To use the queue on YouTube on a computer, hover over any video and click Add to queue, or open the three-dot menu next to the title and choose Add to queue. A mini player then lines the videos up. On phones and tablets the queue is a YouTube Premium feature.
The queue is YouTube's answer to a music playlist you build on the fly. You keep watching what's on screen, and every video you add slots in behind it. When the current one ends, the next in line plays. No new playlist, no tabs piling up. The catch is that it's temporary, and on mobile it sits behind YouTube Premium.
How to add videos to your queue on a computer
YouTube gives you two ways to do it in a browser:
- Find the video you want to watch next.
- Hover over the thumbnail and click the Add to queue icon.
- Or click the three dots (More) next to the video title and choose Add to queue.
- A mini player appears in the corner showing what's lined up. Keep adding as you browse.
The mini player keeps playing while you scroll, search and open other pages, so you can carry on browsing without losing your place. That's the real advantage over opening videos in new tabs: one window, one list, and nothing autoplaying that you didn't choose.
When the queue is the right tool
I reach for the queue in three situations. The first is research: searching a topic, lining up videos from several creators and watching them in a row. The second is a tutorial with several parts, where I want each one to play straight after the last. The third is a shared screen, such as playing music videos at a family gathering, where I want to line up requests without stopping the current song. In all three, I don't need the list tomorrow, which is exactly what the queue is built for.
When I do want something tomorrow, the queue is the wrong home. That's the job of Watch Later or a playlist, both of which stay on your account and follow you to your phone and TV.
Can you queue videos on the YouTube app?
Yes, but only with YouTube Premium. YouTube's help page says the queue works on desktop and web for everyone, and that you need Premium to use it on mobile and tablet devices. If you're on the free version of the app and you don't see Add to queue in the menu, that's why. Nothing is broken.
| Where you watch | Queue available? |
|---|---|
| Computer, any browser | Yes, for everyone |
| Phone or tablet app | Only with YouTube Premium |
A practical workaround on mobile is to save videos to Watch Later as you find them, then play that playlist in order. It does the same job, just with one more tap.
The catch: your queue disappears
This is the bit that trips people up. YouTube says your queue won't save after you close your browser. Close the tab or the window and the whole list is gone, with no history to bring it back. If you've built a long queue you want to keep, save it before you leave.
How to save your queue as a playlist
- Open your queue in the mini player.
- Click More (the three dots).
- Select Save to playlist.
- Pick Watch Later, an existing playlist, or New playlist.
- For a new playlist, add a title, choose who can see it and click Create.
If you set the playlist to private, only you can view it. A confirmation message pops up at the bottom of the screen telling you which playlist the queue went into.
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Queue vs Watch Later vs a playlist
| Option | Best for | Does it last? |
|---|---|---|
| Queue | Lining up the next few videos right now | No, gone when you close the browser |
| Watch Later | Saving things to watch another day | Yes, until you remove them |
| Your own playlist | Grouping videos on a theme or sharing them | Yes, and you control who sees it |
I use the queue for research sessions: I'll search a topic, queue up five or six videos from different creators, and watch them back to back without the algorithm pulling me somewhere else. Anything worth keeping goes into a playlist before I close the tab. If autoplay keeps jumping in with videos you didn't pick, my guide on how to stop YouTube autoplay shows you how to switch it off.
YouTube queue not working? Check these
- You're in the app without Premium. The option won't appear on mobile without it.
- You closed the tab. The queue doesn't survive a closed browser, so it may simply have been wiped.
- An extension is interfering. Ad blockers and YouTube tweak extensions sometimes hide the hover icon. Try a private window with extensions off.
- You're signed out or in a different account. Sign in and try again.
- The page needs a refresh. A hard refresh often brings the icon back.
If videos won't play at all once they're queued, that's a playback problem rather than a queue problem, and the fixes are different. Start with my guide to a YouTube black screen.
My verdict
The queue is one of YouTube's most useful hidden features on a computer: hover, click, keep browsing. Just remember it's temporary, so save anything worth keeping to a playlist before you close the tab. On your phone, it's Premium only, and Watch Later is the free stand-in.
If you want the full set, start at the YouTube Help: 30 Guides to Channels, Subscribers, Monetisation, Thumbnails and Fixes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add a video to the queue on YouTube?
On a computer, hover over the video and click Add to queue, or open the three-dot menu next to the title and choose Add to queue.
Why can't I add to queue on the YouTube app?
On phones and tablets the queue is a YouTube Premium feature. Without Premium, the option doesn't appear in the app.
Does the YouTube queue save?
No. YouTube says your queue won't save after you close your browser. Save it to a playlist first if you want to keep it.
How do I save my YouTube queue?
Open the queue, click More, choose Save to playlist, then pick Watch Later, an existing playlist or a new one.
