How to Watch Videos on YouTube

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Co-authored by Jack Lloyd Reviewed by Candace Gasper

Last Updated: June 28, 2025

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Using the YouTube App (iOS)

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Using the YouTube App (Android)

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Using the YouTube Site (Desktop)

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Video

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Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

Viewing and watching YouTube videos is a relatively straightforward process! To do so, you'll need access to the YouTube website or the mobile app for your smartphone.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using the YouTube App (iOS)

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This is the magnifying glass icon on the bottom of your screen.

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It should be the first result in the drop-down menu.
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Tap GET. This is in the top right corner of your screen.
- If you've downloaded YouTube before, this will be a cloud icon with an arrow facing down.
This is in the top right corner of your phone screen.
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Tap a video you want to watch. It should start automatically!
- Tap anywhere on the video to pause it. Click again to un-pause.
This is the right-facing arrow below your video.
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Tap a sharing option. Your options are:
- Copy link
- Share on Facebook
- Share on Gmail
- Share on Twitter
- Share through email
- Share in a message
- Share through WhatsApp
- More (share through your phone's messaging app}
You have successfully viewed and shared a YouTube video!

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using the YouTube App (Android)

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This is in the top right corner of your phone screen.
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Tap a video you want to watch. It should start automatically!
- Tap anywhere on the video to pause it. Click again to un-pause.
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Tap the Share button. This is the right-facing arrow at the top of your video window.^{[1]
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Research source}
- If you can't see this option, tap the video window once.
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Tap a sharing option. Your options are:
- Copy link
- Share on Facebook
- Share on Gmail
- Share on Twitter
- Share through email
- Share in a message
- Share through WhatsApp
- More (share through your phone's messaging app}
Now you know how to open and share a YouTube video on Android!

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using the YouTube Site (Desktop)

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Navigate to YouTube.
This is at the top of the page.
You can also click the magnifying glass icon to the right of this search bar.
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Click on a video you'd like to watch. Now you know how to watch a YouTube video!
- To pause the video, click anywhere on the video's display. Click again to un-pause.
This is below your YouTube video.
You can also click one of the provided social media platforms.
Do this by right-clicking in a shareable field (e.g., an email or a status update field) and clicking Paste.
You have now viewed and shared a YouTube video!

Community Q&A

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Question

How can I watch a YouTube video without signing in?

Linnie

Top Answerer

You don't need to sign in to watch a YouTube video. Simply click on the video you want to watch, and unless it has been deleted or set to private, you should be able to view it.

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Question

What if I need to watch without anyone knowing?

Linnie

Top Answerer

You can mute the video and use captions if they are provided for that specific video. You can also go to another room so it's harder for other people to hear, or wear earbuds. If you're worried that someone will find out you watched a certain video, go to your device's "history" and clear it.

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Question

How do I access YouTube on my laptop?

Community Answer

The same way you would to a desktop computer. If you have a working Internet browser just type in "YouTube" and click to the site.

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Tips

YouTube is a great source of a variety of content, including anything from strict news to wild comedy.

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Warnings

Attempting to access YouTube on restricted servers--such as at schools--may result in failure to load the site.

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Be aware of how much time you spend watching videos constantly, as it can cause you to waste huge chunks of time without you even knowing.

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