseline speed ranging from 1.0x up to a blistering 4.0x. Auto speed will use your selected minimum as a baseline and intelligently adjust the pacing from there.
How to Enable Auto Speed
- On your video’s watch page, tap the video once to bring up the overlay.
- Tap the Settings icon.
- Tap Playback speed.
- Toggle on Auto speed located just below the speed setting bar.
(Note: Auto Speed is currently available on the YouTube app for Android and iOS for English language videoes).
Things to Keep in Mind about Auto Speed
- Session-Based: Once enabled, Auto speed stays active for your entire app session. However, if you fully close and reopen the YouTube app, you will need to turn it back on.
- Content Restrictions: To preserve the intended experience, Auto speed is disabled on Shorts, Premieres, live streams, music tracks, movies, and TV shows.
According to YouTube, the experimental features are available for testing for Premium users till April 27th. It might roll out to everyone based on the reception.