Avid YouTube users will appreciate the platform’s Ambient Mode, designed for immersive viewing. The relatively new feature mimics the glow of a television screen in a dark room. This feature is said to enhance your viewing experience.

Net Influencer brings you the details and reported benefits of YouTube’s Ambient mode. We even enlighten you on how to activate and deactivate this feature, to suit your viewing preferences. Let us get into it.

What is YouTube’s Ambient Mode?

YouTube has taken inspiration from the television with its more recent feature, the Ambient Mode. The lighting effect enhances viewing by reflecting a soft glowing light, using the colors featured in the video. The glowing light that surrounds the video, resembles the luminosity of a television screen. This feature, combined with YouTube’s dark theme, makes for more immersive viewing.

How does the Ambient Mode work?

The effect is created by casting gentle hues of the colors from the video being watched, into your screen’s background. The gradient of colors extends the eye to include the background in the video, which enhances viewing. It appears as if the colors are bleeding out of the video into the background.

Ambient mode is described as being dynamic. The background colors change, in real-time, according to the colors in the video. However, this feature only functions in the dark theme. Imagine watching TV in a dark room- this is the combined effect of YouTube’s ambient mode and dark theme. You can test the feature with this Ambilight Test Video.

The Origin of Ambient Mode

YouTube’s Ambient Mode received very positive results when tested. This prompted the further development of the feature. Ambient Mode was officially announced in late-October 2022 and is available on the web, Android, and iOS.

While the feature works in tandem with the platform’s dark theme, the co-dependency works in favor of the viewer. It draws the viewer in which creates an elevated and enhanced viewing experience. YouTube even updated its dark theme to be even darker, so the colors of the ambient mode would appear more distinct, rendering the feature more effective.

Activating and Deactivating Ambient Mode

Because the ambient mode only functions with YouTube’s Dark theme, the platform automatically enables the mode, once the Dark Theme is turned on. Before attempting the steps below for mobile devices, we recommend updating your YouTube app for the latest version that displays the options mentioned.

How to enable YouTube’s Dark Theme

On the web:

Go to YouTube.com and log into your account

Select: your Profile icon > Appearance > Dark theme or Use device theme (if your device currently runs in dark mode)

On Android and iOS:

Go to YouTube.com and log into your account

Select: your Profile icon > Settings > General > Appearance > Dark theme or Use device theme (if your device currently runs in dark mode)

How to Activate and Deactivate Ambient Mode

Android

Activating Ambient mode:

1. Ambient mode is automatically enabled, once you turn on the Dark theme.

Deactivating Ambient mode:

1. Tap on Settings on the watch page
2. Tap on Ambient mode.
3. Toggle to turn Ambient mode off for all videos

Computer

Activating Ambient mode:

1. Ambient mode is automatically enabled, once you turn on the Dark theme.

Deactivating Ambient mode:

1. Tap on Settings on the watch page
2. Tap on Ambient mode.
3. Toggle to turn Ambient mode off for all videos

iPad or phone

Activating Ambient mode:

1. Ambient mode is automatically enabled, once you turn on the Dark theme.

Deactivating Ambient mode:

1. Tap on Settings on the watch page
2. Tap on Ambient mode.
3. Toggle to turn Ambient mode off for all videos

How Ambient Mode can be used effectively in Content Creation for YouTube

YouTube is already one of the leading platforms for content creators. Upgrades such as the introduction of the ambient mode, give the platform a leg up.

While Ambient mode definitely upgrades the YouTube experience, it also drives content engagement on the site. The feature can enrich viewing to the extent that it elevates the content and increases engagement, reach, and performance. This results in more favorable outcomes for content creators. 

Conclusion

Ambient modes enhanced viewing translates to increased time on YouTube. This boosts viewership and encourages subscribers to engage with content, increasing the platform’s popularity and content creators’ reach. 

YouTube’s many recent updates, ensure viewers enjoy upgraded features and the introduction of new ones. Use our guide to activate and experience the ambient mode for an immersive viewing experience.