iOS 16 Lets Third-Party Apps Using Apple's Video Player Offer a Playback Speed Menu

Starting with iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS Ventura, and tvOS 16, apps using Apple's video player are able to offer a native playback speed menu. The feature is optional for developers, however, so the functionality may not be available in some apps.

ios 16 playback speed menu
Apple's default playback speed options are 0.5×, 1.0×, 1.25×, 1.5×, and 2.0×, but developers are able to modify the list of speeds.

In supported iPhone and iPad apps, the playback speed menu can be reached by tapping the icon with three dots surrounded by a circle. In supported Mac apps, the menu can be found by clicking on "»" and selecting Playback Speed. In supported Apple TV apps, there is a new timer icon for playback speed to the left of the subtitles icon.

tvos 16 playback speed menu
For developers, Apple says all apps using the new iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and tvOS SDKs will get this playback speed functionality automatically with no additional changes required. Developers wishing to disable the menu entirely can make use of new APIs added to AVPlayer, with more details available in this WWDC 2022 session video.

Some apps using a custom video player on iOS like YouTube already offer playback speed control, as do some Apple apps like the Developer app.

Related Forum: iOS 16

Popular Stories

apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro teal 1

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Coming to These 8 U.S. States, But Rollout Remains Slow

Wednesday March 19, 2025 6:55 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly. It has been three and a half years since Apple first announced the...
iOS 19 visionOS UI Elements

iOS 19 to Have Some of the 'Biggest' Design Changes in iPhone's History

Sunday March 16, 2025 10:35 am PDT by
Apple is planning some of the "biggest iOS and macOS redesigns in its history," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman reiterated that iOS 19 will have a visionOS-like design with more transparent interfaces:The new interfaces will adopt the design principles introduced in visionOS, the software for Apple's Vision Pro headset. That includes greater...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro Already Rumored to Have Five New Features

Tuesday March 18, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro models are still around a year and a half away from launching, there are already some early rumors about the devices. Below, we recap some key iPhone 18 Pro rumors so far. Under-Screen Face ID In April 2023, display industry analyst Ross Young shared a roadmap showing that iPhone 17 Pro models would feature under-display Face ID. In May 2024, however, Young said ...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Apple's First Foldable iPhone Estimated to Cost Nearly Twice as Much as iPhone 16 Pro Max

Monday March 17, 2025 6:42 am PDT by
In an investor research note today with British bank Barclays, analyst Tim Long said Apple's first foldable iPhone could have a starting price in the $2,300 range in the United States, which would make it by far the most expensive iPhone model ever. If the first foldable iPhone starts at $2,299, that means it would cost nearly twice as much as the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which starts at $1,199. ...
Bent iPhone Air Feature

Apple Canned Larger iPhone 17 Air Model Over Fears of Bendgate 2.0

Monday March 17, 2025 4:07 am PDT by
Apple prototyped a larger ultra-slim iPhone 17 Air with a 6.9-inch display, but ultimately decided not to go ahead with the device because of fears that it could be susceptible to bending, according to a new report. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, writing in his latest Power On newsletter: When it first started work on the phone, it prototyped a device with a 6.9-inch screen — matching...
iphone 16 pro models 1

All Four iPhone 17 Models Rumored to Feature Upgraded 24-Megapixel Front Camera and More

Monday March 17, 2025 7:50 pm PDT by
All four iPhone 17 models launching later this year will feature an upgraded 24-megapixel front-facing camera, according to analyst Jeff Pu. In a research note today with investment firm GF Securities, Pu shared a chart in which he reiterated that the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with a 24-megapixel front camera. By comparison, all four ...
General iOS Mail Feature

iOS 18.3.2 Broke iCloud Mail Delivery

Monday March 17, 2025 3:31 pm PDT by
The iOS 18.3.2 update that Apple released last week appears to have broken iCloud Mail for some users. There are multiple complaints on Reddit and the MacRumors forums from users who say that iCloud Mail is not able to push new iCloud emails to their iPhones after the iOS 18.3.2 update. Affected users say that despite having the correct settings enabled, new iCloud emails are not showing up...
iphone 17 pro asherdipps

iPhone 17 Pro Max Rumors Allegedly Refer to 'iPhone 17 Ultra' Model

Friday March 14, 2025 7:56 am PDT by
If you've been following iPhone rumors over the last few years, you may remember reading reports that Apple flirted with the idea of introducing a super high-end "Ultra" model that would either replace its Pro Max device or sit above it in Apple's smartphone hirearchy. These reports appeared in the pre-launch iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 rumor cycles, but ultimately came to nothing. Now though, the...

Top Rated Comments

JosephAW Avatar
36 months ago
It would be nice to offer a rotation button even if your device is on locked rotation. :rolleyes:
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Antes Avatar
36 months ago
Awesome I watch just about everything at 1.25x.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Havoc035 Avatar
36 months ago

It would be nice to offer a rotation button even if your device is on locked rotation. :rolleyes:
This! And let’s also add double tap the left or right side of the screen to jump 15s back or ahead.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheDailyApple Avatar
36 months ago
I always speed-up any videos that aren’t for entertainment purposes. People just speak too slowly. :D Which is why I typically prefer articles and written text.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ButteryScrollin Avatar
36 months ago
Nice. I hope Netflix gets it on tvOS.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hagar Avatar
36 months ago

Is there a native way to change video quality on the new video player when watching on YouTube Safari?
There is an extension for that. It’s called Vinegar.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)