Have you ever been engrossed in a video on your phone, only to accidentally pause or skip ahead because of an unintentional tap? YouTube is aiming to solve this problem with a new feature it's currently testing. Known as the "Lock Screen," this feature is intended to prevent accidental disruptions while watching videos in full-screen mode on mobile devices.
Occasionally, YouTube offers its Premium subscribers a chance to try out new features in development. The most recent one is the Lock Screen feature, which disables touch inputs when watching videos. This will allow users to avoid inadvertently pausing, fast-forwarding, or otherwise interrupting their videos. This feature can be activated by tapping on the gear icon located at the top-left corner of the screen, where users will find the Lock Screen option.
However, this feature is currently available only to selected YouTube Premium subscribers on Android and iOS. YouTube has given these users until July 30 to try out this new feature. Subscribers can check if they have received an invitation to test this feature by visiting the YouTube homepage.
YouTube is not the pioneer in introducing a lock screen feature. Netflix, back in 2020, incorporated a similar feature into its mobile app to prevent accidental touches. But YouTube is not stopping at just a lock screen feature. Recently, the company confirmed that it is also testing a three-strike policy against users who enable ad blockers. A spokesperson stated that this is part of a small global experiment to encourage users to allow ads on the platform. Reports suggest that YouTube is also testing a new gaming service called "Playables."
YouTube's introduction of the Lock Screen feature highlights its commitment to enhancing user experience. While it is currently available only to selected YouTube Premium subscribers, it indicates the platform's willingness to develop and test new features to improve video viewing. It will be interesting to see how users respond to this feature and what other innovations YouTube will introduce in the future.