Tips for Using YouTube on Your Phone

Using YouTube on the mobile site

By
Gretchen Siegchrist
Gretchen Siegchrist
Writer
  • New York University
  • Suffolk University
Gretchen Siegchrist is a professional videographer who enjoys helping amateurs master the basics of desktop video.
lifewire's editorial guidelines
Updated on February 4, 2021

YouTube on your phone is similar to YouTube on your personal computer. If you don't want to download the YouTube app, or if you don't have space on your smartphone for the app, the YouTube mobile site is the best option for watching videos on your phone.

The YouTube mobile site is not the same as the mobile app. To access the mobile site, you only need an internet browser on your smartphone, such as Google Chrome or Safari.

The mobile site has four tabs at the bottom of the screen: Home, Trending, Subscriptions, and Library. Use these tips to navigate your way around the tabs and other settings.

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Watch YouTube Videos on the Mobile Site

YouTube mobile website homepage and search bar

When you log into the mobile site, the Home screen displays a list of videos based on your viewing history. Select a video to watch, or tap the search icon in the upper-right corner of the screen to search for a video.

If you want to comment on videos or upload videos to your YouTube channel, sign in to YouTube with your Google account. Otherwise, as a guest, you're limited to only watching videos.

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YouTube - Trending tab and trending categories

Tap the Trending tab to see everything that's popular on YouTube. Scroll through the videos, or select one of the five categories at the top of the Trending page to view videos in the following categories:

  • Music
  • Gaming
  • News
  • Movies
  • Fashion and Beauty
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Go Straight to Your Subscriptions

YouTube mobile site - Subscriptions

Tap the Subscriptions tab to view recently uploaded videos from the channels you subscribe to. Select a video to watch, or tap the channel's profile image at the top of the Subscriptions page to see more videos from a specific channel.

If you don't see the channel you're looking for, tap the right-arrow in the upper-right corner to view more channels that you subscribe to.

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Consult the Library for Your Watch History

YouTube - Library

Go to the Library tab to manage your video watch history, video "like" history, and the videos you selected to watch later.

Video purchases and uploads are also stored in your library, but you need to log in to the mobile app or the main YouTube website to edit or delete videos.

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Select Your Profile Image for More

YouTube mobile website - Settings

Most of the mobile site features can be accessed via the tabs at the bottom of the screen. However, there's more you can do when you select your profile image, such as:

  • Manage your Google account.
  • Go to the YouTube app (tap the arrow inside the red circle).
  • Go to your YouTube channel.
  • Switch between YouTube accounts.
  • Access Settings to change the mobile site notifications and more.
  • Switch to the Desktop version.

If you accidentally select Desktop in Settings, tap Go to Mobile Site to go back to the mobile-friendly version of the website.

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