YouTube has released a major update, introducing more than 20 new features and improvements to its video-sharing platform. This year’s update has been designed with user feedback in mind, incorporating changes to the YouTube app for mobile, web, and television.
The first notable addition is the Sleep Timer feature, now available for all users, not just Premium members. With this update, users can set the app to pause videos on their mobile device after a chosen duration, with options ranging from 10 minutes to one hour. There’s also an “End of video” option, which will pause the video at the end of the playback.
The revamped mini-player in the YouTube mobile app is another exciting update. This feature has evolved from a fixed, horizontal bar to a resizable and movable window with more playback controls. Users can now adjust the mini-player’s size using tap or pinch gestures.
Collaborative playlisting is another new addition, allowing users to co-create, share, and manage YouTube playlists with others. This feature is currently available on mobile devices, with TV support planned for a later date.
The YouTube app for TV is also getting a boost, with the addition of “pops of pink” to make the content more dynamic and cinematic. Additionally, channel pages will now be more immersive, automatically playing teaser videos in the background when users visit or explore a creator’s page.
Another notable feature in the update is thumbnail customization for playlists. Users can now use tools for creating custom YouTube playlist thumbnails, including editing existing images or creating new ones using generative AI.
Other features in this update include fine-tunable playback speeds and milestone badges for YouTube and YouTube Music. Although the update is being rolled out, some features won’t be available until later in the year. For more information, check out YouTube’s official announcement to learn about all the new features coming to YouTube.
