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Watch Videos on Bilibili 2025: Complete Search & Viewing Guide

How to Find and Watch Videos on Bilibili — Search, Playlists & Danmu

Section titled “How to Find and Watch Videos on Bilibili — Search, Playlists & Danmu”

Ready to dive into Bilibili’s amazing content? This guide will help you find exactly what you want to watch and make the most of your viewing experience.

Basic Search:

  1. Click the search bar at the top
  2. Type your keywords (English or Chinese)
  3. Press Enter or click the search button
  4. Browse through results

Search Tips:

  • Try both English and Chinese keywords
  • Use Pinyin for Chinese terms you can’t type
  • Add “english” to find English-subtitled content
  • Use specific terms like “anime,” “gaming,” “music”

Filter Options:

  • 排序 (Sort): Most relevant, latest, most popular
  • 时长 (Duration): Short (0-10min), Medium (10-30min), Long (30min+)
  • 分区 (Category): Content type filtering
  • 时间 (Time): Upload date (today, week, month, year)

Main Categories:

  • 动画 (Animation): Anime, cartoons, animation
  • 音乐 (Music): Music videos, covers, performances
  • 舞蹈 (Dance): Dance performances, tutorials
  • 游戏 (Gaming): Game streams, walkthroughs, esports
  • 知识 (Knowledge): Educational content, tutorials
  • 科技 (Technology): Tech reviews, science
  • 运动 (Sports): Sports, fitness, athletics
  • 汽车 (Cars): Automotive content, reviews
  • 生活 (Life): Lifestyle, daily vlogs
  • 美食 (Food): Cooking, food reviews
  • 动物 (Animals): Pet videos, wildlife
  • 时尚 (Fashion): Fashion, makeup, style
  • 娱乐 (Entertainment): Entertainment, variety shows

Playback Controls:

  • Play/Pause: Space bar or click video
  • Volume: Mouse wheel or volume slider
  • Quality: Click gear icon for resolution (480p to 4K)
  • Speed: Click 1x for playback speed (0.5x to 2x)
  • Fullscreen: F key or fullscreen button
  • Picture-in-Picture: Browser-supported feature

Progress Bar:

  • Click anywhere to jump to that point
  • Hover to preview thumbnails
  • See timestamps for key moments

What is Danmu? Danmu are real-time comments that fly across the screen while you watch. They’re Bilibili’s signature feature and create a shared viewing experience.

Danmu Controls:

  • Toggle On/Off: Click the bullet icon
  • Settings: Adjust speed, transparency, and display area
  • Color: Choose text color for your danmu
  • Size: Adjust text size
  • Filter: Block specific keywords or users

Danmu Etiquette:

  • No spoilers for others
  • Keep comments relevant to the content
  • Avoid spam or offensive language
  • Use appropriate timing for your comments

Finding Subtitles:

  • Look for “CC” or “字幕” button
  • Click to toggle subtitles on/off
  • Choose language if multiple options available

Subtitle Settings:

  • Adjust size and color
  • Change background for better readability
  • Synchronize timing if needed

Step 1: Find Videos to Add

  • Browse or search for content
  • Click the “收藏” (Favorite) button
  • Choose “添加到收藏夹” (Add to Collection)

Step 2: Create New Playlist

  • Click “创建收藏夹” (Create Collection)
  • Name your playlist
  • Set privacy (public or private)
  • Add description if desired

Step 3: Add Videos

  • Go back to videos you want to save
  • Click the favorite button again
  • Select your new playlist

Accessing Playlists:

  • Click your profile picture
  • Go to “收藏夹” (Collections)
  • View all your playlists

Organizing Content:

  • Create themed playlists (anime, music, tutorials)
  • Use descriptive names
  • Set appropriate privacy settings
  • Regularly update and clean up

From Videos:

  • Click on the uploader’s name
  • View their channel page
  • Click “关注” (Follow) button

From Recommendations:

  • Check “推荐” (Recommended) section
  • Browse “热门” (Trending) videos
  • Explore creator rankings in each category

Subscriptions Feed:

  • Click “订阅” (Subscriptions) from menu
  • See latest videos from followed creators
  • Filter by category or creator

Notification Settings:

  • Choose which creators notify you
  • Set notification preferences
  • Manage email notifications

Video Controls:

  • Space: Play/Pause
  • F: Fullscreen
  • M: Mute/Unmute
  • ↑/↓: Volume up/down
  • ←/→: Seek 5 seconds
  • J/K: Seek 10 seconds
  • L: Loop video
  • C: Toggle danmu
  • 1-9: Jump to 10%-90% of video

Search Strategies:

  • Use “english” in search terms
  • Look for English titles or descriptions
  • Check international creator channels
  • Search for specific English-speaking creators

Community Translations:

  • Look for “英文字幕” (English subtitles) in titles
  • Check comments for subtitle mentions
  • Join communities that translate content

Best Quality Settings:

  • 1080p for most content
  • 4K for supported videos
  • Adjust based on your internet speed
  • Lower quality for faster loading on mobile data
  • Touch controls and gestures
  • Easier to use on the go
  • Push notifications for new content
  • Better for portrait-oriented content
  • Full keyboard shortcuts
  • Better for multi-tasking
  • Easier to read comments and descriptions
  • Better for landscape content and long videos

Search for “english” or “英文字幕” in your queries. Many popular anime, gaming, and educational videos have community-provided English subtitles.

Official downloads are limited to premium users, but you can save videos to your “Watch Later” list for online viewing. Some third-party tools exist for offline viewing.

Try refreshing the page, checking your internet connection, or using a different browser. Some content may be region-restricted.

You can temporarily disable danmu, use filters to block spoiler keywords, or watch videos after the initial hype period when spoilers are less common.

Yes! Use the share button below each video to copy the link or share directly to social media. You can also create collaborative playlists.

Why are some videos blurred or restricted?

Section titled “Why are some videos blurred or restricted?”

Some content requires age verification (18+) or account verification. You may need to verify your age or account status to view this content.

Click the “举报” (Report) button below the video or in the danmu settings. Bilibili has community guidelines and moderation teams.

Yes! Live streams have their own section and feature real-time chat similar to danmu but more interactive. Look for the “直播” (Live) category.


Mastered the basics? Learn how to get English subtitles or discover how to interact with the community to enhance your Bilibili experience!