Yes, you can rewind on YouTube TV, and it works the same way as on most streaming services
YouTube TV lets you rewind, fast-forward, and pause live TV and recorded shows. When you're watching anything—whether it's a live game, news broadcast, or a show you recorded—you can use the playback controls to jump backward or forward through the video. The controls appear at the bottom of the screen when you move your mouse or touch the screen, and they work on phones, tablets, computers, and TV devices.
The exact buttons and gestures depend on what device you're using, but the basic idea is the same everywhere: tap or click the rewind button to go back, the fast-forward button to skip ahead, or drag the progress bar to jump to any point in the show.
Key Takeaways
- Rewind and fast-forward controls appear at the bottom of the screen when you interact with your device during playback.
- On phones and tablets, you can swipe left to rewind or right to fast-forward, or tap the dedicated buttons.
- On computers, click the rewind and fast-forward buttons, or drag the progress bar to jump to a specific time.
- You can rewind on both live TV and recorded programs, though live TV rewind only works back to when the broadcast started on your local channel.
How to rewind on phones and tablets
On an iPhone, iPad, or Android phone, open the YouTube TV app and start watching. The playback controls hide after a few seconds, so tap the screen to bring them back. You'll see a row of buttons at the bottom: a rewind button (usually a backward arrow), a play/pause button in the middle, and a fast-forward button (forward arrow).
Tap the rewind button to jump back 10 seconds. Tap it again to jump back another 10 seconds. If you want to go back further, you can also swipe left on the video itself—this also rewinds by about 10 seconds per swipe. To fast-forward, tap the forward button or swipe right. You can also drag the progress bar at the very bottom of the screen to jump to any point in the show.
How to rewind on computers and web browsers
On a computer, go to youtube.tv in your web browser and start watching. Move your mouse over the video to reveal the playback controls at the bottom. You'll see the same buttons: rewind (backward arrow), play/pause, and fast-forward (forward arrow).
Click the rewind button to jump back 10 seconds, or click the fast-forward button to jump ahead 10 seconds. For more precise control, click and drag the progress bar—the long bar showing how far through the video you are—to jump to any exact moment. You can also use keyboard shortcuts: press the left arrow key to rewind 5 seconds, or the right arrow key to fast-forward 5 seconds.
How to rewind on TV devices and streaming boxes
On a TV device like a Roku, Apple TV, Fire Stick, or Chromecast, use your remote to bring up the playback controls. Press the select or OK button on your remote, or swipe down on the remote's touchpad if it has one. The controls will appear at the bottom of the screen.
Use the left and right arrow buttons on your remote to navigate to the rewind or fast-forward button, then press select to set up it. Each press jumps back or forward by about 10 seconds. If your remote has a touchpad, you can also swipe left to rewind or right to fast-forward. To jump to a specific time, use the arrow buttons to highlight the progress bar and press select, then use the arrows to move along the bar to where you want to go.
The difference between rewinding live TV and recorded shows
YouTube TV handles rewind differently depending on whether you're watching live or recorded content. When you're watching a live broadcast, you can only rewind back to the point when the show started on your local channel—usually the beginning of the hour or the start of the program. You cannot rewind past that point because YouTube TV is still receiving the broadcast in real time.
When you're watching a show you recorded, or a show that's already finished airing, you can rewind all the way to the beginning of the recording. This gives you full control over the entire program. If you want to go back further than the live broadcast allows, you can check if the show is available on-demand or in your library as a full recording.
What to do if rewind isn't working
If the rewind button isn't responding, first check that your internet connection is stable. YouTube TV needs a steady connection to stream video, and a weak or dropping connection can cause playback controls to freeze or lag.
If your connection is fine, try closing and reopening the YouTube TV app or refreshing the page in your web browser. On TV devices, restart the app by going to your device's home screen and relaunching YouTube TV. If you're still having trouble, restart your device entirely—unplug it for 30 seconds, then plug it back in and try again. If the problem continues, contact YouTube TV support through the app or at youtube.com/tv/support.
Keyboard shortcuts for faster rewinding on computers
If you're watching on a computer, you can use keyboard shortcuts to rewind and fast-forward without clicking buttons. Press the left arrow key to rewind 5 seconds, or press the right arrow key to fast-forward 5 seconds. Press J to rewind 10 seconds, or press L to fast-forward 10 seconds. These shortcuts work in most web browsers.
You can also press the spacebar to pause and play, or press the number keys 0 through 9 to jump to that percentage of the video—for example, pressing 5 jumps to the halfway point. These shortcuts are the same ones YouTube uses, so if you're familiar with regular YouTube, they'll work the same way on YouTube TV.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rewind on live TV?
Yes, but only back to when the broadcast started on your local channel. You cannot rewind past the beginning of the live stream because YouTube TV is receiving the broadcast in real time. If you want to watch the entire program from the start, check if it's available as a full recording in your library.
How far back can I rewind on a recorded show?
You can rewind all the way to the beginning of the recording. There is no limit to how far back you can go on recorded content, so you have full control over the entire program from start to finish.
Why is my rewind button grayed out or not working?
Check your internet connection first—YouTube TV needs a stable connection to stream. If your connection is fine, close and reopen the app or refresh the page. On TV devices, restart the app or restart your device entirely. If it still doesn't work, contact YouTube TV support.
Can I rewind faster than 10 seconds at a time?
On phones and tablets, drag the progress bar to jump to any point when ready. On computers, use keyboard shortcuts: press J to rewind 10 seconds, or drag the progress bar. On TV devices, press the rewind button multiple times in quick succession to jump back further.
Does rewinding use more data?
No, rewinding does not use extra data. YouTube TV streams the video you're watching, and rewinding just tells the app to play a different part of that same stream. Your data usage depends on video quality and how long you watch, not on how much you rewind.