How to Stop YouTube from Pausing Automatically

Most of the time, YouTube offers uninterrupted video watching. However, even the world's largest video streaming platform sometimes fails to deliver. In fact, many users are reporting issues with pausing YouTube videos on their devices. If you are facing the same problem, you have come to the right place.

This article will help you understand why YouTube is pausing videos and give you practical tips on how to fix the problem. Fear not, because the problem is probably not as bad as it seems. Without further ado, let's dive in.

Why does YouTube keep stopping?

If you've been on YouTube for a while, chances are you've had a problem with the app at some point. Occasional video breaks are rarely a cause for concern. However, if the problem occurs too often, the issue may require further investigation.

There are many reasons why your video may be interrupted, from default YouTube settings or browser issues to outdated software or a slow internet connection.

Let's take a closer look at the most common reasons for YouTube videos getting paused. After that, we will list the steps to help fix the problem, whatever the cause.

YouTube Defaults

The main reason why your YouTube video may pause is because the auto-pause feature is set by default. This feature is designed to pause videos if you have been inactive on the device for a while and prevent you from missing important details in the content you were watching.

However, you can listen to a music playlist while you clean your room and not use the computer for a while. In this case, the auto-pause feature would ruin the whole experience.

Network issues

If you experience network disruptions, your YouTube video may pause. Maybe the video is buffering or there is a server error right now. YouTube's built-in algorithm pauses the video whenever there is a network issue, unless the video is fully downloaded.

Browser issues

Apart from internet-related issues, some browsers can cause YouTube to hang videos. There may be a problem caused by cookies or cache files, or some extensions may interrupt the loading of the video.

YouTube flaws

As fantastic as YouTube is, it's not entirely resistant to technical flaws or bugs. If you're sure there's nothing wrong on your end, it's worth checking YouTube's Help Center or the Known Issues page for ongoing technical issues on the platform itself.

Remind me to take a break is on

Are you using YouTube's latest feature called "Remind me to take a break"? If so, this may be one of the reasons why your video breaks off at some point.

How to prevent YouTube from stopping automatically?

Now that we've listed the most common reasons why a YouTube video may stop, it's time to move on to the main part: fixing the problem.

Adjust YouTube auto-pause settings

If YouTube pauses a video and asks if you want to "Continue Watching?" » then the Auto-pause function is activated.

You can disable this feature by using an extension. There are many options and not all of them work for all browsers. For example, “AutoTube – Nonstop YouTube” is available for Chrome and Firefox.

To install AutoTube on Chrome, follow the steps below:

1. Download the AutoTube extension by clicking "Add to Chrome".
   
2. Continue by clicking on “Add an extension”.
   
3. The extension will install automatically and you can watch YouTube videos without auto-pausing.

To install AutoTube on Firefox, follow the steps below:

1. Go to AutoTube on Mozilla add-ons.
   
2. Click "Add to Firefox", then "Add".
   
3. The add-on will install and be active immediately.
   

The next time the "Continue watching?" appears, the extension will immediately resume the video.

If the auto-pause feature is not the problem, continue with the steps below.

Check your internet connection

If you're having trouble playing a video on YouTube, try playing another one. If the page or video buffers are taking longer to load than seems normal, go to another app or just run a Google search to check if your internet connection is stable. If nothing loads, restart your router or contact your internet service provider to investigate further.

Clear YouTube Cache

YouTube cache stores some of your previously watched videos and loads them faster when you play them again. Too many videos in the cache can slow down the app, causing too frequent pauses.

Here's how to clear YouTube cache:

1. Open the "Settings" page on your mobile device or browser.
   
2. Search for "YouTube" app on your mobile device or go to "Storage & Memory" in browser settings.
   
3. Look for the “Clear cache” option and apply it. Be sure not to select "Clear data" as this will delete all your YouTube data.
   

Disable your antivirus

Third-party apps or extensions may conflict with your YouTube service. If your antivirus software or another application perceives YouTube as a threat, it may prevent you from finishing the video. Close any software that may interfere with your YouTube experience, especially the antivirus program.

Disable the “Remind me to take a break” feature

Follow the steps below to disable this feature:

1. Go to YouTube settings.
2. Go to the “General” section.
3. Disable the "Remind me to take a break" option.

If that was the problem, your YouTube videos will no longer be paused.

Update the app

Does your YouTube app keep pausing videos even after clearing the cache and restarting the app? Make sure you are using the latest version of YouTube. Just search for YouTube under the "Apps" section in your phone's settings and check if an update is available.

Watch YouTube without interruption

Pausing your YouTube video is never a pleasant experience. Unfortunately, this is a relatively common problem. The good thing is that it's easily soluble. More often than not, the problem lies with the auto-pause feature, or your internet connection needs to be double-checked.

This article lists the most common reasons why YouTube may automatically pause your videos and offers easy solutions. If the auto-pause feature isn't the problem and your YouTube video keeps pausing, it's worth trying the alternative steps listed above.

Which method helped you solve the problem? Share your experiences in the comments below.