How to Watch YouTube Videos on the iPhone

To watch YouTube videos on an iPhone, install the free YouTube app from the App Store, open it, search for a video, and tap it to play. If you would rather not install anything, open Safari, go to youtube.com, and tap a video there instead.

Both routes play the same videos. The app adds extras such as casting to a TV and picture-in-picture, while Safari is the quickest choice for a single video or for an iPhone that cannot install the app. This guide covers both, plus the playback controls most people look for next.

What You Need Before You Start

• An internet connection. Wi-Fi or cellular both work. YouTube Help recommends at least 500 Kbps, about 2.5 Mbps for 720p HD, and about 5 Mbps for 1080p HD.
• An Apple Account for the app. Apple says you need an internet connection and an Apple Account to use the App Store. You do not need one to watch in Safari.
• A recent version of iOS. YouTube Help says downloading the app requires iOS 14 or later. The App Store listing shows the requirement for the current version, which can be higher, so check the listing if the app will not install.
• A Google Account (optional). You can browse and play many videos without signing in. Signing in adds your subscriptions, watch history, and playlists, and YouTube says it may block some videos for signed-out viewers. The steps to delete YouTube watch and search history on an iPad are the same in the iPhone app.

The steps below follow YouTube Help for iPhone and iPad and the Apple iPhone User Guide as of October 2026. Button positions can shift a little between app versions, so go by the label or icon name if something has moved.

How to Get the YouTube App on an iPhone

These steps follow Google’s own instructions for downloading the YouTube mobile app.

1. Open the App Store on your iPhone.
2. Tap Search, then type YouTube and run the search.
3. Select the official YouTube app. The developer is listed as Google.
4. Tap Get. If you see a cloud icon with a down arrow instead, you have downloaded the app before, and tapping the cloud downloads it again for free.
5. If asked, confirm with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode. The app is free, so nothing is charged.
6. Wait for the progress circle to finish, then tap Open.

Apple’s guide to getting apps in the App Store notes that a new app also appears in the Recently Added category of the App Library, which is the last page to the right of your Home Screens. Look there if you cannot find the YouTube icon afterward.

How to Watch a Video in the YouTube App

1. Open the YouTube app.
2. Optional: tap the profile icon and sign in with your Google Account. You can skip this and still watch most videos.
3. Scroll the Home feed for suggestions, or tap the search icon (a magnifying glass) and type a topic, video title, or channel name.
4. Tap a video thumbnail or title. The video opens on its watch page and starts playing in the player at the top of the screen.
5. Tap the video once to show the controls. From there you can pause, drag the progress bar, or switch to full screen. Turning the iPhone sideways also fills the screen if rotation is not locked.

You know it worked when the video is moving and you hear sound. If the picture plays but there is no sound, check the volume buttons and the ring/silent setting first.

Handy controls while a video plays

• Skip back or ahead 10 seconds: double-tap the left or right side of the video.
• Fast forward at 2x: touch and hold anywhere on the video, then lift your finger to return to normal speed.
• Change the speed: tap the video, tap Settings (the gear), then tap Playback speed.
• Turn on captions: tap the video once, then tap Closed captions (the CC icon). Tap it again to turn them off. If the icon is missing, that video has no captions.

How to Watch YouTube in Safari on an iPhone

You do not need the app to watch. This is the better route for a quick video, for a borrowed phone, or when the app will not install.

1. Open Safari.
2. Tap the address bar, type youtube.com, and tap Go on the keyboard. The mobile version of the site loads.
3. Tap the search icon at the top and type what you want to watch, or scroll the list of suggested videos.
4. Tap a video. It opens on its own page and begins to play.
5. Tap the video to show the controls, including the full-screen button.

If a banner offers to open the page in the YouTube app, you can ignore it and keep watching in Safari. Signing in is optional here as well.

The browser has limits. YouTube Help states that you cannot cast from youtube.com in a mobile browser, so sending a video to a TV needs the app. YouTube also asks for the newest version of Safari, which on an iPhone arrives with iOS updates.

YouTube App vs. Safari at a Glance

Feature	YouTube app	Safari (youtube.com)
Install needed	Yes, free from the App Store	No
Search and play videos	Yes	Yes
Cast to a TV	Yes, with the Cast button	No, per YouTube Help
Picture-in-picture setting	Yes, on iOS 15 or later	Not covered by YouTube Help
Download videos for offline viewing	With YouTube Premium	No

Change Video Quality and Use Less Data

YouTube adjusts quality automatically based on your connection, which is why a video can look sharper or softer from one minute to the next. You can set it yourself.

For the video you are watching:

1. Tap the video, then tap Settings (the gear).
2. Tap Quality.
3. Choose Auto, Higher picture quality, Data saver, or Advanced. Advanced lets you pick a specific resolution such as 1080p, and it is not offered on every video.

For every video:

1. Tap your profile picture, then tap Settings.
2. Tap Video quality preferences.
3. Pick a quality for mobile networks and another for Wi-Fi.

Heads up: Higher picture quality uses more data, and YouTube warns that videos may take longer to start or buffer more often. On a limited plan, choose Data saver for mobile networks. You can go further and turn off cellular data for YouTube on your iPhone so the app only plays over Wi-Fi. To undo any of these choices, return to the same menu and select Auto.

