YouTube Premium has 5 features I didn't know about—and they're worth the subscription alone

Viraj Gawde

Wed, July 29, 2026 at 4:45 PM UTC

Lucas Gouveia / How-To Geek | DenPhotos / Shutterstock

I subscribed to YouTube Premium for one reason: an ad-free viewing experience. After all, it's the biggest selling point of the popular video-sharing platform. It didn't take me long to realize that I was paying every month without using half of what I'm actually getting.

If you're in the same boat, you're leaving some genuinely useful features on the table. And that's worth considering when YouTube raised the prices of its paid membership in April of this year. Some features are tucked away in the settings, while others hide in the settings without much fanfare. Here are the YouTube Premium perks that deserve a lot more attention.

Queue videos

Line up your next watch without a playlist

With Queued list, I don't need to make a playlist. — Credit: Viraj Gawde / How-To Geek

Queuing videos on YouTube has existed on desktop for years. It is available for Premium subscribers on mobile. The feature allows me to line up several videos without having to create a playlist. It makes YouTube feel much closer to a proper streaming platform .

Instead of jumping from one video to the next, I can tap on the three-dot menu next to any video and select Play next in queue. It's perfect when I'm watching something in a minimized view and browsing for what to play next. So, I don't lose my spot and end up with a Watch Later list full of videos that I queued up and forgot about. I can also drag to reorder the queue, although it's worth noting that the queue is temporary. Closing the currently playing video will clear the entire list, so you'll have to build it again the next time.

Continue Watching

Pick up exactly where you left off, on any screen

Queuing solves what to watch next. Continue Watchingsolves where to watch it. If you use the same YouTube Premium account across your smartphone, tablet, and TV, this is one of those features you'll appreciate almost immediately. It lets me resume videos from the exact timestamp across supported devices instead of trying to remember where I left off.

Continue Watching sounds like a small convenience, but it makes YouTube feel like Netflix and Prime Video, especially if you consume longer content instead of shorts.

Jump Ahead

Skip the filler automatically

Rather than repeatedly tapping the fast-forward button or dragging the timeline, Jump Ahead lets you skip less engaging or commonly bypassed parts of the video. Think introductions, sponsored parts, or lengthy setup before the main topic. I find this feature helpful for long videos such as recipes, tutorials, and reviews. A pill-shaped Jump Ahead button appears briefly on the right side of the video. It removes a lot of unnecessary scrubbing with a single tap.

Jump Ahead relies on viewership data and AI to determine the best points to skip to. It may not be available on all YouTube videos and Shorts.

Smart Downloads

Builds your offline library

Most people know they can manually download a video on YouTube . But fewer people know that Premium can do it for you. Smart Downloads automatically saves recommended content based on my viewing habits whenever I'm connected to Wi-Fi. So, I have a rotating stash of videos I'll actually watch the next time I'm offline.

Smart Downloads page in the YouTube app displaying automatically downloaded videos, including Shorts and recommended content available for offline viewing.

The feature is disabled by default. You can turn on the feature in Settings > Background and Downloads > Toggle Smart Downloads.

I've found it particularly convenient before traveling, as I can simply open the downloads section and there's already a fresh selection ready to watch. A word of caution—since Smart Downloads depend on what you watch, the folder will be messy just as your main feed if you have a shared account.

Background Playback

Keep the audio going

You don't need to keep YouTube open or your screen awake with this feature. — Credit: Viraj Gawde / How-To Geek

Background playback is one of YouTube Premium's oldest features, but it still deserves a mention. If I'm consuming non-video content, the feature lets me keep the audio playing even if I lock my phone or switch to another app. This is useful for podcasts, documentaries, interviews, or long-form discussion. I don't have to keep the screen awake.

Background Playback needs to be enabled manually by heading to Settings > Background and Downloadsand from there selecting Background Playto Always On.

Try adding some of these YouTube Premium features into your routine

Over the years, YouTube Premium has quietly evolved into more than just an ad-free subscription. None of the features were hidden—I just never looked. The fix isn't canceling your subscription. It's spending ten minutes exploring the settings before you make a decision. Chances are you'll find at least two to three features that become a part of your daily routine.

Check out Yahoo's latest streaming advice, based on hands-on testing.

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