How to Watch Videos on YouTube

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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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  2. This is the magnifying glass icon on the bottom of your screen.
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  4. It should be the first result in the drop-down menu.
  6. 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.
  11. This is in the top right corner of your phone screen.
  14. It should start automatically!
    • Tap anywhere on the video to pause it. Click again to un-pause.
  15. This is the right-facing arrow below your video.
  16. 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}
  17. You have successfully viewed and shared a YouTube video!
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Using the YouTube App (Android)

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  10. This is in the top right corner of your phone screen.
  13. It should start automatically!
    • Tap anywhere on the video to pause it. Click again to un-pause.
  14. This is the right-facing arrow at the top of your video window. [1]
    • If you can't see this option, tap the video window once.
  15. 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}
  16. Now you know how to open and share a YouTube video on Android!
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Using the YouTube Site (Desktop)

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  1. Navigate to YouTube .
  2. This is at the top of the page.
  4. You can also click the magnifying glass icon to the right of this search bar.
  5. 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.
  6. This is below your YouTube video.
  7. You can also click one of the provided social media platforms.
  9. Do this by right-clicking in a shareable field (e.g., an email or a status update field) and clicking Paste .
  10. You have now viewed and shared a YouTube video!
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I watch a YouTube video without signing in?
    Linnie
    Top Answerer
    You don't need to sign in to watch a YouTube video. Just click the video you want to view, and unless it's been deleted or private, you should be able to watch it.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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    Not Helpful 8 Helpful 10
  • 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.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 5 Helpful 11
  • Question
    How do l download videos from YouTube onto my laptop?
    R2_d2000
    Top Answerer
    Check out the wikiHow article How to Download YouTube Videos for instructions on downloading a YouTube video.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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    Not Helpful 1 Helpful 11
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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

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

      1. ↑ http://ccm.net/faq/41428-get-youtube-video-links-on-android

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