Since its launch in 2005, YouTube has become the go-to platform for uploading and watching video online. With over 2 billion monthly logged-in users visiting each month, YouTube receives over one billion hours of video watched every single day.
To enhance the viewing experience, YouTube is constantly evolving by adding new features. The latest one – Ambient Mode – was introduced in October 2022 to celebrate YouTube‘s 17th birthday.
– Provide background on Ambient Mode – what it is, goals, how it works
– Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of Ambient Mode
– Provide tips on how to enable Ambient Mode for an immersive viewing experience
– Explain how to disable Ambient Mode if the performance impact is too high or it‘s visually distracting
– Use subheadings to break up sections
– Incorporate statistics and examples to support key points
What is Ambient Mode and How Does It Work?
Ambient Mode is a lighting effect feature that aims to make the YouTube viewing experience more immersive. It dynamically samples colors from the video you‘re watching and applies them as the background color of the YouTube page or app.
For example, if you‘re watching a video that has blues and greens, Ambient Mode will shift the background colors to match, creating an ambient lighting effect similar to how the colors from a TV screen cast a glow in a dark room.
According to YouTube, the feature "uses a technique called color extraction, which automatically identifies the most prominent colors in each frame of video and applies them behind the video for a more immersive viewing experience."
Ambient Mode only works when you have the Dark theme enabled in YouTube. It does not function with the standard Light theme.
The Benefits of Ambient Mode for Immersive Viewing
There are a few benefits to using Ambient Mode for a more immersive YouTube viewing session:
-
Creates a cinematic effect – The shifting background colors can make it feel like you‘re in a theater or TV room, drawn into the video.
-
Reduces eye strain – Having a darker background that changes color based on the video can reduce eye strain compared to a static white page.
-
Focuses attention – With less competing elements on screen, Ambient Mode directs attention to the video itself.
-
Looks cool – The ambient lighting effect does seem futuristic and visually appealing when it works well.
According to a YouTube spokesperson, the feature aims to "create a more immersive watching experience" and reduce the contrast between the video and the rest of the page.
Early user testing and feedback showed that viewers enjoyed Ambient Mode for its cinematic, immersive qualities.
The Downsides of Ambient Mode – Performance and Visual Issues
However, Ambient Mode has not been universally praised. Many users have highlighted performance and visualization issues:
-
System resource drain – The color extraction and changing background can tax system resources, especially on lower-end devices. FPS drops and stuttering video have been reported.
-
Visual distractions – The constantly shifting background colors can become distracting and make it hard to focus on the actual video.
-
Odd visuals – The color extraction isn‘t always accurate, creating weird blobs or shadows rather than smooth lighting effects.
YouTube viewer feedback shows mixed reactions:
"This feature tanks my framerate on videos."
"Cool idea but very distracting when you notice how it moves."
"Doesn‘t seem well optimized. My fans ramp up and videos lag."
Based on initial user responses, Ambient Mode offers an immersive experience when it works properly, but it does have performance and visualization drawbacks for many viewers.
How to Enable Ambient Mode on YouTube
If you want to try out Ambient Mode for yourself, it‘s easy to enable the feature:
On Desktop
- Visit youtube.com and begin watching a video.
- Click on the Settings icon (3 vertical dots) in the video player.
- Select the "Dark theme" option under Appearance.
- Toggle the Ambient Mode setting to "On".
On Mobile
- Open the YouTube app and start playing a video.
- Tap the Settings icon in the video player.
- Go to General > Appearance and choose "Dark theme".
- Switch the "Ambient mode" setting to On.
Ambient Mode should then take effect on the next video you watch, with the background colors changing dynamically based on color extraction from each frame.
How to Disable Ambient Mode on YouTube
If you find Ambient Mode is draining system resources, distracting, or just not to your tastes, you can easily disable it:
On Desktop
- Watch any video then click the Settings icon.
- Under "Ambient mode", toggle the setting to Off.
On Mobile
- Watch any video then tap the Settings icon.
- Under "Ambient mode", switch the setting to Off.
You can also disable Ambient Mode by switching back to the regular Light theme under Appearance settings. This will return YouTube‘s background to default white.
Conclusion
Ambient Mode is an intriguing new feature that some users will enjoy for its immersive, cinematic qualities that focus attention on the video. But the performance impacts and visual distractions may be a deal breaker for others.
Fortunately, you can easily toggle Ambient Mode on or off to decide if it enhances or detracts from your YouTube viewing experience. Over time, YouTube will likely continue refining the feature to minimize system resource usage and visual bugs.
What do you think of Ambient Mode? Have you tried it yet on YouTube? Let me know your experiences with this new lighting effect feature!
