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| YouTube Tests Sleep Timer Feature for Premium Users: A Handy Addition for Nighttime Viewers Image credit: Pixabay |
YouTube is rolling out a new experimental feature for its Premium subscribers—a sleep timer that pauses videos after a set period. While it may not be a groundbreaking addition, it's likely to be a useful tool for users who enjoy falling asleep to long podcasts or white noise.
How to Access YouTube's Sleep Timer Feature
Premium users can activate the sleep timer by visiting the experimental features page on a desktop or by navigating to “Settings > Try experimental new features” on mobile devices. Once enabled, the Sleep Timer option will appear in the video player’s Settings menu. Users can set the timer to pause the video after various intervals, including 10, 15, 20, 30, 45, or 60 minutes, or until the video ends.
Extending the Timer and YouTube's Competitive Lag
When the sleep timer reaches the end of its set duration, YouTube will pause the video and display a pop-up, giving users the option to extend the timer if needed. Despite the practicality of this feature, YouTube has been somewhat behind its competitors in offering it. For instance, Spotify has had a sleep timer for some time, and TikTok began testing sleep nudges based on preset bedtimes last year.
YouTube's Experimental Feature Timeline and Future Prospects
According to YouTube’s experimental features page, the sleep timer will be available until September 2. However, there is hope that the platform will make this feature permanent and possibly extend it to free users as well. YouTube has a history of testing new tools, including an AI assistant that answers questions about videos and a lock screen feature to prevent accidental taps.
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