{
  "id": 15067124,
  "title": "How one hidden playback speed feature makes watching YouTube videos significantly better",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/how-one-hidden-playback-speed-feature-makes-watching-youtube-videos",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-16T23:00:12.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Android Police",
    "slug": "android-police",
    "url": "https://www.androidpolice.com/playback-speed-feature-makes-watching-youtube-videos-significantly-better/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A hidden YouTube playback speed feature has significantly improved how I watch videos, and I can't imagine watching without it now. I track my screen time closely and have found that fast-forwarding through videos helps me manage my excessive YouTube consumption. YouTube is my primary source of entertainment, and I adjust my settings based on the type of content I'm watching. When it's an informative video, I set the playback speed to 2x to quickly skim through the material. Last week, I discovered a hidden feature that makes this process even easier and more efficient.\n\nBy tapping and holding anywhere on the video playback screen, YouTube automatically plays the video at 2x speed until I lift my finger. This works in Incognito mode as well. I use this feature daily to watch portions of videos at double speed, but I avoid holding my finger on the playback screen for the entire video to avoid disrupting the viewing experience. Initially, I would double-tap to skip the intro, but the tap-and-hold gesture allows me to skim the intro without missing any critical information.\n\nWhile the tap-and-hold gesture is incredibly useful, there are a few improvements I'd like to see. First, it would be helpful if the feature could keep the video at 2x speed until I choose to change it. Additionally, introducing a 1.5x speed option would make the gesture more inclusive for those who struggle to comprehend at 2x speed. Lastly, I'd love to see the ability to fast-forward backward at this speed, with the right side of the screen designated for fast-forward and the left for rewinding. This feature has transformed the way I watch YouTube videos, allowing me to quickly skip over boring parts and never worry about missing important details again.",
  "summary": "No one told me I could change the playback speed; I didn't expect it to matter that much",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "9to5Google",
        "title": "Google’s Universal Cart puts a shopping cart everywhere, including Search homepage, Chrome",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/googles-universal-cart-puts-a-shopping-cart-everywhere-including",
        "published": "2026-10-16T19:47:01.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}