According to 9to5Google, when this feature is switched ON, you will be able to automatically download 20 videos each week. Apparently, this feature is similar to what YouTube Music has with the same name. Often, YouTube tests out new experimental features for its mobile app, and this time around it is the Smart Downloads feature that anyone with an Android device can test out. Do note that this feature, being an experimental feature, isn’t available for everyone at the moment. Moreover, it will be live only for a limited time. Users only have until February 14 to test out the Smart Downloads feature on their YouTube mobile app, provided the feature is available to them. Smart Downloads will automatically download videos when you are connected to a Wi-Fi network. All the downloaded content can be accessed from the Downloads page of the Library tab.
Users having low storage will be notified to take further steps for Smart Downloads to continue
Now, you may ask, how YouTube mobile app will decide on which videos to automatically start downloading? Well, the algorithm seems similar to what YouTube Music has, and it will translate over to videos on YouTube mobile app. Moreover, users that have low storage space available on their smartphones will be notified. This notification will contain the additional steps they need to take in order for the Smart Downloads feature to continue. Additionally, as noted by 9To5Google, this feature only works with the latest version of Android. There is no clarity on which specific versions this new feature supports. Further, you need to have a YouTube Premium subscription active to use this experimental feature. Again, this feature isn’t widely available for everyone, and it is currently open for users in Europe. While YouTube often puts new experimental feature detail over at its youtube.com/new website, this time there is just a single feature appearing, i.e. Picture-in-picture on iOS test mentioned. This new feature seems to be in line to make offline downloads available to more devices. Recently, this feature was added to YouTube TV last year, then it made its way to the web version of YouTube. YouTube Music app for Wear OS also has this smart downloads feature available, allowing users to have access to offline music on the go.
