YouTube Doubles Down on TV Experience with Redesign and New Features
YouTube is significantly ramping up its focus on delivering a superior viewing experience on television platforms. This renewed emphasis is evidenced by an impending redesign of the YouTube TV app, coupled with the introduction of several innovative features gradually rolling out to users. The company is clearly aiming to create a more intuitive, engaging, and feature-rich environment for viewers who prefer to consume content on the big screen.
The announcement of the TV app redesign last month signaled YouTube’s commitment to enhancing the user interface and overall usability. The promised improvements encompass several key areas, including simplified navigation, enhanced playback controls, adjustments to video quality settings, and more accessible access to comments, channel information, and subscription options. These modifications are designed to make it easier for users to find, watch, and interact with the content they love, all from the comfort of their living rooms.
However, the redesigned player is just one piece of the puzzle. A recent community post addressed to content creators revealed a more comprehensive roadmap of features planned for the YouTube TV app throughout the second quarter of 2025. These additions aim to personalize the viewing experience, streamline content discovery, and provide creators with more opportunities to engage with their audience.
One of the most notable changes is the introduction of new "Shelves" within the YouTube app for TVs. These shelves are designed to curate content based on user activity and preferences. The "Continue your search" shelf, for example, will display the user’s top three most recent searches, allowing them to quickly resume their exploration of specific topics or channels. Similarly, the "From your top channels" shelf will provide recommendations tailored to the user’s viewing history, ensuring they never miss out on the latest uploads from their favorite creators. These shelves are strategically placed on the Home tab, providing immediate access to personalized content recommendations.
In addition to these personalized shelves, YouTube is also introducing a dedicated "Podcast" tab to the TV app. This feature, which has been spotted in recent weeks, reflects the growing popularity of podcasts and YouTube’s desire to consolidate all forms of audio and video content within its platform. The Podcast tab will provide a centralized location for users to discover, browse, and listen to their favorite podcasts, further enhancing the YouTube TV app’s versatility as an entertainment hub.
Another significant improvement is the introduction of a dedicated row for Shorts content within the subscriptions feed. Currently, Shorts are integrated directly into the main subscriptions feed, which can often feel cluttered and overwhelming. By separating Shorts into their own row, YouTube is aiming to improve the organization and discoverability of short-form video content. This change mirrors the design of the mobile app, where Shorts have their own dedicated section. Furthermore, Google has indicated that this new look may also be implemented in the "Watch Next" feed, streamlining the discovery of recommended videos. The Home tab already uses a similar dedicated section for Shorts, so this change would unify the interface across the YouTube ecosystem.
Beyond these major additions, YouTube is also introducing several smaller but equally important enhancements to the TV app. One such enhancement is the addition of a loop playback option for individual videos. Previously, looping was only available for playlists, but now users will be able to continuously play a single video without having to manually restart it. This feature is particularly useful for music videos, ambient sounds, or any other type of content that users want to enjoy on repeat.
Another improvement is the expansion of inline video previews. These previews, which appear when users hover over a video thumbnail, provide a quick glimpse of the content before committing to watching the entire video. YouTube is extending these previews to channel pages, subscription feeds, and topics pages, allowing users to get a better sense of what’s available before clicking through. This expansion of inline previews will make it easier for users to discover new content and make informed viewing decisions.
Finally, the rollout of "Immersive Channel Previews" (fullscreen background previews) is now complete. This feature provides a visually engaging way to showcase channels, using fullscreen background previews to capture the essence of the channel’s content. This feature is particularly useful for attracting new subscribers and providing viewers with a deeper understanding of the channel’s overall aesthetic.
Google’s stated timeline for these changes suggests that users can expect to see them rolling out before the end of June of Q2 2025. Some of these features are already available to select users, while others are still in development. The phased rollout allows YouTube to gather feedback and make adjustments before fully deploying the new features to all users.
These changes collectively represent a significant investment in the YouTube TV experience. By focusing on personalization, organization, and discoverability, YouTube is aiming to create a more engaging and user-friendly platform for viewers who prefer to consume content on the big screen. The addition of new features like personalized shelves, a dedicated Podcast tab, and a separate row for Shorts in the subscriptions feed demonstrates YouTube’s commitment to catering to the evolving needs of its users. As these changes continue to roll out, it’s clear that YouTube is serious about becoming the premier destination for video content on television. The improvements should create an easy platform for all who use Youtube.
