YouTube has introduced a new experimental feature for its Premium users
YouTube has introduced a new experimental feature for its Premium users that will prove very useful For those who enjoy falling asleep to videos in the background, this tool, called Sleep Timer, allows you to set a timer that automatically stops playing the video after a selected period of time.
Users can configure the timer to pause the video after 10, 15, 20, 30, 45 or 60 minutes of inactivityor to stop playback when the current video ends. At that point, YouTube will display a pop-up asking if you want to extend the viewing time.
YouTube Premium subscribers interested in trying out this feature can activate it via a direct link or from the YouTube app on their phones by navigating to the settings section and selecting “Try new experimental features.” For the time being, this tool will only be available to Premium users until September 2, although YouTube could decide to implement it permanently if it is successful during the test period, Xataka indicates.
Other apps have also considered the impact on their users’ sleeping habits. YouTube’s Sleep Timer is an addition that allows users to fall asleep without losing their place in videos, something that has been long awaited (although YouTube Music has had this feature for a few months now).
In fact, Spotify has long offered a sleep timer, and last year TikTok began testing a feature that reminds users when it’s time to go to sleep. Even Netflix has been using a feature for years that pauses playback after a certain amount of inactivity, asking if the viewer is still watching.