How to Make the Most of Smart Downloads on YouTube and YouTube Music
If you're an avid user of YouTube and YouTube Music, you'll be pleased to know that both platforms offer a convenient feature called smart downloads. Smart downloads automatically download the songs and videos you frequently listen to or watch, allowing you to enjoy them offline without any hassle. In this article, we'll guide you on how to enable or disable smart downloads on both platforms and how to make the most of this handy feature.
How to Enable/Disable Smart Downloads on YouTube
To begin with, it's worth noting that the smart downloads option is currently available only on Android, iOS, and iPadOS. Unfortunately, it is not yet available on the web versions of YouTube and YouTube Music. Here's how you can enable or disable smart downloads on the YouTube app:
- Open the YouTube app on your phone and tap on the profile icon located at the top right corner.
- From the options that appear, select “Settings” to access the YouTube settings.
- In the Settings menu, choose “Background and downloads.”
- You will find the “Smart downloads” option. Enable the toggle switch to turn on smart downloads or disable it to turn off the feature.
- If you prefer not to use your mobile data, enable the “Download over Wi-Fi only” toggle switch. This setting applies to both smart downloads and manual downloads.
Additionally, you can customize the download quality by tapping on the “Download quality” option. This allows you to choose the video resolution for automatic downloads. Keep in mind that the selected video quality will also be applied to manual downloads. Once enabled, YouTube will automatically download around 10 videos via smart downloads, with each video typically ranging from 8 to 40 minutes in length.
How to Access and Manage Smart Downloads on YouTube
To access the videos downloaded through smart downloads on YouTube, follow these steps:
- If you're offline, opening the YouTube app will directly take you to the “Downloads” page, where you can find all the downloaded videos. Otherwise, tap on “Library” located at the bottom right corner of the app.
- In the Library section, select “Downloads” to view your downloaded videos.
- Scroll down to the “Smart downloads” section to access the videos downloaded automatically.
To delete specific videos downloaded through smart downloads:
- Open the YouTube app and navigate to the “Downloads” page. Alternatively, you can go to “Library” and then tap on “Downloads.”
- In the “Smart downloads” section, tap on the three-dot menu (kebab menu) next to the video you want to delete.
- From the menu that appears, select “Delete from downloads” to remove the selected video.
To delete all downloaded videos, including those downloaded manually:
- Tap on the profile icon located at the top right corner of the YouTube app.
- Select “Settings” and then choose “Background and downloads.”
- Tap on “Delete all downloads” and confirm your selection by tapping on the “Delete” button in the pop-up window.
By following these steps, you can easily manage your smart downloads and ensure that your offline video collection remains up to date according to your preferences.
How to Enable/Disable Smart Downloads on YouTube Music
YouTube Music had smart downloads long before the YouTube app introduced the feature. However, the functionality of smart downloads differs between the two platforms. Unlike YouTube, which primarily downloads videos you haven't watched, YouTube Music focuses on downloading songs, albums, and playlists that you frequently listen to. Here's how you can enable or disable smart downloads on YouTube Music:
- Launch the YouTube Music app and tap on the profile icon at the top right corner.
- From the options that appear, select “Settings” to access the YouTube Music settings.
- In the settings menu, choose “Library and downloads.”
- Toggle the switch for “Smart downloads” to enable or disable the feature.
- Under the “Smart downloads” option, you can adjust the number of songs to be downloaded automatically. The default setting is 100 songs, but you can increase it up to 500 songs. Keep in mind that smart downloads can also include entire playlists, liked songs, and recommended songs and playlists.
How to Access and Manage Smart Downloads on YouTube Music
To access the songs downloaded through smart downloads on YouTube Music:
- Open the YouTube Music app and tap on “Library” located at the bottom right corner.
- In the Library section, select “Downloads.”
- Here, you will find playlists, albums, and individual songs that you have downloaded manually, as well as those downloaded through smart downloads.
- You can easily differentiate between manually downloaded and smart downloaded content. Playlists and albums that have been manually downloaded will have a checkmark icon below their name, while playlists and albums downloaded through smart downloads will have a star icon.
To delete specific songs, playlists, or albums downloaded through smart downloads:
- Open the YouTube Music app and navigate to “Library” and then “Downloads.”
- Tap on the three-dot menu (kebab menu) next to the playlist or album you want to delete.
- From the menu that appears, select “Remove download” to delete the selected content.
To delete all downloads, including manually downloaded content:
- Tap on the profile icon at the top right corner of the YouTube Music app.
- Select “Settings” and then choose “Library and downloads.”
- Tap on “Clear downloads” to delete all downloads, including those done manually.
By toggling off the “Smart downloads” option, you can automatically delete all songs downloaded through smart downloads.
Smart Downloads on YouTube and YouTube Music
Smart downloads offer a convenient way to access your favorite content even when you're offline. While YouTube focuses on downloading videos you haven't watched yet, YouTube Music prioritizes songs, albums, and playlists that you frequently listen to. By enabling smart downloads on both platforms, you can enjoy a personalized offline experience tailored to your preferences. So go ahead and make the most of this handy feature to enhance your YouTube and YouTube Music experience.

Jim's passion for Apple products ignited in 2007 when Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone. This was a canon event in his life. Noticing a lack of iPad-focused content that is easy to understand even for “tech-noob”, he decided to create Tabletmonkeys in 2011.
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