10 Easy Steps to Minimize YouTube

In the ubiquitous realm of digital entertainment, YouTube reigns supreme as a video-sharing behemoth. With its vast repository of content spanning a myriad of genres, it captivates viewers across the globe. However, when multitasking or attending to other tasks becomes a necessity, the need to minimize YouTube without interrupting playback arises. This comprehensive guide will delve into the intricacies of minimizing YouTube, empowering you to seamlessly navigate the platform while juggling multiple digital demands.

Firstly, the most straightforward method to minimize YouTube involves utilizing the platform’s built-in feature. By simply clicking the “Minimize” button located in the top-right corner of the browser window or app interface, you can reduce YouTube to a compact, unobtrusive window. This technique allows you to temporarily hide the video player without losing your place or halting playback. When you’re ready to resume watching, simply click on the minimized YouTube window to restore it to its previous size.

Alternatively, you can leverage the power of browser extensions or third-party software to enhance your YouTube experience. Numerous extensions, such as “Minimize YouTube” for Chrome or “BgPlay” for Firefox, provide convenient options for minimizing YouTube to the taskbar or system tray. These extensions typically offer customizable settings, allowing you to tailor the behavior of minimized videos according to your preferences. Additionally, dedicated software like “Float Tube” enables you to detach the YouTube video player from the main window, creating a floating window that can be positioned anywhere on your screen. This functionality grants you unparalleled flexibility, allowing you to continue watching YouTube while working on other applications.

Disable Autoplay

As you know, YouTube videos start playing automatically as soon as you open them, which can be annoying if you’re trying to browse or search for videos. Fortunately, there are two simple ways to disable autoplay on YouTube.

Method 1: Using the YouTube website

Go to YouTube.com and sign in to your account.
Click on your profile picture in the top-right corner of the screen.
Select “Settings” from the drop-down menu.
Under the “Autoplay” section, toggle the switch to the “Off” position.
Click “Save” at the bottom of the page.

Method 2: Using a browser extension

There are several browser extensions available that can disable autoplay on YouTube. One popular extension is “AutoplayStopper”.

Extension	Supported browsers
AutoplayStopper	Chrome, Firefox, Edge

Install the extension from the Chrome Web Store or the Firefox Add-ons website.
Once the extension is installed, it will automatically disable autoplay on YouTube.
You can customize the extension’s settings by clicking on its icon in the browser toolbar.

Reduce Quality

If you’re experiencing buffering or lag while streaming YouTube videos, one way to minimize usage is by reducing the video quality. This will reduce the amount of data being downloaded and streamed, potentially improving playback smoothness.

To reduce the video quality, follow these steps:

Start playing the video you want to watch.
Click on the Settings icon (located in the lower-right corner of the video player).
Select "Quality." A list of available qualities will appear.
Choose a lower quality setting. The lower the quality, the less data will be required to stream the video.

Quality Setting	Resolution	Bitrate (kbps)
High	1080p	3000-5000
Medium	720p	2000-3000
Low	480p	1000-2000

Note that the available quality settings may vary depending on the video. Some videos may not offer certain quality options due to factors such as the original video resolution or the availability of different codecs.

Use Ad-Blocking Extensions

Ad-blocking extensions are software programs that can be installed in your web browser to filter out advertisements from the websites you visit. This can significantly reduce the number of interruptions you experience while watching YouTube videos. There are many different ad-blocking extensions available, so you can choose one that best suits your needs and preferences.

To install an ad-blocking extension, simply visit the extension store for your web browser and search for “ad blocker”. Once you have found an extension that you like, click on the “Add to” button to install it. Once the extension is installed, it will start blocking ads automatically.

Here are some of the most popular ad-blocking extensions:

Extension	Description
AdBlock	One of the most popular ad-blocking extensions, AdBlock is available for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. It blocks a wide range of ads, including video ads, banner ads, and pop-ups.
uBlock Origin	A lightweight and efficient ad-blocking extension, uBlock Origin is available for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. It blocks a wide range of ads, including video ads, banner ads, and pop-ups.
Ghostery	In addition to blocking ads, Ghostery also blocks trackers and other privacy-invasive elements from websites. It is available for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.

Delete Watch History and Recommendations

Step 1: Access Your History Page

Visit the YouTube History Page. Click on the “History” link in the sidebar menu of your YouTube homepage.

Step 2: Delete Individual History Items

Hover over any history item to reveal the “Remove” button. Click the button to delete the item.

Step 3: Clear Entire Watch History

Click the “Clear all watch history” button located in the sidebar menu on the History page.

Step 4: Pause Watch History

Device

Steps

Desktop Browser

Click your profile icon in the top-right corner. Select “Settings.” Under “History & privacy,” toggle off “Watch history.”

Mobile App

Tap the “Library” tab. Tap the “History” icon. Tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner. Select “Pause watch history.”

Smart TV

Navigate to your account settings on the smart TV. Find the “Privacy” or “Watch History” option and disable it.

