Can’t find the YouTube loop button on your phone? You’re not stuck. Here’s how to loop any video on mobile, desktop, or Smart TV—even without the app.
Picture this: you are deep in the “Broken Zone.” You are mid-stretch in a yoga routine, deeply focused on an intense coding or study session, or just starting to drift off to sleep with a 10-hour rain soundscape. Then, suddenly, the video ends. The room goes quiet, an abrasive, unrelated autoplay video starts blasting, and your flow is entirely broken.
You reach for your phone to hit repeat, only to realize the button isn’t there. While putting a track on repeat in Spotify or Apple Music is as easy as tapping a button, YouTube makes it incredibly frustrating if you are trying to watch on a mobile browser like Safari or Chrome.
You don’t need to put up with the silence or interrupt your workflow to manually restart a track. Below, you will learn exactly how to loop a YouTube video, whether the repeat button is hidden, entirely missing from your specific device, or you only want to repeat a specific, hyper-targeted part of a track.
So, Why Is the YouTube Loop Button Missing?
If you are wondering why the YouTube loop button is missing, it comes down to the exact device, browser, and platform you are using at that given moment. YouTube’s controls differ wildly depending on how you access the site.
When you use the official mobile app or a desktop browser, the looping controls are actually built right in, though they are completely hidden behind a secondary menu that most users never click. However, if you are watching via a mobile browser to avoid downloading the app (which is incredibly common for users trying to save phone storage or avoid app tracking), YouTube intentionally hides the repeat icon. For many users, the YouTube loop option disappeared completely from the mobile web version to aggressively push more app installations.
How to Loop a YouTube Video Without the App on Mobile
When you just want to listen to a song on your phone’s browser (like Safari on iOS or Chrome on Android) without installing the official app, you need a workaround. Here are the absolute most reliable methods showing how to loop YouTube without the app.
1. Try the Single-Video Playlist Trick
This is the ultimate single video playlist trick YouTube users rely on to bypass the missing mobile browser button. By creating a playlist with just one track, you can force the playlist itself to loop endlessly, overriding the browser’s limitations.
- Tap the Save icon located directly under the video player.
- Select Create a new playlist and add only this specific video. Give the playlist a quick name (like “Sleep Loop”).
- Navigate to your Library and open your newly created playlist.
- Tap the playlist’s native Loop icon (the two arrows forming a circle). Because the playlist only contains one item, it will cycle back to the beginning automatically.
2. Try the Quick URL Modification Trick
If you don’t want to log in, create an account, or clutter your existing profile with random playlists, changing the URL is a fantastic, lightning-fast shortcut. Modifying the web address automatically redirects the video into a dedicated, continuous playback player hosted by a third party.
- Tap the address bar in your mobile browser so the full URL is visible.
- Change the word “youtube” in the URL to “youtuberepeat” or “youxube”. (Alternatively, you can delete everything in the URL up to the domain and type in a site like
listenonrepeat.combefore the video ID). - Press Enter or Go to load the new page, which will pull the video data and loop the track endlessly in an optimized web player.
3. Use the “Request Desktop Site” Hack
If you absolutely want to stay on YouTube.com without using the app or third-party URLs, you can trick your phone into thinking it is a computer.
- Open your mobile browser (like Chrome on Android).
- Tap the three-dot menu in the top right corner (or the aA icon in the address bar if you are using Safari on an iPhone).
- Select Request Desktop Site from the drop-down menu.
- Once the page reloads, the tiny desktop version of YouTube will appear. Long-press directly on the video player screen until a hidden menu pops up.
- Tap Loop from this menu to keep the video going.
Want to Loop Only Part of a YouTube Video? Try A-B Looping
The normal YouTube Loop function repeats the whole video. That doesn’t help if you are trying to practice a 10-second guitar riff, analyze a golf swing, or memorize a single foreign language phrase. For that, you need highly precise A-B repeat functionality.
Use a Third-Party Website to Repeat a Specific Section
When you need to repeat a specific section of a YouTube video on the fly without installing heavy software, web-based tools are your best friend.
- Copy the URL of your target video (Press Ctrl+C on Windows or Command+C on Mac).
- Visit a dedicated, free looping site like LoopTube.io or ListenOnRepeat.com. (These platforms are open-source and run smoothly on any browser).
- Paste your link into their search bar (Ctrl+V or Command+V) and hit Enter.
- Once the video loads, adjust the visual slider bars on the screen to pinpoint your custom start and end times to the exact second.
Use a Browser Extension Without Right-Clicking
If you regularly need to loop part of a YouTube video for music practice, dance choreography, or studying on a desktop, you should add a dedicated extension. Tools like Looper for YouTube or Section Repeat for YouTube (available completely free in the Chrome Web Store) give you granular control without needing to open hidden menus.
- Install your preferred extension in your browser. (Look for ones that state they do not collect or store your personal viewing history).
- Open your video to find a brand new Loop button added underneath the title.
- Click the button to manually enter custom A-B timestamps or set a specific loop count.
- Pro Tip: If you use a keyboard-centric extension like “Section Repeat,” you can simply press the S key on your keyboard to start your loop section, the E key to end the section, and the R key to toggle the repeat feature on and off without ever touching your mouse!
Where Can You Find YouTube’s Built-In Loop Option?
If you are using a supported platform and just want to turn on the standard repeat function, here is exactly where YouTube hides the native settings.
Loop a YouTube Video on PC and Mac
- Open your preferred web browser and play the video.
- Hover your mouse and Right-click directly inside the video player.
- Select the Loop option from the dropdown context menu.
