Every year, YouTube releases a major update introducing new features to the video-sharing platform. According to YouTube, this year’s update comes with over two dozen features and improvements directly informed by users’ feedback. These features include visual improvements and functional enhancements to the YouTube app for mobile, web, and TV.
First on the list is Sleep Timer. Previously restricted to Premium members, Sleep Timer is now available for all YouTube users. Anyone can now set YouTube to automatically pause videos on their mobile device after a specified duration. The preset Sleep Timer options are 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, and 1 hour. There’s also an “End of video” option that runs the timer for the full length of the video.
Another exciting improvement to the YouTube mobile app is the revamped mini-player. What used to be fixed to a horizontal bar at the bottom of the app is now a resizable and movable floating window. The new mini-player has more playback controls, and users can resize it using tap or pinch gestures.
Collaborative playlisting is another fresh introduction. The feature allows users to jointly create, share, and manage a YouTube playlist. Playlist collaboration is available in the mobile app but roll out to TVs at a later date.
The YouTube app for TV is also getting “pops of pink” to make content more dynamic and cinematic. Additionally, the new update will make channel pages more immersive in the YouTube app for TV. A creator’s page will now automatically play teaser videos in the background when users visit or explore their channel.
Thumbnail customization (for playlists) is another highlight feature in the update. Users now have access to tools for creating custom YouTube playlist thumbnails. These tools allow users to edit existing pictures/images (using texts, stickers, and filters) or create new thumbnails from scratch 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 rolling out starting today, some features won’t be available until later in the year. Check out YouTube’s official announcement to learn more about all new features coming to YouTube.
