If you’re watching a YouTube playlist or listening to it in the background, then you may occasionally have it pause your videos and ask you to confirm that you’re still watching. YouTube generally pauses to check just as a new video is starting to cause the least intrusion, however, it can also just pause your videos partway through instead.
YouTube pausing videos that you’re actively watching is annoying enough, but it’s generally easy enough to click “Yes”. If a video in the background gets paused, however, you’re likely busy doing something else and may not be able to hit play again straight away.
It is understandable why YouTube would implement this feature, as videos that aren’t being watched result in more traffic and no ad-revenue. Unfortunately, from a user perspective, the feature is really annoying. It’s not even possible to disable the feature through YouTube’s settings. To stop YouTube from automatically pausing your videos you need to install a browser extension.
Tip: Unfortunately, due to the browser extension requirement, the fix does not work for mobile devices.
Turn it off via an extension
There are a number of Extensions that purport to offer the ability to bypass the “Continue watching” message. Unfortunately, not all of them will necessarily work or at least work reliably. In our testing the “AutoTube – YouTube nonstop” extension from Moe Kanan seemed to work, its available for both Chrome and Firefox. There are, however, plenty of other options in both the Chrome Web Store and the Firefox Add-On Store if AutoTube doesn’t work for you.
To install a Chrome extension, find an extension you want to install in the Web Store, then click “Add to Chrome and “Add extension”. The extension will then download and automatically install. To install a Firefox add-on, find an add-on you want to install, then click “Add to Firefox” and “Add”. As with Chrome, the add-on will automatically download and install. Once the extension or add-on is installed it will be active straight away. If you have a tab open with YouTube paused by the “Continue watching” message, they may even immediately resume the video.
Lin Soo says
Somebody suggested having a premium paid subscription helps. It doesn’t.
I have one, and maybe it doesn’t stop every few minutes anymore, but it stops at least once an hour. Very annoying when I have deliberately chosen a 4-hour video for example. At the moment the only ones that will seem to continue playing are “live” videos, but not everything is available as a live, and even those sometimes end their stream stream while you’re listening. I have the setting “remind me to take a break” turned off.
Like others have said, if you’re using it for relaxation or to help sleep it’s very disruptive. It’s also YouTube invading our preferences and what we wish to do.
I just wish more channel creators would double up their content on another app. I stay for the educational content, but I would love a an excuse to leave you YouTube.
Gumboot says
I don’t even care about the ads, just that it stops. If i want it to stop, I’ll turn it off ffs. I’m not 5, i don’t need to be told what to do/asked what I’m doing, every 5 mins. It’s f#king stupid. And I’m going to be listening to less ads that i ignore if it swtiches off anyways. Just jam the god damn “do you want to continue watching ” feature up your @ss, and leave me the f@#k alone to do what I’m doing.
Kewrock says
Like most people here I use YT to drown out the city noise and people stomping around upstairs so I can sleep.
You DON”T have to be interrupted by advertisements though. At least on your desk/laptop PC. Use Firefox and install Ad Block Plus add-on. No more youtube commercials.
Parrotzilla says
Screwgle is at it again destroying what once were good apps. I use You Tube playlist to entertain my parrots when I’m not in their room. So the poor birds can’t beak at the lousy popup to restore their videos. Sad. Will have to report them to the SPCA and other animal rights organizations.
Dominic.tech says
This is a limitation of free version on YouTube (and YouTube Music). If you have YouTube Premium (or Youtube Music Premium) than the videos or music will not pausing every 10 minutes !
Diddi says
With some basic scripting knowledge you can make your own script that clicks “OK” when the message pops up. All you would need to know for the script is the location of the “OK” button and an image of the box so the script can recognize when to click the “OK” coordinates. AutoHotkey is free and can do this if anyone is not getting their extensions working. For Phones, idk.
Phil says
I don’t know if that prompt is tied to the ad settings or not , but I did find out recently that the level of intrusiveness of the ads isn’t 100% on YouTube.. The amount of ads is also controlled by the content creator. I was wondering why some videos I watched were worse than others.. I finally figured out the guys who were always telling you to click here and there,, go to Patreon, buy a shirt…etc were maxing out the ad settings for max revenue.
I also use videos for sleep, but the content creators are more worried about their customers than a few extra bucks, so I can watch a 10 hour brown noise or rainstorm video with no interruptions—because that’s how they set that video up.
Set a record a couple of nights ago—27 of the same political ad in a row about every minute or so. SMH
screwyoutube says
yeah been a year and not fixed this, yep youtube doesn’t care about anyone but mainstream media.
BroICantSleep says
I am literally losing sleep over this. it pauses a video which triggers me to wake up since I am a very light sleeper.. forget this feature.
Marcel says
So youtube wants to make sure that people listening to insomnia vids did not fall asleep?
Kiki says
I can’t stop that feature.
Caitlin says
I use Youtube to listen to videos to fall asleep. There is nothing more annoying than having it stop and needing to roll over out of my comfy spot and get it playing again because it assumes we’re not watching anymore. Just let it play you vultures.
Richard Duran says
YouTube, you’re really blowing it. I got embarrassed at a party that I threw because I tried to use one of my music mixes and it kept stopping after three or four songs because I couldn’t sit there and babysit the damn thing all night long. I know the new age is all about money but this is sick and disgusting. I used to like your app but now I’m seriously considering erasing it off my phone
Ron says
Stop supporting all of YouTube’s ads. It’s time for a Nationwide boycott on all YouTube support. They don’t need to use the pause feature.