Disable Background Playback

To prevent YouTube from continuing to play videos in the background when you minimize the app, follow these steps:

Open the YouTube app on your device.
Tap on your profile picture in the top-right corner.
Select “Settings” from the menu.
Under “Background & downloads,” tap “Background playback.”
Select “Off” to disable background playback.

Adjust Playback Speed

Modify the speed at which a video plays to suit your needs. Clicking the gear icon in the lower-right corner of the video will reveal the playback settings. Select “Playback Speed” from the drop-down menu.

Choose from a range of options, including 0.25x for significantly slower playback or 2x for accelerated viewing. Experiment with different speeds to find the optimal pace for your comprehension and enjoyment.

Customizing Playback Speed

If you need more precise control over the playback speed, use the following steps:

1. Enable Keyboard Shortcuts

Click on your profile picture in the top-right corner, select “Settings,” then “Keyboard Shortcuts.” Enable the “Speed Controls” option.

2. Use Keyboard Shortcuts

During video playback, use the following keyboard shortcuts to adjust the speed:

Shortcut	Function
J	Decrease playback speed by 0.1x
L	Increase playback speed by 0.1x
	Jump backwards 10 seconds
	Jump forwards 10 seconds

Utilize the Restricted Mode

Step 1: Navigate to the YouTube homepage.

Step 2: Click on the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner.

Step 3: Select “Settings” from the menu.

Step 4: Click on “Restricted Mode.”

Step 5: Choose “On.”

Step 6: Click “Save.”

Step 7: Once enabled, Restricted Mode will filter out videos containing potentially inappropriate content. This is an effective way to minimize your or your children’s exposure to potentially disturbing or inappropriate content while browsing YouTube. Below is a more detailed guide to enabling Restricted Mode:

Step	Instructions
1	Go to the YouTube homepage.
2	Click the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner.
3	Select “Settings” from the menu.
4	Choose “Restricted Mode.”
5	Toggle the switch to “On.”
6	Click “Save.”

By enabling Restricted Mode, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of encountering inappropriate content on YouTube, making it a safer and more enjoyable experience for all.

Use Youtube Kids

YouTube Kids is a designated branch of YouTube that features pre-screened and curated kid-friendly content. Its simplified interface makes navigation effortless, allowing kids to explore age-appropriate videos without parental supervision.
Here’s a table summarizing the key benefits of using YouTube Kids:

Advantages
Curated kid-friendly content
Simplified interface
Parental controls and customizable settings
Educational and entertaining content

To get started with YouTube Kids:

1. Download the YouTube Kids app on your mobile device or smart TV.
2. Create a profile for your child and set parental controls as desired.
3. Your child can now access age-appropriate videos and explore content independently.

Set Data Limit

YouTube allows you to set a data limit to control how much data you consume while streaming videos. This feature is particularly useful if you have a limited data plan or if you want to avoid exceeding your mobile data usage.

To set a data limit, follow these steps:

1. Open the YouTube app.
2. Tap on your profile picture in the top-right corner.
3. Tap on “Settings.”
4. Scroll down and tap on “Background & downloads.”
5. Under “Data usage,” tap on “Data limit.”
6. Select the desired data limit.
7. Tap on “OK.”

Once you have set a data limit, YouTube will automatically stop streaming videos when the limit is reached. You can also track your data usage in the “Background & downloads” settings.

Default Data Limit Settings

YouTube offers three default data limit settings:

Setting	Description
Low	Limits data usage to 500MB per hour.
Medium	Limits data usage to 1GB per hour.
High	Limits data usage to 2GB per hour.

You can also set a custom data limit by tapping on “Set a custom limit” in the “Data usage” settings.

Turn Off Notifications

By default, YouTube sends notifications for new videos, comments, and other activities from channels you’re subscribed to. If you find these notifications distracting or overwhelming, you can turn them off.

Open the YouTube app or website.
Click on your profile picture in the top-right corner.
Select “Settings”.
Click on “Notifications”.
Uncheck the boxes for the types of notifications you want to turn off.
Click “Save”.

You can also disable specific notifications for individual channels by clicking on the “Notification bell” icon on their channel page and selecting “Disable all” or “Mute”.

Notification Type	Description
New videos	Notifications for new videos uploaded by channels you’re subscribed to.
Comments	Notifications for comments on your videos or channels you’re subscribed to.
Live streams	Notifications when channels you’re subscribed to start live streaming.
Reminders	Reminders about upcoming live streams or videos from channels you’re subscribed to.
Other	Notifications for other activities, such as when channels you’re subscribed to upload new playlists or make changes to their channel.

How To Minimize Youtube?

To minimize YouTube on your computer, follow these steps:

Open YouTube and play a video.
Click the minimize button in the top-right corner of the video player.
The video player will minimize to a small window in the bottom-right corner of your screen.

To minimize YouTube on your mobile device, follow these steps:

Open YouTube and play a video.
Tap the minimize button in the bottom-right corner of the video player.
The video player will minimize to a small window in the bottom-right corner of your screen.