The streaming giant has previously promised to improve the YouTube podcast experience, and it’s doing just that now. In a new blog post, the company shared that in April 2026 alone, YouTube Premium users watched over 800 million hours of podcasts.
To support such watch time, the platform offers features like background play, Jump ahead, and faster playback speeds.
Now, to further elevate the overall YouTube Premium podcast experience, the platform is rolling out three new features.
On-the-go mode
The new mode will give Premium users access to “listener-friendly controls” when they’re out and about. So, for example, if you’re going for a run or are on your commute, you’ll have quick access to controls like skip forward and back.
Auto speed
Aimed at giving you a more streamlined and uniform listening experience, auto speed, as its name suggests, adjusts the podcast’s playback speed during relevant moments,
So, for example, the feature can trigger during segments of slower-than-normal speech. Alternatively, it can slow things down during information-dense segments.
You’ll still have the option to manually adjust playback speed.
Ask Music, but for podcasts
For reference, YouTube’s Ask Music feature already lets Premium users generate personalized radio or playlists. The same AI tool will now be able to generate podcast recommendations based on genres, “your current mood, or shows you already love,” ensuring that you never run out of content worth listening to.
Auto speed, on-the-go mode, and Ask Music for podcasts are all limited to YouTube Premium users only.
