Download YouTube: Watch, Listen, Stream for iPhone

The YouTube application for iPhones is a mobile-only implementation of the popular online YouTube browser-based platform. The app streamlines all of the existing content from YouTube into a condensed, mobile-friendly layout. Essentially, all of the same content can be accessed, regardless of what device is used for viewing said media.

From a technical point of view, this application is very safe. As a Google product, the software can be relied upon to be free from malware or viruses. This is even more relevant when considering that iPhones are fairly resilient when it comes to viruses; with a locked-down OS, and apps vetted by Apple, it is rare to experience such problems.

YouTube doesn't cost anything to download and install on a mobile phone, nor does it cost anything to use. Owned by Google, the application, or service, is largely funded by the advertising revenue generated by ads that are embedded in the content of its users. As a result, it has remained fee-free to-date. However, there is an optional, paid-for subscription called YouTube Red.

Like all applications vetted and permitted for installation on an iPhone by Apple, the YouTube application can be found within the Apple App Store. Depending on whether fingerprint or password restrictions are enabled for the iCloud account, users may need to pass authentication prior to downloading and installing the application.

Though this is a commonly asked question, it is not strictly true that quality on mobile is worse than on a browser. Internet connection strength can limit the quality available to a viewer; when signal is poor, videos will often default to a lower resolution. Resolution can be adjusted through settings when streaming content.

Also known as 'Restricted Mode', this is a feature on iPhones that allows content to be filtered out, protecting minors from mature content. It also filters out comments on YouTube videos, which could contain user-created, adult content. Restricted Mode can be disabled through the in-app account settings, within the YouTube application.

Though it's difficult to provide an exact figure as to how much data will be used by a given device, as there are many factors, there are some averages available. Some research has indicated that a device could use around 4MB or more, per minute, whilst using the default video resolution settings.

There could be a number of factors that prevent smooth playback of YouTube videos, or even freezing completely. Ensuring an uninterrupted network connection, users should swipe closed to reboot the application, before reinstalling if the issue persists. Failing that, the device's storage may need to be cleared or increased.

For users of the free YouTube application, the company have made efforts to prevent this feature from being accessible. Background streaming is intended to be reserved for subscribers to the paid-for YouTube Red service. Although workarounds do exist, they are continually being found and blocked by Google.

Switching accounts within the YouTube applicaton on an iPhone couldn't be simpler. All that's required is to tap on the account photo icon, tap on switch account, and then tap on 'Use YouTube signed out'. This is useful for managing age restricted videos, where one account may be unable to view content.