Jump Ahead

0:00 To skip ahead on YouTube on a phone, double tap the right side of the video to go forward 10 seconds, or the left side to go back 10; keep tapping to skip further. For YouTube Premium members, a double tap can also bring up a Jump ahead button, which goes to the next point in the video most viewers fast forward to, skipping an intro, a recap or a sponsor read in one press. Both are part of how YouTube lets thumbs seek without the progress bar; on a keyboard, J and L do the same 10-second skips (Keyboard Shortcuts).

Quick facts

From Speed up or slow down YouTube videos and Use your YouTube Premium benefits, read Nov 6, 2026.

How do I skip 10 seconds on YouTube?

1. Play the video in the YouTube app.
2. Double tap the right side of the video to skip forward 10 seconds, or the left side to go back 10.
3. Keep tapping to add another 10 seconds for each tap.

To fast forward instead, tap and hold anywhere on the video: it plays at 2x until you lift your finger (Help; Playback Speed). On a computer, J goes back 10 seconds and L forward 10, and the arrow keys move 5 (Keyboard shortcuts for YouTube).

Changing the double tap time

The 10 seconds can be changed in the app under Settings > General > Double-tap to seek. When the setting arrived in Feb 2017, the choices were 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 and 60 seconds (Android Police). Current Help pages do not describe the setting.

What is Jump ahead on YouTube?

1:29 Jump ahead is a Premium button that appears after you skip forward and takes you to the next point most viewers fast forward to. YouTube finds that point from watch data and AI (9to5Google). On Android it appears when you double tap to fast forward or press and hold to fast forward. On smart TVs, streaming devices and game consoles, press the right arrow on the remote, press it again to go to the marked point, then select Enter or OK to carry on watching (Help).

When Jump ahead does not appear

1:07 It does not work on Shorts, Premieres, live streams, music, movies or shows, and Help warns it may not appear on every video (Help). It needs enough viewers' skipping to find a point, so 9to5Google found it mostly on videos with many views. YouTube Viewers' own how-to video gives "not enough watch data" as one reason. It works on videos in 12 languages, and Help lists it for Android, TVs and consoles, not iPhone, iPad or computers, though the same YouTube Viewers video, from Feb 25, 2025, tells viewers on the web to press the right arrow or L to bring the button up.

History

YouTube first tested Jump ahead with Premium members in March 2024, then widened the test on May 5, 2024, then only in the Android app, in the US and on English videos, as an experiment at youtube.com/new (9to5Google). It has since become a regular Premium benefit with the device and language list above. For creators, it means the parts most viewers skip can be skipped in one press; the Most Replayed graph shows the same viewing habits from the other side.

What creators say

2:39 In an Oct 4, 2024 video, when Jump ahead had reached all US Premium members on Android and was promised for iOS within weeks, Trevor Baker reported that viewers found it mostly skipping sponsor reads. He guessed it looks for the sharp dip in retention that a sponsored segment leaves, likened it to the SponsorBlock browser extension, and said that worried him as a creator who earns from brand deals.

4:39 His bigger worry was the storytelling: an AI that sends viewers to a video's peaks may skip the buildup that makes the peak work. He was reassured that the button appears only while a viewer is already skipping, so it does not start by itself, and allowed that it could help viewers who would scrub ahead anyway.

Frequently asked questions

How do I skip 10 seconds on YouTube? In the YouTube app, double tap the right side of the video to skip forward 10 seconds or the left side to go back 10; on a computer, press L or J.

Is YouTube Jump ahead free? No. Jump ahead is a YouTube Premium benefit; the 10-second double tap is free for everyone.

Why don't I have Jump ahead on YouTube? It needs YouTube Premium, an Android phone, a smart TV, a streaming device or a console, and a video in one of 12 supported languages; it is not offered on Shorts, Premieres, live streams, music, movies or shows.

Can I change how far double tap skips on YouTube? Yes. In the YouTube app, Settings > General > Double-tap to seek offers other lengths, from 5 to 60 seconds.

Can creators turn off Jump ahead on their videos? YouTube Help describes no creator setting for Jump ahead as of Nov 6, 2026.

Sources

• Speed up or slow down YouTube videos, YouTube Help, read Nov 6, 2026
• Use your YouTube Premium benefits, YouTube Help, read Nov 6, 2026
• Keyboard shortcuts for YouTube, YouTube Help, read Nov 6, 2026
• YouTube Premium members can now test AI-powered 'Jump ahead', 9to5Google, May 5, 2024
• How to use Jump Ahead with YouTube Premium, YouTube Viewers, Feb 25, 2025 (video)
• YouTube's NEW Jump Ahead (what you need to know), Trevor Baker, Oct 4, 2024 (video)
• YouTube v12.05 adds adjustable seek times for double tap to seek, Android Police, Feb 10, 2017