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How to Set Favorites on YouTube TV: Your Ultimate Guide

So, you’re diving into the world of YouTube TV and eager to personalize your experience? Excellent choice! One of the best ways to streamline your viewing and quickly access the content you love is by setting your favorite shows, teams, and networks. Here’s the straightforward answer to how you set those crucial favorites:

To set favorites on YouTube TV, simply navigate to the Live tab, browse the channel guide, and select the channel you wish to favorite. Then, click the star icon next to the channel name. The star will illuminate, indicating the channel is now added to your favorites. This process works similarly for individual shows and sports teams.

Now, let’s get into the nitty-gritty, explore different methods, and answer all your burning questions about maximizing your YouTube TV experience!

Understanding the Power of YouTube TV Favorites

Why bother setting favorites, you ask? Well, imagine sifting through hundreds of channels every time you want to watch your nightly news or catch a game. Not fun, right? Favorites act as personalized shortcuts, bringing your go-to content front and center.

Streamlined Channel Guide: Your favorite channels appear at the top of the Live tab, saving you valuable scrolling time.
Personalized Recommendations: YouTube TV learns your viewing habits based on your favorites, resulting in more accurate and relevant suggestions.
Easy DVR Management: Favoriting shows and teams makes it easier to record upcoming episodes and games, ensuring you never miss a moment.
Quick Access Across Devices: Your favorites are synced across all your devices – phone, tablet, smart TV – making for a seamless experience.

Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Favorites

Let’s break down the process on different devices:

On Your Smart TV or Streaming Device

Launch YouTube TV: Fire up the app on your Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, or smart TV.
Navigate to the Live Tab: This is your primary portal to the live TV experience. Usually found at the top of the screen.
Browse the Channel Guide: Use your remote to scroll through the list of available channels.
Select Your Desired Channel: Highlight the channel you want to add as a favorite.
Click the Star Icon: Look for the star icon next to the channel’s name. Select it. The star should turn solid, signifying that the channel is now a favorite.
Repeat for all your preferred channels.

On Your Computer (Web Browser)

Open YouTube TV: Go to tv.youtube.com in your web browser.
Sign In: Make sure you are signed in to your Google account associated with your YouTube TV subscription.
Click the Live Tab: Located on the left-hand side of the screen.
Browse the Channel Guide: Scroll through the available channels.
Hover Over a Channel: Move your mouse cursor over the channel you want to favorite.
Click the Star Icon: The star icon will appear; click it to add the channel to your favorites. The star turns solid once the channel is added.
Repeat for all the channels you watch regularly.

On Your Mobile Device (Phone or Tablet)

Open the YouTube TV App: Launch the app on your iOS or Android device.
Tap the Live Tab: Located at the bottom of the screen.
Scroll Through the Channel Guide: Browse the list of channels.
Tap the Channel You Want to Favorite: Select the channel.
Tap the Star Icon: Located next to the channel name. The star will fill, confirming the channel is favorited.
Repeat as necessary.

Favoriting Individual Shows and Sports Teams

Beyond channels, you can also favorite individual shows and sports teams. This triggers YouTube TV to automatically record new episodes and games. Here’s how:

Favoriting Shows

Search for the Show: Use the search bar to find the show you want to favorite.
Click on the Show’s Page: This will take you to the dedicated page for that show.
Click the Plus Sign (+): Located next to the show’s name. This will add the show to your library and automatically record future episodes. You can also find the star icon here, depending on the interface.

Favoriting Sports Teams

Search for the Team: Use the search bar to find your favorite sports team.
Click on the Team’s Page: This will take you to the team’s dedicated page.
Click the Plus Sign (+): Similar to shows, this will add the team to your library and record upcoming games. Again, a star icon may also be present.

Managing Your Favorites

Periodically reviewing and managing your favorites is essential to keep your YouTube TV experience optimal.

Removing a Favorite Channel

Simply repeat the steps for adding a favorite channel. Clicking the solid star icon will remove the channel from your favorites list. The star will become hollow again.

Removing a Favorited Show or Team

Navigate to Your Library: Go to the “Library” tab.
Find the Show or Team: Locate the show or team you want to unfavorite.
Click the Checkmark or Minus Sign (-): Clicking this will remove the show or team from your library and stop future recordings.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How many favorite channels can I set on YouTube TV?

There is no limit to the number of channels you can favorite on YouTube TV. Feel free to curate your channel guide to your heart’s content!

2. Will favoriting a channel also record all shows on that channel?

No, favoriting a channel does not automatically record all shows. You need to individually favorite shows or teams to trigger recording. Favoriting a channel only makes it easier to find in your live guide.

3. Can I reorder my favorite channels on YouTube TV?

Unfortunately, YouTube TV does not currently offer the ability to manually reorder your favorite channels. They appear in an order determined by YouTube TV.

4. Are my favorites shared with other users on my YouTube TV account?

Yes, your favorites are shared with all users on your YouTube TV account. Keep this in mind if you have family members with different viewing preferences.

5. Can I set favorites from the YouTube TV mobile app and see them on my TV?

Absolutely! Favorites sync across all your devices logged into your YouTube TV account. Set them on your phone and they’ll be reflected on your TV, computer, and other devices.

6. What happens if a channel I’ve favorited is no longer available on YouTube TV?

If a channel is removed from YouTube TV, it will also be removed from your favorites list. You will receive a notification about the channel’s removal.

7. Does favoriting a sports team record games regardless of which channel they are on?

Yes, favoriting a sports team will record games regardless of the channel broadcasting them, as long as those channels are part of your YouTube TV subscription.

8. Can I prioritize certain shows or teams to be recorded over others?

YouTube TV doesn’t offer a direct prioritization feature. It records content based on availability and storage space. However, if you are running out of space, the oldest recordings will be deleted first.

9. I added a show to my library, but it’s not recording. What could be the problem?

Several factors could be at play:

Check Recording Settings: Ensure the recording option is toggled ON for the specific show.
Local Blackouts: Some games or shows may be subject to local blackout restrictions.
Channel Availability: The channel broadcasting the show might not be available in your YouTube TV package.
DVR Space: If your DVR is full, new recordings won’t occur until existing ones are deleted.

10. How do I clear my YouTube TV viewing history, and does this affect my favorites?

Clearing your viewing history does not directly affect your favorites. However, it might influence the recommendations YouTube TV provides. To clear your viewing history, navigate to your Google account settings.

11. Is there a way to create different profiles on YouTube TV with separate favorites?

YouTube TV offers family sharing, allowing you to create separate profiles for each family member. Each profile has its own viewing history, recommendations, and DVR library, which includes favorites.

12. Can I use voice commands to set favorites on YouTube TV?

Yes, you can use voice commands through Google Assistant on devices like Google Home or smart TVs with built-in Google Assistant. You can say things like, “Hey Google, add [Channel Name] to my YouTube TV favorites.”

By mastering the art of setting and managing favorites on YouTube TV, you’re well on your way to enjoying a truly personalized and streamlined streaming experience. Happy watching!