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To set a sleep timer in the YouTube Music mobile app, start playing something, open the Now Playing screen, tap the three-dot More menu, choose Sleep timer, and select a duration. The feature is available on supported mobile app experiences; menu options can vary by app version, account, region, and content.
Set a Sleep timer on Android
- Open YouTube Music and start a song, album, playlist, or podcast.
- Tap the mini-player to expand the Now Playing screen.
- Tap the three-dot More menu, usually near the top-right of the player. Scroll the menu if needed.
- Tap Sleep timer and choose a duration or End of song.
The timer controls YouTube Music playback. It does not turn off your phone, stop audio in every app, disconnect Bluetooth, or act as an alarm.
Set a Sleep timer on iPhone or iPad
- Open YouTube Music and begin playback.
- Tap the mini-player to open the Now Playing view.
- Tap the three-dot menu.
- Choose Sleep timer, then select a duration or End of song.
Choose a timer length
Current YouTube Music guidance reports these mobile choices: 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, and End of song. These options are documented by a Google Product Expert in the YouTube Music Help Community; YouTube does not publish a complete Music-specific list of timer values in its public help documentation.
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End of song is the less predictable choice for an album or playlist: its behavior for those queues is not clearly established. Choose a fixed duration if you need a dependable cutoff at a particular time.
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- Your favorite music and content – Play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and others or via Bluetooth throughout your home.
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Change or stop an active timer
Reopen the player’s More → Sleep timer control. YouTube’s general timer guidance says an active timer can be adjusted from the same control, though its public instructions do not establish the exact cancel label shown in every YouTube Music version. If the app presents a way to turn off the active timer, use that option; otherwise, choose another duration to replace it.
If Sleep timer is missing
- Update the app: Install any pending YouTube Music update from Google Play or the App Store.
- Start playback first: The control is associated with the expanded player, not the Home, Library, or playlist browsing screen.
- Check the right menu: Open the player’s three-dot More menu rather than general Settings.
- Try different content: Test a regular song or podcast episode, particularly if you are casting or playing an unusual content type.
- Restart the app: Force-close YouTube Music, reopen it, and start playback again.
- Allow for regional variation: YouTube notes that product experiences may differ by country or region. A 2023 TeamYouTube rollout announcement described an earlier regional expansion, but it is not a definitive 2026 availability list. See YouTube Music’s regional-experience guidance and the TeamYouTube announcement.
- Use a device timer: The iPhone Clock app offers a Stop Playing option; Android alternatives depend on the phone and its software.
Use the iPhone Clock app for a custom timer
If the in-app timer is missing or its presets do not suit you, iPhone and iPad users can set a device-level playback stop:
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- Your favorite music and content – Play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and others or via Bluetooth throughout your home.
- Alexa is happy to help – Ask Alexa for weather updates and to set hands-free timers, get answers to your questions and even hear jokes. Need a few extra minutes in the morning? Just tap your Echo Dot to snooze your alarm.
- Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart home devices with your voice and routines triggered by built-in motion or indoor temperature sensors. Create routines to automatically turn on lights when you walk into a room, or start a fan if the inside temperature goes above your comfort zone.
- Do more with device pairing – Fill your home with music using compatible Echo devices in different rooms, or create a home theatre system with Fire TV.
- Say goodbye to drop-offs and buffering - With eero Built-in, Echo Dot doubles as a mesh wifi extender, adding up to 1,000 sq. ft. of wifi coverage to your existing eero network.
- Open Clock and tap Timers.
- Set the desired duration.
- Tap When Timer Ends.
- Choose Stop Playing, then tap Set.
- Return to YouTube Music and start playback.
This is a system-level media command, not a YouTube Music feature. Depending on the device and active audio session, it may stop playback from another app as well. Set it again when you need it on another night.
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YouTube Music’s reported native choices are presets rather than an arbitrary number of minutes. If you need a different duration, check whether your phone’s Clock app has a media-stop timer. Some Android devices also offer app timers in Digital Wellbeing or automation tools such as Samsung Modes and Routines, but availability and menus vary. An app timer may restrict or close YouTube Music instead of pausing playback, and could affect access to the app afterward. Third-party timer apps can request intrusive permissions, so check their permissions and publisher before installing one.
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- Your favorite music and content – Play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and others or via Bluetooth throughout your home.
- Alexa is happy to help – Ask Alexa for weather updates and to set hands-free timers, get answers to your questions and even hear jokes. Need a few extra minutes in the morning? Just tap your Echo Dot to snooze your alarm.
- Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart home devices with your voice and routines triggered by built-in motion or indoor temperature sensors. Create routines to automatically turn on lights when you walk into a room, or start a fan if the inside temperature goes above your comfort zone.
- Do more with device pairing – Fill your home with music using compatible Echo devices in different rooms, or create a home theatre system with Fire TV.
- Say goodbye to drop-offs and buffering - With eero Built-in, Echo Dot doubles as a mesh wifi extender, adding up to 1,000 sq. ft. of wifi coverage to your existing eero network.
Screen-off playback and Premium
The timer and background playback are separate features. You generally do not need Premium just to set a timer, but Premium may be needed for uninterrupted background music with the screen locked, depending on content and region. YouTube Music lists background play, ad-free on-demand music, downloads, and audio-only mode among Premium benefits; many podcasts may have different background-play treatment. Details are in YouTube Music’s Premium feature guidance.
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YouTube Music in a desktop browser
Do not assume the YouTube Music web player at music.youtube.com has the same native control as the mobile app. Google documents a Sleep timer for the regular YouTube computer player, but that does not establish that the control is available in YouTube Music. See YouTube’s computer-player timer instructions. For YouTube Music on desktop, use an operating-system or receiving-device timer if available.
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Playback while casting
Timer behavior when casting to a speaker, TV, or other device is not established for every setup. Test it before relying on it overnight; if the cast session continues, use the receiving device’s sleep function or another device-level timer.
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