Google is rolling out wider access to YouTube Premium features that were once limited to certain devices. The move brings more consistency for subscribers paying $13.99 a month for ad-free YouTube and bundled access to YouTube Music.
One highlight is playback control. Premium’s faster viewing speeds—ranging from 1x to 4x in half-step increments—are now available across Android, iOS, and the web. Initially, the option was restricted to the mobile YouTube app.
Short-form fans also benefit: Premium users can now set Shorts to auto-download for offline viewing, or watch them in picture-in-picture mode on iOS as well as Android. Meanwhile, “Jump Ahead,” Google’s AI-assisted tool that skips straight to key video moments, is expanding to smart TVs and game consoles.
On the audio side, Premium subscribers can now select “High” quality when streaming music videos, lifting the bitrate to 256kbps. The setting applies not just to official videos but also to YouTube’s “Art Tracks”—audio uploads without a full music video. Previously, this option was only found in the standalone YouTube Music app.
The new features don’t alter the core pitch of Premium—removing ads remains the main draw—but they do make the package more appealing for heavy users. By aligning playback, audio, and discovery tools across devices, Google is aiming to tighten the value proposition for its most loyal viewers and listeners.
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