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YouTube Premium is YouTube's $12 per month ad-free streaming service.
- YouTube has its own streaming service, YouTube Premium (formerly known as YouTube Red).
- For $12 per month, YouTube Premium subscribers can watch videos without ads and download content for viewing offline.
- YouTube Premium also includes access to YouTube Originals - exclusive shows produced by the streaming service - and YouTube Music.
If you're hooked on YouTube, YouTube Premium is your opportunity to indulge your addiction.
While YouTube remains free for all to post and view videos, YouTube Premium allows you to watch those videos without ads.
But that's just the start of the benefits of a Premium subscription.
What is YouTube Premium?
YouTube Premium does more than free you from sitting through ads that are sometimes as long as the video you want to watch. Here's what else you get with YouTube's streaming service:
- You can open another app on your mobile device and your YouTube video will continue to play in the background.
- You can download videos to watch offline later, which will surely make your time on the train home go by faster.
- Watch YouTube Originals, exclusive content featuring celebrity stars available for streaming through YouTube Premium.
- With your subscription to YouTube Premium, you also get access to YouTube Music Premium. This may be one of the best features of the membership. YouTube Music, like Apple Music, Spotify, or Pandora, allows you to stream a wide library of music. You can create stations or explore new releases. If YouTube Music doesn't have the song you're searching for, the app can find that song for you from the YouTube app and send you there to play it.
Laura McCamy/Business Insider YouTube Music offers a wide range of songs.
- If you let YouTube Music use your location data, it will play location-specific music for you (such as a workout playlist at the gym). This is either very cool or super creepy, depending on your perspective.
How to sign up for YouTube Premium
To sign up for YouTube Premium, simply click on one of the many pop-up boxes for a free trial in YouTube on your computer or your phone.
Laura McCamy/Business Insider Select Try It Free when a YouTube Premium pop-up appears.
If you don't see a pop-up, follow these steps:
- If you're not logged into YouTube, you'll need to log in.
- Click on your Profile photo.
- From the menu that appears, choose Paid memberships.
Laura McCamy/Business Insider Select Paid Memberships to get to YouTube Premium.
- Click on YouTube Premium in the next screen.
- You'll be asked to set up a payment method even though the first month is free. You can cancel before your month is up and you won't be charged.
To use YouTube Music on your phone, download the app. You can click on the music icon from the YouTube app and you're automatically signed in and ready to go. Add your music preferences to start getting custom playlists.
You can also access YouTube Music through the browser on your computer.
How much YouTube Premium costs
After the free one-month trial, YouTube Premium costs $11.99 per month. For an extra $6 per month, you can add as many as five family members to your Premium subscription.
Laura McCamy/Business Insider You can add family members to your YouTube Premium subscription.
At $17.99 per month, that's the best deal, especially if you have a big family. Family members must be at least 13 years old to use YouTube Premium.
Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:
How to cancel your YouTube Premium subscription on a computer or mobile device
'What is YouTube TV?': Everything you need to know about YouTube's subscription streaming service
How to sign out of your YouTube account on desktop or mobile, and protect your account
How to set up and customize a YouTube TV subscription, to access unlimited recording space, personalize your Live TV guide, and more