- Keyboard Shortcut Secret: Sometimes your browser’s custom menu overrides YouTube’s menu. To force the YouTube menu to appear, press and hold the SHIFT key on your keyboard, right-click on the video, and while still holding SHIFT, right-click a second time.
Loop a YouTube Video on Android and iPhone
- Tap the video screen once to reveal the playback controls.
- Tap the Settings gear icon in the top right corner.
- Select Additional settings from the popup menu.
- Toggle the Loop video switch to the ON position.
Loop a YouTube Video on a Smart TV or Console
- While the video is playing on your TV, press the Down button on your TV remote or game controller to bring up the playback bar.
- Navigate to and select the Repeat icon until the button displays “Repeat • Currently playing”.
Need to Loop a Video Without Wi-Fi? Try Offline Playback
Streaming works great until your Wi-Fi drops while traveling, you run out of cellular data, or a high-res video buffers aggressively in the middle of your workout. Furthermore, if the uploader decides to make the video private or delete it, it is gone forever. In these situations, your safest bet is to download the file locally.
By using a secure, ad-free batch downloader like VideoProc Converter AI, you can save the 1080p, 4K, or even 8K file directly to your device’s hard drive. Just open the “Downloader” module, paste your YouTube link, select your quality, and execute the download. Once downloaded, you can set up continuous, buffer-free playback using your native media player:
- VLC Media Player (Desktop): Open the video and click the Loop button on the bottom toolbar to loop the whole file. If you want a specific segment, go to the top menu, click View > Advanced Controls. A new A-B button will appear above your play button. Click it once where you want the loop to start, and click it again where you want it to end.
- Google Photos (Android/iOS): Open the saved video, tap the three-dot menu icon in the top right, and toggle the Loop video feature.
- Apple Photos (iOS): Go to your iPhone’s main Settings app > Apps > Photos, and turn the Loop Videos toggle switch to the ON position.
Is YouTube Loop Still Not Working? Try These Fixes
Sometimes technology just doesn’t cooperate. If your video stops repeating or the button vanishes, try these quick troubleshooting steps:
- Check your app version: YouTube frequently changes menu layouts and buries settings. Ensure your app is updated to the latest version in the App Store or Google Play Store, as older builds often drop the loop feature entirely.
- Verify your platform: Remember that the native loop button simply does not exist on mobile web browsers unless you use the “Request Desktop Site” trick.
- Refresh the page: A quick browser refresh often fixes a stuck script or buggy player on your desktop.
- Fall back to the playlist trick: If a UI update temporarily breaks the app’s native button, the single-video playlist workaround is practically bulletproof and works 100% of the time.
Which YouTube Looping Method Works Best for You?
| What you want to do | Best method |
|---|---|
| Repeat the entire video on PC/Mac | Built-in right-click Loop (or Shift + Right Click twice) |
| Repeat the entire video on phone | Mobile App “Loop video” setting |
| Loop on phone without the app | Single-video Playlist workaround or Desktop Site mode |
| Repeat only part of a video | A-B loop website (LoopTube.io) or VLC Media Player |
| Get advanced looping controls | Browser extension (Looper for YouTube / Section Repeat) |
| Loop on a Smart TV or Console | Press Down on the remote and select the Repeat icon |
Your YouTube Loop Questions, Answered
Why is there no Loop button on YouTube mobile browser?
YouTube restricts the native loop functionality to its desktop site and official mobile apps, likely to artificially encourage users to download the actual app for a fuller experience.
How do I repeat one YouTube video continuously?
On desktop, right-click the video and select “Loop.” On the mobile app, tap the settings gear, go to “Additional settings,” and toggle “Loop video.” On a Smart TV, press down on the remote and select “Repeat.”
Can I loop YouTube without the app?
Yes! You can loop videos on a mobile browser by saving the video to a brand-new playlist as the only track, and then hitting the repeat icon on the playlist itself. You can also use your browser menu to “Request Desktop Site” to force the desktop interface to appear on your phone screen.
Stop Replaying YouTube Videos Manually
A missing button shouldn’t dictate your workflow, interrupt your sleep, or break your focus. Whether you use the native desktop settings, an intuitive browser extension for custom timestamps, or the clever single-playlist workaround on your phone, you now have the exact tools to keep your playback continuous and uninterrupted.
Which device do you usually watch on, and did the single-playlist trick or the keyboard shortcuts help you get your focus back? Let us know your experience in the comments below!
Useful Resources
Need a little extra help with looping YouTube videos? These resources can make things easier, whether you’re trying to repeat an entire video, loop a specific section, or play a saved video continuously.
YouTube Help – Loop Videos or Playlists on YouTube: Want to use YouTube’s built-in looping features? This official guide explains how to loop videos and playlists across supported devices.
YouTube Help – Create and Manage Playlists: Using the single-video playlist trick? This guide walks you through creating playlists and saving videos to them.
VLC Media Player: Already have the video saved on your computer? VLC Media Player lets you repeat an entire video and use A-B looping when you only want to replay a specific section.
Google Photos: Watching a saved video on your phone? Google Photos includes a Loop video option for continuous playback.
Apple Photos: iPhone users can use the Photos app and its Loop Videos setting to keep saved videos playing repeatedly.
Looper for YouTube – Chrome Web Store
Need more control than YouTube’s built-in Loop option? Looper for YouTube adds looping controls to the YouTube player and can help with repeating specific sections and setting loop points.
Section Repeat for YouTube™ – Chrome Web Store: If your goal is A-B looping, this extension is designed to repeat selected sections of YouTube videos and gives you more control over where the loop starts and ends.
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