A long-awaited feature for YouTube users is finally coming: Sleep timer. Following YouTube Music, the YouTube app has started testing this useful feature on Android devices. So, what will this innovation offer? Here are the details.

Sleep timer feature may come to YouTube app

YouTube Music added a sleep timer feature in February 2023, putting it in competition with other music players on Android. However, the YouTube app, which has a wider user base, did not have this feature. Now this situation seems to be changing.

An APK review by Android Authority revealed that the latest version of YouTube’s Android app (v19.25.33) includes references to a sleep timer. Using this feature, you can set the playback time in hours or minutes and have the video automatically stop when the time is up.

In YouTube Music, timer options were limited to 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes and 1 hour. However, the YouTube app could take a more flexible approach. When the timer expires, users can either reset the duration or continue watching the video by tapping “OK”. A notification will also appear in the notification bar to show the countdown.

Netflix tested a sleep timer on its Android app in 2021 but later removed the feature. Currently, other popular video streaming services don’t have a similar feature.

YouTube’s sleep timer feature is still in development and it is unclear when it will be officially available. YouTube Music took nine months to develop the feature, so expect a similar timeframe for the YouTube app. The feature is expected to be available on iOS, but it’s unclear if it will be available on web and other devices.

The sleep timer in the YouTube app will make video playback more controllable for users, which will be especially helpful for users who listen to music, podcasts or watch long videos. This feature is sure to be welcomed by YouTube’s already large user base.