YouTube TV has become a popular way for many cord cutters to watch live TV, which makes sense, as Google initially launched the service explicitly for that internet-savvy demographic. Nearly eight years since its launch, YouTube TV has become a mainstream option for watching everything from news to sports to shows like “Law & Order: SVU” and “Abbott Elementary” — as of February 2024, the platform has over 8 million subscribers.
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If you don’t have cable (or a high-quality indoor TV antenna), YouTube TV is an easy way to experience live TV, but the service can also be used to watch programs after they’ve aired. That’s because — since its launch — one of the biggest selling points of the service is that it’s, in effect, a digital DVR. Just like TiVo and the DVR set-top boxes that spawned in its wake, YouTube TV can be used to schedule and record shows so that you’ll never miss an episode. Since the platform currently offers access to over 100 different live TV channels — including ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, AMC, E!, SyFy, CNN, ESPN, and more, as well as optional add-ons like HBO Max and BET+ — you’ll be able to use this feature on many of your favorite programs. (Keep in mind that the channel list and what devices offer the YouTube TV app are subject to change, due to occasional contract disputes.)
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Google isn’t shy about raising the subscription cost of YouTube TV — currently, it’s $82.99 per month, plus tax. If you’re already subscribed and are having trouble figuring out how this useful feature works, or you’re checking to see how simple or complicated the process is before signing up with the service, the following is a short and simple guide to how you can record programs on YouTube TV.