30+ YouTube Keyboard Shortcuts You Need to Know

By Karrar Haider. in Social Media. Updated on December 1, 2023.

Many people today spend most of their time on YouTube, whether for learning purpose or watching some cat videos. If you are one of those users who spends hours jumping from one YouTube recommendation to another, then you should definitely hone its keyboard shortcuts.

Check out this list of 30+ keyboard shortcuts to make your YouTube use more productive.

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Note: Most of these shortcuts will only work when the YouTube player is in focus. If you are navigating other parts of the video page, then these shortcuts will not work. You can click on the YouTube player to gain back focus.

Shortcuts	Descriptions
Spacebar	Pause/Play video (player focus required)
K key	Pause/Play video (doesn’t require focus)
↑ (Arrow key up)	Turn up volume 5%
↓ (Arrow key down)	Turn down volume 5%
M key	Mute/unmute volume
← (Arrow key left)	Move backward 5 sec
→ (Arrow key right)	Move forward 5 sec
L key	Move forward 10 sec
J key	Move backward 10 sec
0 / Home key	Restart the video
End key	Skip to the end
Num keys 1,2,3..9	Move playhead to the respective percentage, 10%-90%
F key	Enter or exit full screen
Esc key	Exit full screen
Ctrl + →	Move to next video (only in playlist)
Ctrl + ←	Move to previous video (only in playlist)
Tab key	Move forward in player control buttons
Shift + Tab	Move backward in player control buttons
Enter	Execute select player control button
C key	Turn on/off CC (closed captions)
+ key	Increase CC font size when it’s turned on
– key	Decrease CC font size when it’s turned on
B key	Change CC background color
> key	Increase play speed
< key	Decrease play speed
Shift + P	Play previously played video
Shift + N	Play next video in recommendation/playlist
/ key	Place text cursor in search field to start typing
Esc key	Focus away from search field if text cursor is there
, (comma)	Move backward per frame when video is paused
. (period)	Move forward per frame when video is paused

Using the Tab key

Most of the YouTube player functions can be controlled with the above-mentioned keyboard shortcuts. However, they still can’t control everything, such as toggle theater mode or control options in the player “Settings”.

You will need the help of “Tab key” to navigate to these options and then use “Enter” and “Arrow keys” to control the options. For example, you can move to the “Settings” button by pressing the ‘Tab key” multiple times and then hit “Enter” to open the settings. Afterward, use “Arrow keys” to move up and down in the settings and use “Enter” to change any options inside.

If you don’t want to use the mouse at all or don’t have access to it, then the “Tab key” is your best friend.

Tip: YouTube TV mode takes the most advantage of these shortcuts. If you like navigating YouTube with keyboard shortcuts, then you will definitely like the YouTube TV mode. You can use it on both your PC and your smart TV.

To conclude

Learning these YouTube keyboard shortcuts may require some practice, but they are worth investing your time in if you want to have a hassle-free YouTube experience.

I believe that Spacebar and arrow keys are the most used keyboard shortcuts, but the others are very useful as well. If you know any other cool YouTube shortcuts, share with us in the comments below.