YouTube began rolling out over two dozen changes to its web, mobile, and TV platforms on Tuesday. The updates include some “highly requested features,” according to YouTube’s product management director, Matthew Darby.
The first major update is the adjustable miniplayer. Users on Android or iOS can now enjoy a picture-in-picture experience while browsing the app. This feature allows users to resize, reposition, and control the video with options like play, pause, fast forward, and rewind. It resembles the picture-in-picture functionality Google Meet introduced for Chrome, letting users browse other tabs while staying in the meeting.
Another standout feature is collaborative playlists, a popular tool on music streaming platforms like Apple Music and Spotify. With this update, YouTube and YouTube Music users can now create playlists and share the link with others, allowing friends and family to modify them. For the TV app, a QR Code option will soon be available to make sharing easier.
YouTube has also introduced a new way to customize music playlists by allowing users to upload images from their camera roll or use AI-generated theme-based images. Additionally, YouTube will implement a Reddit-style upvoting and downvoting system for playlists by the end of the year.
For those who like to fall asleep watching YouTube, the new Sleep Timer feature is now available for all mobile users. This feature, tested earlier this year with Premium subscribers, lets users set a time to pause their video queue by going to Settings > Sleep Timer.
Other updates include the ability to adjust playback speed in 0.05 increments, offering finer control over the viewing experience. Instead of moving from 1x to 1.25x, users can now increase the speed gradually, such as 1.05x or 1.10x.
Lastly, YouTube is introducing milestone badges. Viewers can earn these badges for achievements like being the first paid subscriber to a channel or successfully completing a quiz.
These changes are part of YouTube’s ongoing effort to enhance user experience across all devices. While some features are live, more will roll out in the coming months.
