YouTube announced a series of new Premium features designed to enhance the podcast listening experience as podcast consumption on the platform continues to grow.
The company revealed that YouTube Podcasts now reaches more than 1 billion monthly active viewers globally, and Premium subscribers have emerged as some of the platform’s most engaged podcast consumers.
According to YouTube, Premium members watched more than 800 million hours of podcast content in April 2026 alone. To better serve these users, the company is rolling out several new podcast-focused capabilities across its platform.
One of the headline additions is On-the-go Mode, a new listening experience designed for podcast consumption while moving. The feature provides larger playback controls, simplified navigation, chapter access, and a more audio-centric interface. It is available now on Android devices and is expected to arrive on iOS in the coming months.
YouTube is also introducing Auto Speed, a feature that automatically adjusts playback speed based on a video’s content. The tool is designed to help users consume content more efficiently while maintaining comprehension during slower or more information-dense segments.
In addition, YouTube is expanding Ask Music, its AI-powered recommendation experience, to include podcast discovery. Users can request podcast suggestions based on genres, moods, activities, or podcasts they already enjoy, allowing the AI tool to generate personalized recommendations.
The updates are part of YouTube’s broader effort to strengthen its position in podcasting and improve the listening experience for Premium subscribers.
KEY QUOTES:
“Podcasts on YouTube are a true global phenomenon. With more than 1 billion monthly active viewers, we know how important podcasts are to YouTube users everywhere. That’s why we’re always working to make the podcast experience on YouTube as seamless as possible.”
Steve McLendon, YouTube Podcasts Product Lead, and Jack Greenberg, Director, Product Management, YouTube Premium
