YouTube TV's Library feature stores your recordings automatically

YouTube TV records shows for you without you having to set anything up in advance. When you watch live TV or a show that's currently airing, YouTube TV saves it to your Library — a personal collection that stays available for nine months. You don't need to press a record button or schedule anything. The system handles it in the background.

If you want to make sure a show gets saved, you can add it to your Library manually before it airs. This guarantees the recording will be there when you're ready to watch, even if you're not home when the episode broadcasts.

Key Takeaways

  • YouTube TV automatically saves shows you watch to your Library for nine months without any action required on your part.
  • You can manually add a show or movie to your Library before it airs to may support it's recorded and ready to watch later.
  • Recordings are stored in your Library on any device — phone, tablet, computer, or TV — and sync across all of them.
  • You can delete recordings from your Library at any time to free up space, and YouTube TV will stop saving new episodes of a show if you remove it.

How to add a show to your Library before it airs

Open YouTube TV on any device and find the show or movie you want to record. You can search for it using the search bar at the top, or browse through the channel guide. Once you find the show, click or tap on it to open the details page.

On the details page, look for a button or icon that says "Add to Library" or shows a plus sign. Click or tap it. YouTube TV will now record all new episodes of that show and add them to your Library automatically. If it's a movie, YouTube TV will record that single broadcast and save it.

You'll see a confirmation that the show has been added. From that point forward, every time a new episode airs, it will be saved to your Library without you having to do anything else.

Finding and playing your recorded shows

To watch something you've recorded, open YouTube TV and tap or click the Library tab. This is usually at the bottom of the screen on phones and tablets, or on the left side on computers and TV devices. Your Library shows all the shows and movies you've added, organized by name.

Scroll through your Library to find what you want to watch. Tap or click on the show title, and you'll see a list of all the episodes YouTube TV has recorded. Select the episode you want and press play. It will start from the beginning, and you can pause, rewind, or fast-forward just like you would with any other video.

Your Library syncs across all your devices. If you start watching an episode on your phone, you can pick up where you left off on your TV, and vice versa.

Removing shows from your Library

If you no longer want YouTube TV to record a show, open your Library and find the show title. Press and hold on it (on a phone or tablet) or right-click it (on a computer or TV). A menu will appear with options. Select "Remove from Library" or a similar option depending on your device.

Once you remove a show, YouTube TV will stop recording new episodes. Any episodes already in your Library will stay there until they expire after nine months, or until you delete them individually. If you want to delete a single episode instead of the whole show, open the show, find that episode, and select the delete option.

Understanding the nine-month storage window

Every recording in your Library automatically deletes nine months after it was saved. This is a built-in limit that YouTube TV applies to all recordings — you can't extend it or change it. The nine months gives you plenty of time to watch most shows, but it means you can't keep recordings indefinitely.

If there's a show you know you'll want to keep longer, consider downloading it to your device if YouTube TV offers that option, or noting which streaming service carries it so you can watch it there after your recording expires. For most people, nine months is more than enough time to catch up on what they've recorded.

Recording movies and special events

Movies and special events (like sports games or award shows) work the same way as regular shows. Find the movie or event in YouTube TV, add it to your Library, and YouTube TV will record it. You can also record a movie or event that's currently airing by straightforward watching it — YouTube TV saves it automatically.

For live sports or events that air only once, adding them to your Library before they start ensures you won't miss the recording if something interrupts your viewing. Once the event finishes airing, it will be in your Library ready to watch whenever you want.

What happens if you pause or stop watching mid-show

If you start watching a recorded show and pause it halfway through, YouTube TV remembers where you stopped. The next time you open that episode, it will ask if you want to resume from where you left off or start from the beginning. This works across devices — if you pause on your phone, you can resume on your TV.

Stopping a show doesn't delete it from your Library. It stays there until the nine-month window expires or you manually remove it. You can come back to it days or weeks later and pick up right where you left off.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I record multiple shows at the same time?

Yes. YouTube TV records shows in the cloud, not on a physical device, so there's no limit to how many shows can be recorded at once. You can record ten shows airing at the same time without any problem.

What if I'm away from home when a show airs?

YouTube TV will still record it. Since recordings happen in the cloud, you don't need to be home or have your device turned on. The show will be in your Library when you get back, ready to watch whenever you want.

Can I share my Library recordings with other people on my account?

Yes. Anyone with access to your YouTube TV account can see and watch everything in your Library. If you have a family plan, each person can add their own shows to the shared Library, and everyone can watch them.

Do I lose my recordings if I cancel YouTube TV?

Yes. If you cancel your subscription, your Library and all recordings are deleted. They're only available while you have an active YouTube TV subscription.

Can I read recordings to watch offline?

YouTube TV does not currently offer a read feature for recorded shows. You can only watch recordings while connected to the internet through the YouTube TV app or website.