Yes, it is possible to see the total runtime of all the videos in a YouTube playlist. This can be useful for estimating how long it will take to watch the full playlist or for getting a sense of how much content is included.
View total playlist duration on desktop
On the desktop YouTube site, the total runtime of a playlist is displayed right below the playlist title. For example, if you open a playlist it might say “Playlist name – 5 hours, 32 minutes”. This makes it easy to see the total length at a glance.
To find a playlist’s duration on desktop:
- Go to the playlist page
- Look below the playlist title for the total time
The duration will update automatically as videos are added or removed from the playlist.
Check playlist duration on mobile
On the YouTube mobile app, the total playlist duration is not shown on the playlist page itself. However, it can be found by opening the playlist options menu:
- Open the playlist page
- Tap the 3 dot menu icon in the upper right corner
- Select “Details” from the menu
- Scroll down to see the total runtime listed
This provides the total length of all videos in hours and minutes. It’s a couple extra taps compared to desktop, but still allows checking the duration.
See time while watching a playlist
When actually watching a playlist, the total remaining time is displayed in a few places:
- In the video progress bar – this shows the total playlist runtime and highlights the current video’s length.
- In the video details under the progress bar – displays time elapsed and remaining.
- In the playlist menu on mobile – tapping on the playlist icon shows total and remaining time.
So even while viewing a playlist, it’s possible to see the total length and time left. This is handy for longer playlists when you want to know how much is remaining.
Check duration in YouTube Analytics
For channel owners, the duration of playlists can also be seen in YouTube Analytics. This provides not just the total length, but a detailed breakdown of watch time and average view duration for the playlist.
To view playlist analytics:
- Go to YouTube Analytics
- Click on “Content” in the left menu
- Select “Playlists” from the tabs at the top
- Choose a playlist to see in-depth metrics and duration
In addition to total playlist duration, creators can analyze performance like total views, average watch time, top videos, and more. This gives insight into how playlists are being watched.
Estimate time from number of videos
For long playlists, sometimes the total time is not displayed. In that case, a rough estimate of the duration can be calculated from the number of videos.
Steps to estimate playlist length:
- Note the number of videos in the playlist – displayed below the title
- Estimate average video length – typically around 5 minutes is a safe bet
- Multiply average length by number of videos
For example, a playlist with 25 videos that are around 5 minutes long would be approximately 125 minutes or 2 hours.
While not an exact duration, this method can provide a ballpark estimate to get a sense of the playlist length.
Use a third-party website or extension
There are also third-party sites and browser extensions that can calculate the total time of a YouTube playlist.
Some popular options include:
- Listentoyoutube.com – manually enter playlist URL to get duration
- PlaylistCalculator.net – calculates length of playlists
- Playlist Duration Chrome Extension – adds playlist time to YouTube
These tools can be helpful if you need to regularly check playlist durations or want the length displayed right on YouTube.
Why check playlist duration?
Here are some common reasons to check the total runtime of a YouTube playlist:
- Planning time to listen to music playlists
- Budgeting time for educational or informational playlists
- Getting a sense of how much content is included
- Estimating when you’ll finish watching videos
- Comparing lengths of different playlists
- Optimizing playlist lengths as a creator
Whether you want to plan your schedule or analyze your content, being able to see total playlist duration is very useful on YouTube.
Tips for accurate playlist time tracking
For playlist owners and creators, here are some tips to keep duration tracking accurate:
- Check playlist length periodically as new videos are added.
- Re-check duration if videos in the playlist are edited or deleted.
- Use YouTube Analytics for updated analytics on watch time.
- Remember live streams count toward duration until deleted.
- Double check if videos are set to private or unlisted.
With large playlists, the total runtime can change frequently. Staying on top of updates ensures you always have the right total time.
Conclusion
Finding the total runtime of a YouTube playlist is straightforward on both desktop and mobile. This allows viewers to plan watching sessions and gives creators insight into watch metrics. Third-party sites can also display duration if not shown on YouTube. Keeping track of playlist length over time enables accurate planning and analysis.
