Whether you are trying to analyze a lightning-fast magic trick, take detailed notes during a dense academic lecture, or quickly skim through a slow-paced tutorial, the default playback speed of a YouTube video is rarely perfect for every situation. Fortunately, YouTube includes a built-in playback speed controller that allows you to alter the pacing of any video without distorting the audio pitch into an unintelligible mess.
How to Change the Playback Speed on Desktop
The speed controls on the desktop version of YouTube are accessible directly from the video player interface.
- Open YouTube in your web browser and click on a video to start playing it.
- Hover your mouse over the video player to reveal the control bar at the bottom.
- Click the Settings icon (the small gear) located in the bottom-right corner of the player.
- A small menu will appear. Click on Playback speed. (By default, this is set to “Normal”).
- Select your desired speed. Options range from 0.25x (extreme slow motion) up to 2x (double speed).
If the standard increments (1.25x, 1.5x) are not precise enough for your needs, look at the top of the Playback Speed menu and click on Custom. This will reveal a slider that allows you to adjust the speed in highly granular 0.05x increments.
Using Keyboard Shortcuts for Faster Control
If you are frequently adjusting the speed while watching long tutorials, clicking through the settings gear becomes tedious. YouTube has built-in keyboard shortcuts specifically designed for rapid speed manipulation.
- To increase the playback speed instantly, press the Shift + . (Greater Than) keys.
- To decrease the playback speed instantly, press the Shift + , (Less Than) keys.
Every time you press the shortcut, a small notification will briefly appear in the top-left corner of the video showing the new active speed setting.
How to Change the Playback Speed on the Mobile App
The interface on the official YouTube app for iOS and Android is slightly different, but the core functionality is identical.
- Open the YouTube app and begin playing a video.
- Tap anywhere on the video screen to reveal the controls.
- Tap the Settings icon (the gear) in the top-right corner of the video window.
- Tap on Playback speed.
- Select your desired speed multiplier from the list.
The video will immediately resume at the newly selected pace. Note that unlike the desktop version, the mobile application does not currently support the granular “Custom” slider, limiting you to the standard preset intervals.