How to check YouTube playlist length on mobile

On a phone, checking a playlist’s length is the same problem as on desktop, with a smaller screen: YouTube shows every video’s length and no total. The fix is the same too, and it works fine on mobile if you do it in two passes.

First pass: collect the durations

Open the playlist, scroll through it, and note each duration. On mobile the durations sit on the thumbnails, so a screenshot of each screenful is a quick way to capture a long list.

Second pass: add them somewhere bigger

Paste or type the durations into a calculator — on the phone itself or later on a computer. Adding 40 durations on a phone keypad is error-prone; the calculator at least handles the minutes-to-hours carry.

A shortcut for short playlists

For fewer than ten videos, adding in your head is usually fine: add the minutes, carry every 60 into an hour, then add the seconds the same way. Past ten videos, use the calculator.

Worked example

Take three videos — 10:00, 12:30 and 1:05:20. Added together they are 1 hour, 27 minutes and 50 seconds (1:27:50). On mobile you would see 10:00, 12:30 and 1:05:20 on three thumbnails. Added together — carrying 80 seconds into 1 minute and 20 seconds — they total 1:27:50.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a YouTube app setting for totals?

No. Neither the app nor the mobile site shows a playlist total, and no setting enables one.

Can I do this entirely on my phone?

Yes. The calculator runs in the browser, needs no app and no sign-in, and works from pasted durations on mobile.

What if the playlist is very long?

Screenshot it in chunks, then transcribe the durations in order. It is tedious once, and then the total is settled for good.