YouTube launches on-the-go mode, auto speed for premium podcast listeners

YouTube has introduced new podcast-focused features for its Premium subscribers, as the platform reported that podcasts now attract more than 1 billion monthly active viewers globally.

As the platform noted, YouTube Premium users watched more than 800 million hours of podcasts in April 2026. The new features are aimed at improving podcast discovery and listening experiences across YouTube and YouTube Music.

Among the updates is an ‘On-the-go mode’ for Android users, with an iOS rollout planned in the coming months. The feature provides easier access to listening controls, including skip forward and backward options, while videos are playing in the background.

The platform has also launched ’Auto speed’ for Premium users on Android, with iOS support expected soon. The feature automatically adjusts playback speed during slower speech or information-heavy sections of content.

In addition, the platform is also expanding its ‘Ask Music’ recommendation tool to include podcasts. The feature, available to YouTube Music Premium and Premium subscribers in select countries, allows users to receive podcast recommendations based on genres, moods or shows they already follow.

The updates build on existing Premium features for podcast listeners, including background play, faster playback speeds and the Jump Ahead function.