Everybody watches videos on YouTube, but very few people know how to use it like a pro. Not only can some simple tricks make it easier for you to use YouTube, but they can even unlock a few features that you weren’t aware of. The experts at ServiceMarket have put together this list of 7 tricks will make your YouTubing experience better than ever before.
Preview before watching
Can’t remember if you’ve seen a video before? No problem. Simply hover your mouse cursor over the video and you’ll see multiple screenshots of the video. This feature can help you find the right videos very quickly.
Save videos for offline viewing
You can now save your favorite songs and videos on any device using YouTube’s offline viewing feature. It’s also ideal for travelers who won’t have access to the Internet while they’re away from home. You can easily save multiple videos on your tablet or smartphone with the click of a button.
Read autogenerated transcripts
Very few people know that YouTube automatically generates a transcript for every video. You can see it as subtitles by hitting the CC button at the bottom of the video or by clicking on the ‘More’ tab and then selecting ‘Transcript’. As as uploader, you will have the option to edit the transcript to refine it or hide it.
Set the time while sharing
Want to share a video with your friends but are afraid that they will stop watching it before they reach the part you want them to see? Use this simple trick to make the video start from a specified time when you friends click on the link. When you click on the Share tab, a ‘Start at’ field will appear. Just add the exact time there and it will be embedded into the video URL automatically!
Learn some keyboard shortcuts
Most YouTube pros use keyboard shortcuts to make viewing and browsing more efficient and convenient. Here are some shortcuts you should definitely keep in mind while YouTubing:
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- f = fullscreen
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- k or spacebar = pause/play
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- j = move back 10s
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- l = move forward 10s
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- 0 = start from the beginning
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- m = mute
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- c = turn on captions
- Decrease and increase volume with the down and up arrows, respectively
Make it float while browsing
Ever wonder if there’s an easy way to continue watching YouTube videos while doing other things on your laptop? Here’s the perfect solution! Add the Floating YouTube extension to your Google Chrome browser and make small videos float anywhere on your screen.
Watch 360 degree videos
YouTube allows you to upload and watch some videos with a 360-degree perspective. To change your video, click and drag your mouse or tilt your smartphone. This feature will work on a laptop if you’re using Google Chrome or with an Android or iOS YouTube app on smartphone. Check out this example of a 360-degree video:
