diff --git a/public/app.js b/public/app.js
index 10425c7..3558e6f 100644
--- a/public/app.js
+++ b/public/app.js
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ const statusText = document.querySelector("#status");
 const youtubeForm = document.querySelector("#youtube-form");
 const youtubeInput = document.querySelector("#youtube-input");
 const youtubeShell = document.querySelector("#youtube-shell");
+const youtubeStartButton = document.querySelector("#youtube-start-button");
 const watchPanel = document.querySelector(".watch-panel");
 const watchResizeHandle = document.querySelector("#watch-resize-handle");
 const watchCollapseButton = document.querySelector("#watch-collapse-button");
@@ -376,9 +377,14 @@ function loadYoutubeVideo(player, videoId, position) {
   });
 }
 
+function setYoutubeStartPromptVisible(visible) {
+  youtubeStartButton.hidden = !visible;
+}
+
 function requestYoutubePlayback(player, videoId, position) {
   const requestId = ++youtubePlaybackRequestId;
   const startedAt = Date.now();
+  setYoutubeStartPromptVisible(false);
 
   for (const delay of [0, 150, 750, 1500, 3000]) {
     setTimeout(() => {
@@ -408,6 +414,17 @@ function requestYoutubePlayback(player, videoId, position) {
       player.playVideo();
     }, delay);
   }
+
+  setTimeout(() => {
+    if (
+      requestId === youtubePlaybackRequestId &&
+      desiredYoutubePlaying &&
+      currentYoutubeVideoId === videoId &&
+      player.getPlayerState?.() !== YT.PlayerState.PLAYING
+    ) {
+      setYoutubeStartPromptVisible(true);
+    }
+  }, 3300);
 }
 
 async function sendWatchState({
@@ -462,6 +479,9 @@ function handleYoutubeStateChange(event) {
     requestYoutubePlayback(youtubePlayer, currentYoutubeVideoId, currentYoutubeSnapshot().position);
     return;
   }
+  if (event.data === YT.PlayerState.PLAYING) {
+    setYoutubeStartPromptVisible(false);
+  }
 
   if (![YT.PlayerState.PLAYING, YT.PlayerState.PAUSED, YT.PlayerState.ENDED].includes(event.data)) {
     return;
@@ -480,6 +500,9 @@ function handleYoutubeStateChange(event) {
   desiredYoutubePlaying = action === "play";
   if (desiredYoutubePlaying) {
     syncedPlaybackRetryUntil = 0;
+    setYoutubeStartPromptVisible(false);
+  } else {
+    setYoutubeStartPromptVisible(false);
   }
   const state = currentWatchState(action === "play");
   if (state) {
@@ -517,6 +540,7 @@ async function applyWatchState(state, { suppressEvents = true } = {}) {
     desiredYoutubePlaying = false;
     youtubePlaybackRequestId++;
     syncedPlaybackRetryUntil = 0;
+    setYoutubeStartPromptVisible(false);
     youtubePlayer?.stopVideo?.();
     youtubeShell.classList.remove("is-active");
     setWatchCollapsed(true);
@@ -548,6 +572,7 @@ async function applyWatchState(state, { suppressEvents = true } = {}) {
   } else {
     youtubePlaybackRequestId++;
     syncedPlaybackRetryUntil = 0;
+    setYoutubeStartPromptVisible(false);
     pauseEnforcementUntil = Math.max(pauseEnforcementUntil, Date.now() + 3000);
   }
 
@@ -1119,6 +1144,21 @@ announcementForm.addEventListener("submit", (event) => {
   });
 });
 
+youtubeStartButton.addEventListener("click", () => {
+  if (!youtubePlayer || !currentYoutubeVideoId) return;
+
+  const position = currentYoutubeSnapshot().position;
+  if (youtubePlayer.getVideoData?.().video_id !== currentYoutubeVideoId) {
+    loadYoutubeVideo(youtubePlayer, currentYoutubeVideoId, position);
+  } else {
+    youtubePlayer.seekTo?.(position, true);
+  }
+  youtubePlayer.unMute?.();
+  youtubePlayer.playVideo?.();
+  requestYoutubePlayback(youtubePlayer, currentYoutubeVideoId, position);
+  setYoutubeStartPromptVisible(false);
+});
+
 cameraButton.addEventListener("click", () => {
   const enabled = cameraButton.getAttribute("aria-pressed") !== "true";
   updateToggleButton(cameraButton, enabled, "Turn camera off", "Turn camera on");
diff --git a/public/index.html b/public/index.html
index 06c6cfc..603e28c 100644
--- a/public/index.html
+++ b/public/index.html
@@ -21,6 +21,14 @@
           <div class="watch-main">
             <div class="youtube-shell" id="youtube-shell">
               <div id="youtube-player"></div>
+              <button
+                id="youtube-start-button"
+                class="youtube-start-button"
+                type="button"
+                hidden
+              >
+                Start synced playback
+              </button>
             </div>
           </div>
           <aside class="playlist-panel">
diff --git a/public/styles.css b/public/styles.css
index 841bc82..0414a62 100644
--- a/public/styles.css
+++ b/public/styles.css
@@ -199,6 +199,7 @@ button[aria-pressed="false"] {
 }
 
 .youtube-shell {
+  position: relative;
   display: none;
   overflow: hidden;
   min-height: 0;
@@ -217,6 +218,17 @@ button[aria-pressed="false"] {
   height: 100%;
 }
 
+.youtube-start-button {
+  position: absolute;
+  left: 50%;
+  bottom: 18px;
+  z-index: 2;
+  width: auto;
+  min-width: 180px;
+  transform: translateX(-50%);
+  box-shadow: 0 12px 28px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.38);
+}
+
 .watch-resize-handle {
   position: relative;
   min-width: 0;