Keep Watching While You Use Other Apps

Picture-in-picture, or PiP, shrinks the video into a small floating window that stays on top of other apps. According to YouTube’s page on using picture-in-picture on a mobile device, it needs iOS 15.0 or later. It works for most videos, but music content such as official music videos is limited to YouTube Premium members.

1. Open the iPhone Settings app and go to General > Picture in Picture. Turn on Start PiP Automatically.
2. In the YouTube app, tap your profile picture, tap Settings, then Playback, and turn on Picture-in-Picture.
3. Start a video, then leave the YouTube app by going to the Home Screen. The video shrinks into a small window that you can drag around.
4. To close it, tap the small player to show its controls, then tap the X.

To turn the feature off, go back to Settings > Playback in the YouTube app and switch off Picture-in-Picture. Pausing the video before you leave the app also stops the small window from appearing.

Listening with the screen locked is a different feature called background play. YouTube lists it as a YouTube Premium benefit in its mobile apps, so without a membership the sound stops when you lock the iPhone or leave the app. Premium members can adjust it under Settings > Background & downloads > Background play.

Watch on a TV or Without Internet

To send a video to a television, connect the iPhone and the smart TV or streaming device to the same Wi-Fi network, open the YouTube app on both, then tap Cast in the video player on your phone and pick the TV. The first time, iOS asks whether YouTube may find devices on your local network. Casting does not work unless you allow it. You can change the answer later in the iPhone Settings app by selecting YouTube and turning on Local Network. To stop, tap Cast again and choose This phone.

We have separate walkthroughs for casting your iPhone to a Chromecast and for watching YouTube on a Roku. If you do not own a streaming device yet, our comparison of which Roku to buy can help.

Watching without a connection requires YouTube Premium. Members tap Download below a video and later find it in the Downloads playlist. YouTube says downloaded videos can be played offline for up to 29 days before the iPhone needs to reconnect, and for a shorter time in some countries. Our article on downloading a YouTube video on an iPhone walks through it.

Troubleshooting YouTube Playback on an iPhone

These fixes come from YouTube’s video error troubleshooting page, ordered from quickest to slowest.

• The video keeps buffering or shows “Playback error. Tap to retry.” Check your connection, move closer to the router, or lower the quality with Settings > Quality > Data saver. Other devices using the same network can slow yours down.
• Videos play on Wi-Fi but not on cellular. Open the iPhone Settings app, tap Cellular, and make sure the switch next to YouTube is on.
• The app freezes or will not load. Close the YouTube app and open it again, then restart the iPhone. If that fails, YouTube suggests uninstalling and reinstalling the app.
• Buttons or settings are missing. Update the app. Open the App Store, tap your profile picture, and look for YouTube under the available updates. Installing the latest iOS update can help as well.
• The App Store will not let you install YouTube. Your version of iOS is probably older than the app requires. Update iOS in Settings > General > Software Update, or watch in Safari instead.
• “This video is unavailable” or a sign-in prompt. Sign in to YouTube. Some videos are age-restricted, and Restricted Mode hides mature videos when it is turned on.
• No sound. Raise the volume, check the iPhone’s sound settings, and disconnect any Bluetooth headphones the audio may be going to.
• The Cast button finds nothing. Confirm both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network and that Local Network is on for YouTube in the iPhone Settings app.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the YouTube app free on the iPhone?

Yes. The YouTube app is a free download from the App Store, and watching videos costs nothing beyond your internet or cellular data. YouTube Premium is an optional paid membership that removes ads and adds offline downloads and background play.

Do I need a Google Account to watch YouTube on an iPhone?

No. You can search for and play many videos in the app or in Safari without signing in. You need to sign in to subscribe to channels, comment, save playlists, or watch age-restricted videos, and YouTube says some videos may not be available to signed-out viewers.

Can I watch YouTube on an older iPhone that cannot install the app?

Often, yes. Open Safari and go to youtube.com. YouTube asks for an up-to-date browser, so a very old version of iOS may not play every video, and features such as casting are not available on the mobile site.

How do I make a YouTube video full screen on an iPhone?

Tap the video once and tap the full-screen icon in the corner of the player, or turn the iPhone sideways. If turning the phone does nothing, open Control Center and turn off the Portrait Orientation Lock button.

Why does YouTube stop when I lock my iPhone?

Playing with the screen off is background play, which YouTube offers as part of YouTube Premium. Without Premium, the documented option for multitasking is picture-in-picture, which keeps a small video window on screen for non-music videos on iOS 15 or later.

How do I stop the next video from playing automatically?

Autoplay starts another video when the current one ends. You can switch it off with the Autoplay toggle in the player or in the app’s settings. See our guide on how to stop YouTube videos from auto playing on an iPhone for the steps.

Next Step

Once a video is playing, set your default quality under Settings > Video quality preferences so YouTube matches your data plan every time. That setting only affects watching; for videos you post, see how to upload full quality videos from the iPhone YouTube app. If you are looking for free movies and shows rather than YouTube clips, see whether you can still watch Crackle on an iPhone.