How to View the YouTube Desktop Site from Your Phone

The mobile version of YouTube has come a long way in recent years. Most desktop or laptop features have also made their way to mobile devices. From comments and playlists to dark mode and annotation, YouTube’s mobile site and mobile app have evolved for the better.

Sometimes you must use the desktop site to make the most of video streaming. While more than half of all internet traffic now lives on mobile devices, you’ll occasionally need to switch to the desktop version of YouTube to accomplish a task. Here’s how to load the YouTube desktop version on your phone or tablet.

View the YouTube Desktop Site from Your Android Phone

Most browsers offer a desktop view option in Android. Watching YouTube in desktop mode is relatively easy, no matter which browser you choose.

Using Chrome on Android

If you prefer the Chrome web browser, follow these steps:

1. Open the Chrome browser on your Android device.
   
2. Type “youtube.com” exactly as shown but without quotes in the address bar, then tap Enter. It will still go to the mobile site, but continue with the steps below.
   
3. Tap on the “vertical ellipsis” (three vertical dots) in the upper right-hand corner of Chrome.
   
4. Choose “Desktop site” in the menu that appears.
   
5. This will automatically redirect you to the desktop version of YouTube.

Using Firefox on Android

The instructions to visit the YouTube desktop site in Firefox are very similar to Chrome. Just follow these steps:

1. Open “Firefox,” type “youtube.com” exactly as shown but without quotes into the address bar, then tap “Enter.”
   
2. Tap the “vertical ellipsis” (three vertical dots) in the lower right corner.
   
3. Toggle the switch for “Desktop site” to on.
   
4. The desktop version of YouTube will automatically open for you.
   

Like Chrome, switching to the Desktop version in Firefox is simple.

Using Opera on Android

Another popular browser is Opera. Fortunately, you can view the YouTube desktop version by following these steps:

1. Open “Opera” and type in “youtube.com” exactly as shown but without the quotes in the “address bar.”
   
2. Tap the “vertical ellipsis” (three vertical dots) in the upper right-hand corner.
   
3. Toggle “Desktop site” on.
   
4. Opera will automatically open the desktop version of YouTube.
   

That’s all there is to it! Now you can browse the desktop version of YouTube on your phone.

View your Watch History and Search History from Desktop Mode

You can view all your watched videos and search history on YouTube’s desktop mode.

1. Tap “Library” in the left sidebar section.
   
2. Tap “History” above the shortlist of history items, and you’ll see all previously viewed videos.
   

View the YouTube Desktop Site from Your iPhone

Just like Android phones, iPhones also have a lot of browser options. From Safari to Chrome, you can easily view the desktop version of YouTube on your iPhone.

Let’s review your options.

View YouTube Desktop Site Using Safari on iPhone

If you prefer Apple’s default browser, you can follow these steps to view YouTube in the desktop version:

1. Open “Safari” and type “youtube.com” exactly as shown but without quotes in the “address bar.” Safari may ask you if you want to open this in the app, which you do not.
   
2. Tap on the “aA” icon in the upper left-hand corner of the address bar.
   
3. Select “Request Desktop Website.”
   
4. Safari will automatically provide you with the desktop view.
   

Finding the menu option in Safari is a bit more challenging, so the instructions above should help you open the Desktop version quickly.

View YouTube Desktop Site Using Firefox on iOS

Firefox is a little more straightforward to navigate. If you need to access the desktop version of YouTube, do this:

1. Open “Firefox.” Visit “YouTube.com” and tap the “horizontal ellipsis” (three horizontal dots) in the upper right-hand corner.
   
2. Tap on “Request Desktop Site.”
   

Like the other browsers, the YouTube desktop version will automatically revert to the desktop site.

View YouTube Desktop Site Using Chrome on iOS

As with Android, you can repeat the above process on almost any website, including Chrome.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the iPhone “Chrome” browser (not the Google app), then type “youtube.com” exactly as shown but without quotes into the “address bar.” Tap “Go” to visit the webpage.
   
2. Tap on the “Share” icon in the upper right-hand corner of the Chrome app.
   
3. Scroll down and select “Request Desktop Site.”
   

If you’re running an older version of Chrome, the following steps may work better for you:

1. Open up Chrome on your iPhone.
   
2. Select the three-dot menu icon in the lower right-hand corner.
3. Check the “Desktop site” box.
4. Navigate to your website as usual.

The same applies to Opera Mini, Dolphin, Firefox Focus, or any alternatives you may have installed. All will have similar options to select the desktop site from the menu.

Before requesting the desktop site, be aware of the benefits of the mobile version. For example, mobile sites are streamlined and scaled back to reduce data consumption and resources and load much faster. They are also typically optimized for smaller screens.

That’s fine if the site doesn’t compromise the browsing experience and gives mobile users as close to the desktop experience as possible. However, that scenario isn’t always the case. There isn’t enough screen real estate for YouTube to emulate the desktop experience in a way that works well enough to satisfy Google. Users, on the other hand, have other ideas.

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Most phones and browsers can support the desktop version of a site, especially YouTube.com. You only need a reliable and trustworthy browser; the developers did all the hard work for you.

YouTube Desktop Site FAQs

How do I return to the mobile site from the desktop version on my phone?

If you need to view the mobile version of YouTube, you can. Tap on the menu icon as we did above and uncheck the desktop option. Most browsers display the mobile version of websites. Either way, your page should automatically refresh, showing you the mobile version again.

If I play a video in a new window, it reverts to the mobile site. What can I do?

One common issue with the desktop version of websites on a mobile device is that they’re designed to run the mobile version. The mobile version is displayed whenever you open a new web page. Fortunately, you only need to click on the desktop option in the browser’s settings for each new tab you open.

Can I force the desktop site for all sites on iOS?

Absolutely! iOS allows users to request the desktop version of any site on Safari.