What Is YouTube?
YouTube is a free website and app where you can watch videos about anything imaginable. Think of it as a TV with unlimited channels. You can find:
- Music from every era and genre
- Cooking tutorials and recipes
- News and documentaries
- Exercise and yoga classes
- Travel videos from around the world
- How-to guides for almost anything
- Talks and lectures on any topic
Opening YouTube
Look for the YouTube app on your phone. Its icon is a red rectangle with a white triangle (play button) in the center. If you do not have it, download it from your app store for free.
You can also open YouTube in your web browser by going to youtube.com.
Searching for Videos
- Tap the magnifying glass icon at the top of the screen.
- Type what you want to watch. For example: "how to make chocolate cake," "Frank Sinatra greatest hits," or "gentle chair yoga for seniors."
- Tap Search. A list of videos will appear.
- Tap any video to start watching.
Voice search: Tap the microphone icon next to the search bar and say what you want to find. "Play Beatles songs" or "Show me how to knit a scarf" work perfectly.
Controlling Video Playback
While watching a video:
- Pause/Play: Tap the center of the video once. A pause button will appear. Tap again to resume.
- Full screen: Turn your phone sideways (landscape). The video will fill the entire screen. Turn it back upright to go back to normal view.
- Volume: Use the volume buttons on the side of your phone.
- Skip ahead or back: Tap the progress bar at the bottom of the video and slide it left (back) or right (forward).
- Subtitles: Tap the CC button on the video for captions. Very helpful if the speaker has an accent or speaks quickly.
Making Videos Easier to See
- Full screen: Rotate your phone sideways for a bigger picture.
- Quality settings: If the video looks blurry, tap the gear icon (settings) on the video, then Quality, and choose a higher resolution like 720p or 1080p.
- Cast to TV: If you have a smart TV, you can watch YouTube videos on the big screen. Look for the cast icon (a rectangle with WiFi waves) at the top of the video and select your TV.
Saving Videos to Watch Later
Found something interesting but do not have time now?
- Tap the three dots under the video (or next to the video title in search results).
- Tap Save to Watch Later.
- To find it again: tap Library (bottom of the screen) > Watch Later.
Subscribing to Channels
If you find a channel you enjoy (like a cooking channel or a news channel), you can subscribe to see their new videos easily:
- While watching their video, tap the red Subscribe button below the video.
- Now their new videos will appear in your Subscriptions tab at the bottom of the app.
Subscribing is free. You can unsubscribe at any time.
YouTube Music
YouTube is one of the best free music players available. You can search for almost any song or artist and listen for free. Try searching for:
- "Frank Sinatra playlist"
- "relaxing classical music"
- "1960s greatest hits"
- "Israeli songs playlist"
Many results will be full playlists that play for hours, perfect for background music.
Safety on YouTube
- Ads: YouTube shows ads before and during videos. You can skip most ads after 5 seconds by tapping Skip Ad. This is normal and safe.
- Comments section: Below each video, people leave comments. You do not need to read or interact with these.
- Recommendations: YouTube suggests videos based on what you watch. If you see something you do not like, tap the three dots next to it and choose Not interested.
- YouTube is free. You do not need to pay for YouTube Premium, despite pop-up suggestions. Just tap "Skip trial" or "No thanks" if asked.