In mid-October 2024, YouTube announced several new features, one of which was the official rollout of the YouTube Sleep Timer feature for mobile users.
The company had initially presented the feature to a limited market, and you had to opt in to see it. Now, the sleep timer is readily available.
YouTube Sleep Time does exactly what you think: it pauses your YouTube after a pre-set time or at the end of the video.
The latest announcement came somewhat shortly after the introduction of Ask Music, the YouTube Music AI Playlist Assistant. Anyhow, we’ll now explain how to put a sleep timer on YouTube and a few other things you should know.
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How to Set a Sleep Timer on YouTube: TL; DR
To turn the YouTube Sleep Timer on, play a video on YouTube mobile, tap the cogwheel icon in the top-right corner of the video, and select Sleep Timer. Then, just select whether you want the app to pause after a specific time or after the end of the video. The feature is available on mobile only.
How to Set Up YouTube Sleep Timer (iOS and Android)
Again, YouTube Sleep Time is a mobile-only feature. You just need to make sure you’re using it on your phone and tablet, it’s easy-peasy beyond that. Anyhow, this is how to put Sleep Timer on YouTube, as verified by YouTube and our team here at Tune My Music.
- 1. Open your YouTube mobile app and play a video.
- 2. Tap the cogwheel icon in the upper-right corner of the video.
- 3. Tap “Sleep Timer”.
- 4. Select the time after which you want YouTube to turn off, or select “End of video”.
If you want to turn the Sleep Timer off or change your settings, just open the same menu. You are free to make adjustments at any moment.
How to Turn on YouTube Music Sleep Timer
Alright, so, on a related note, the YouTube Music app also has the Sleep Timer feature. Is it the same as the Sleep Timer on the regular YouTube app? It’s not identical, but it’s pretty close.
The key difference is that the YouTube Music version has different time increments on the timer. But in both cases, you can’t set custom timers, which is a bit of a bummer. Seems like an easy feature to add, and highly useful, too.
And again, the Sleep Timer is a mobile-only feature on YT Music as well. Anyway, this is how to set a sleep timer on YouTube Music.
- 1. Open your YouTube Music mobile app and play a song.
- 2. Tap the three dots in the upper-right corner.
- 3. Select “Sleep Timer” from the menu.
- 4. Choose when you want the YouTube Music app to pause.
As you can see, there is no “Off” button for the Sleep Timer on YouTube Music. So, if you want to turn the timer off, you just have to tap the same three-dot symbol, choose Sleep Timer and then select “Cancel Timer”. Or, there’s an option to add extra time.
Solved: Why Does My YouTube Keep Pausing
How to Turn on YouTube Bedtime Reminder
YouTube’s Bedtime Reminder is somewhat related to the Sleep Timer, and we’ve seen users mix the two up.
So, first of all, YouTube Sleep Timer is not the same as the Bedtime Reminder. You can activate the Sleep Timer at any moment, while the Bedtime Reminder only pops up once per day, reminding you that your bedtime is near.
If this sounds like something you might want to check out, here’s how to activate Bedtime Reminder on YouTube. Again, this is a mobile-only feature.
- 1. Open your YouTube app and tap your profile image in the lower-right corner.
- 2. Tap the cogwheel icon in the top-right corner.
- 3. Tap “General”.
- 4. Tap the slider next to “Remind me when it’s bedtime.”
- 5. Set your bedtime. You can also tick the box for the app to wait until you finish watching a video to show you the reminder.
The bedtime toggle will now be activated with your settings. If you want to turn it off, just tap the slider and you’re all set.
What Is YouTube Sleep Timer?
YouTube Sleep Timer is a YouTube feature that will pause the video that’s playing after a specified time or by the end of the video. This is a mobile-only feature available to Free and Premium YouTube users.
Sleep Timer is also available on the YouTube Music app with small differences like different time increments. In both cases, custom increments are not available, but both platforms allow you to activate the auto-pause once the current video or song ends.
Read more: Learn Everything You Need to Know About the Spotify Sleep Timer
FAQs About YouTube Sleep Timer Feature
Is there a difference between YouTube Sleep Timer Android and YouTube Sleep Timer iPhone?
No, the YouTube Sleep Timer is the same for Android and Apple users. It works the same and is activated through the same menu. The feature is only available on mobile, but both Free and Premium users can access it.
Is YouTube Sleep Timer available on desktop?
No, the YouTube Sleep Timer feature is currently only available to mobile users, including both iOS and Android users. It’s available to Free and Premium users.
Can I set a sleep timer on YouTube?
Yes, you can set a sleep timer on YouTube if you’re a mobile user. As of October 2024, YouTube has unveiled the Sleep Timer feature that allows you to auto-pause the mobile app after 10 to 60 minutes, or after the video you are currently watching ends.
How to turn off YouTube Sleep Timer?
YouTube Sleep Timer is off by default. If you activated it and want to turn it off, just tap the cogwheel icon in the top-right corner of a video that’s playing, select Sleep Timer, and then tap “Off”.
Which Sleep Timer limits are available on YouTube?
YouTube Sleep Timer can pause your YouTube app after a pre-set time or at the end of the video. Available pre-set times are 10, 15, 20, 30, 45, and 60 minutes.
Is YouTube Sleep Timer the same as Bedtime Reminder?
No, YouTube Sleep Timer is a timer that pauses your YouTube app once it runs out. The Bedtime Reminder is a notification that tells you it’s time to sleep and maybe stop using the app.
Can I set YouTube Sleep Timer to custom timing?
No, you can only select from one of the six available timing options: 10, 15, 20, 30, 45, and 60 minutes. Or, you can select “End of video” and YouTube will pause once the clip runs out. On the YouTube Music app, the available time increments are 5, 15, 30, and 60 minutes – plus the “End of track” option.
What happens when YouTube Sleep Timer runs out?
As you might have guessed, your YouTube will pause after the Sleep Timer runs out. This can be in the middle of a video if you select a pre-set timer or 10 to 60 minutes, or it can be once the video you are currently watching ends.
Summary: How to Set Sleep Timer on YouTube
That’s a wrap, guys. We hope you now know how to turn on Sleep Timer on YouTube and how the whole thing works.
Again, you turn the YouTube Sleep Timer on by tapping the cogwheel icon in the top-right corner while a video is playing, selecting “Sleep Timer”, and setting when you want YouTube to pause.
The feature is available to YouTube Free and Premium users, and only works on mobile for now. For more guides and helpful content, check out the rest of our blog. Stay safe and have a good one!
