Watch YouTube on your TV (newer models)

If you're using YouTube on a Smart TV from 2013 or newer, you likely have the youtube.com/tv app. 

Sign in to access YouTube features

Sign in with your mobile device

  1. Make sure your mobile device is on the same Wi-Fi network as your TV.
  2. Sign in to the YouTube app on your phone.
  3. Go to the Sign in screen in the YouTube app on your TV.
  4. The YouTube app on your TV will automatically search for your mobile device. Once they are paired, you will see a notification on your mobile screen that says Tap to begin TV sign in. Tap the account icon .
  5. Tap Continue as <Your name>.
  6. On the "Allow Account Access" screen, tap Allow.
  7. A notification on your mobile screen will let you know that "You are signing in to your TV," then that "You're now signed in to the TV."

Sign in on your TV

Step 1: Find the activation code and sign in

  1. Navigate to the Sign in screen in the YouTube app and stay on this screen until you've completed the remaining steps.
  2. Visit youtube.com/activate on your computer or mobile device.
  3. Sign in when prompted. If you have multiple Google accounts, please select the account you use with YouTube. If you're already signed in, skip to the steps below.

Step 2: Select your channel

After signing in, you may be presented with a list of Google identities associated with your YouTube account.

Step 3: Complete the activation process

  1. Once you've selected an account, enter the activation code shown in the YouTube app on your TV.
  2. Click Allow access and wait for the confirmation screen in the app.

Learn more about Google Identities on YouTube.

Play and control videos

Once you select a video to play, a player control bar will appear allowing you to perform the following actions:

  • Go home returns you to the home screen.
  • Play Play will play or resume your video.
  • Forward  will advance the video by 10 seconds.
  • Rewind  will rewind the video by 10 seconds.
  • Captions Captions will show the video's closed captions, if available.

When playing a video, you can find additional options by selecting More actions. You can navigate to the following options from the More actions menu:

  • Subscribe to the channel
  • Rate the video
  • Flag the video for violating community guidelines 

Disable Autoplay

YouTube on TV includes a feature called autoplay. This means a suggested video will automatically play after the video you are currently watching.

To disable autoplay, go into your menu and choose Settings > Autoplay, then uncheck the box.

After you disable this feature, you will still see suggested videos once you finish the video you are watching, but nothing will play automatically. 

Search for and discover videos

Select the Search icon to find YouTube videos. Use the navigation keys to scroll through your subscriptions, recommended videos, playlists and more.

You can also use the Send to TV feature to search for videos from a separate device.

Use your mobile device as a remote

Learn about pairing and Send to TV.

Watch paid content

Learn more about paid content on smart TVs.

 

Note: If you're a YouTube TV member looking to watch YouTube TV on your television, check out the YouTube TV Help Center for more information. 
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