James B McClain says
This is very annoying, so I’m looking to other video options. For people who have the videos for sleep, I suggest downloading your own videos and stop using Youtube. It has become insidious, this grab for money for commercials that we are paying for. There is a law that says it is illegal to place commercials on pipelines that we pay for. Maybe it is time to litigate this issue.
Chris says
It also does it on the YouTube aoo and it is impossible to use those extensions on a tablet through the app. It usually happens when I close my case seconds after I put the tablet down.
Like some of the others, I use the app to listen to ASMR to help me sleep. Soooooo annoying to have to put the app on as dark as possible (which is not dark enough to sleep properly). IT did not do it on my Samsung Tab A but it does it on my Samsung Tab S6 lite which is brand new.
ANY help would be appreciated.
John says
Thank you for your agreement and suggestions. I thought I was the only one experiencing this.
Melinda says
I use a sleep video I listen to rain. But during the night the video stops to ask me are you still watching I’m freaking asleep. The brightness from the TV wakes me up. These are 10 hour long sleep videos. Why would they ask if you are still watching. I’ve tried to figure out how to stop this function? I need the rain video to block out noise from the street. Help any answers
micmac says
why does you tube need commercials , on the computer there isn’t any
why would any one in their right mind subject themselves to commercials
i never hit skip, why should i wear out my remote and my batteries
LE says
Just plain annoying.
I have a smart TV so the Google extension is useless.
What else you got?
Nobody in particular says
“No ad revenue? But the videos are being watched”
Not necessarily. Google need to be able to prove to advertisers that their ads are being seen by a human. If there’s been no interaction with youtube for a long time, chances are nobody is actively watching it, and the advertiser won’t pay for the view.
Jay says
So the only reason they bought this in is to force more people to move to Paid YouTube.
So there’s a few further solutions.
1>Use a YouTube downloaded to download the videos and play at your own leisure.
2>Use an extension as mentioned in this post,
3>Stop using YouTube and just download the music. Think back the the napster and lime wire days hahaha.
Insomnia1 says
10 hour ‘sleep’ videos are no good now. The only thing that helped me ger a good night’s sleep has now been taken away by this ridiculous ‘do you want to carry on watching’ crap! Thanks a lot youtube. Rwal clever!
Joe D. says
Very annoying. I should be able to pause or stop when I want to. Some times not in room when playing next up.
Eve says
This just started happening to me last week. I don’t mind it pausing between songs on a playlist. It’s when it happens in the middle of the one binaural beats for insomnia video that I’m using to help me sleep. Drives me nuts.
Graham says
To be fair, this is probably due to the amount of “how to” videos on making money on YouTube!
People saying how they make 10’s thousands £££ creating a “through the night” 10hour long chill music track filled with adverts lol!!
KomisCZ says
Works like a charm so far, yes, youtube seems to be more and more annoying with every year. Well google does find a gem and turns it into an ugly duckling. Story of “Why we cant have nice things” continues. Thats why I use several search engines and opt for different platmorms other than youtube when available. Which is not possible very often…
Tim says
Youtube has steadily got more intolerable to use since 2005 when it was an excellent app and didn’t need a single update. Unfortunately this is the case with almost every app that google sets its ugly sights on, pretty soon they destroy everything that fun.
Zaltana Miles-Meyer says
How can I fix this problem if I listen to playlists on youtube on an Android phone I tried it on on yandex with protect and it still didn’t help please help me
Zaltana Miles-Meyer says
Why can’t I post comments on here
Zaltana Miles-Meyer says
How do I do if I listen to playlists on youtube on an Android my it doesn’t work not even on yandex
John says
But how do you stop it from pausing for iPhone Ios Safari?
John says
But how do you stop it for iPhone. How do you stop it from pausing on safari? There isn’t any extension for safari on iphone
Kammes says
Install an add blocker.
Install nonstop youtube.
Problem solved. If youtube does not like this, their problem.
Rex Craven says
Cure to fix this when using youtube for constant music: most of you have amazon prime. Use amazon music for music playlist. You already paying for prime with prime video. If you pay an extra couple of bucks you get the premium version. Just an idea to help you
Apogee777 says
Stop moaning and fix it, install an extension that stops it.
Eric P Parrinello says
No! This is unacceptable! If I want to fall asleep with my TV on I shouldn’t have to worry about it pausing, I shouldn’t have to worry about that, fix this now!
Cathy says
“It is understandable why YouTube would implement this feature, as videos that aren’t being watched result in more traffic and no ad-revenue.”
No ad revenue? But the videos are being watched, probably in the background while doing dishes or cleaning, leading to the ads being played fully(as long as they arent 5+mins long) without interruption unlike normal? Did someone with no sense write this?
In any case it’s a pointless feature that causes more frustrations, but we honestly expect nothing more than such hurdles from Google.
John D Hampton says
I’m going to abandon youtube for my local radio station. I will start using my media player library. Buy some new music CD’s and load up the carousel again. youtube BS isn’t worth the effort. The ads don’t pause and then you don’t get to enjoy the treat. I heard paying for prime doesn’t stop it, so it’s time to move on to something new,
Ann says
It’s insulting that my viewing is paused because of some stupid ads that I don’t pay attention to anyway. I’m inclined to move on to something better