Since the Internet exploded, and even our aunts started using it, one of the most used websites is YouTube. Listening to music and watching videos is what millions of people do every day. This platform even made millionaires from thousands of people. Most people know how to use it, but rarely who dug deep into all of the things YT has. If you think you have, then you won’t be surprised by these six hidden YouTube features you probably didn’t know existed – 2020 guide. But, we’re sure you haven’t heard of all of them. Do you want to bet on it? Read on and tell us in the comments if we were wrong.

Start a Playback at Specific Time

This option can come quite handy to most of us. Say you are watching a video, and the most exciting part starts at 15 minutes and 43 seconds. Of course, you’ll search for a share button and try to send it to your friends. In the past, you probably, the same way as we did, also send them the time to which they need to forward the video to. Well, say goodbye to all of the effort required to do this.

There’s an option that allows you to send them the video to the exact time you consider the most interesting. All you need to do is to type &t=15m43s. When you do this, to them,  the video won’t start at the beginning, but it will begin at the specified time of 15 minutes and 43 seconds. Furthermore, you can also hit the pause button, and upon sharing it, type in the numbers at “Start at” place.

Keyboard Shortcuts

This feature can be used an all devices, and this is what makes it so great. Arrow and letters keys on any keyboard are going to do the trick. All videos can go forward and backward at your will by using the arrow keys. Furthermore, fast-forwarding by 10seconds can be done by using J and L keys. On the phone, things are a bit different.

When watching a video on your phone or a tablet, you can fast forward or backward it by pressing the screen twice in the direction you want. Right to go ahead and left to go back. If you are tired of what you are watching, then swipe it left or move on to the next video. If you are watching videos on your desktop computer, you can use the three dots to see and learn all keyboard shortcuts. Quite a handy option, don’t you agree?

Download up to 500 Songs

Most people complain that when you re on YouTube on a smartphone or a tablet and are listening to music or watching other videos, there are no many other things to do, as the website won’t work in the background. So, they decide to make this possible for their fateful users. How? Well, now, you can download up to 500 songs and listen to them offline.

This is one of the latest features allowed by YouTube Music. On the Premium version, this option is available for a while now. You can choose as many songs as you like, but only the number is up to you. The pieces will be picked by YT based on what you have been listening to. All you need to do is to choose this option, and leave your phone dormant during the night on Wi-Fi and let the songs download.

Turn on Captions

Yes, YouTube has captions. An ideal feature if you find yourself in a pinch where you need to watch something but don’t have headphones, not you can play the video aloud. When things are like this, captions are what you need. The option can be found in the lower right corner, and all you need to do is press the CC button. Furthermore, YT now has a built-in Google Translator option. This comes in handy when you are trying to watch a video in a language you are not familiar with. Watching YouTube videos comes easier today than it was the case ever before.

Dark Mode

The days of only one available option for most things Internet are far behind us. It’s no wonder you can have YT in a dark mode. For some, the YT white is too much once the dark hits. They are probably right, as too much brightness isn’t what you need if you are watching something during the night. The dark mode is a perfect solution for all of us, as the lights are less harsh with this mode. You have the option in the toggle bar, where you can switch the dark mode on and off. If you are using a desktop computer, the choice is in your right top corner.

Picture-in-picture

This is for all of you multi-taskers. If the situation requires you to send an urgent text message, but you do not want to stop watching what you were watching, picture-in-picture is made for you. By applying this option, you can shrink the video you’re currently on, which will set the part of your screen-free for the second task you have on your mind. The smaller screen which shows the video can be freely moved around your display for your convenience. One thing that disappoints most of you who are reading this is that this feature doesn’t come free of charge. It is only available if you are a premium user. Furthermore, not all operating systems are up for it, as it only works on Android.

Conclusion

As you can see, YouTube has come a long way since its inception in 2005. Today is not only a plug and play website but one that comes with many features. Unfortunately, some of them remain hidden for an average user, but thanks to us, some of its mystique has been debunked today. The features we listed above can genuinely improve your YT experience.