In a major update aimed at both everyday users and content creators, YouTube has introduced over two dozen new features to enhance its platform. Rolling out gradually, these changes are designed to refine the user experience and address community feedback.
Among the most notable updates is a revamped miniplayer for YouTube’s mobile app. This upgraded miniplayer allows users to move it around the screen and manage a video queue seamlessly while navigating the app, enabling more multitasking than ever before. Another welcome addition is the fine-tuning of playback speed, now adjustable in increments of 0.05x — a response to community requests, allowing for a more personalized viewing pace.
Shared playlists have also been made more collaborative, with options for users to invite others via a link or, soon, a QR code on TVs. This feature will expand to include voting capabilities, allowing fans and creators to shape playlists together. Additionally, Google has redesigned the YouTube TV app interface, giving it a “cinematic” feel and making it easier to engage with short videos on larger screens.
For those who use YouTube to unwind, a new sleep timer will let users set a playback limit, automatically pausing videos after a preset time. Previously limited to Premium members, the sleep timer will soon be available to all. To encourage engagement, YouTube and YouTube Music users can now earn badges for supporting creators and interacting on the platform, providing a fun way to showcase engagement.
These updates, spanning mobile, web, TVs, and YouTube Music, are part of a broader wave of platform enhancements coming in the weeks ahead.
