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YouTube test features and experiments

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What are YouTube feature experiments?

YouTube product teams are constantly testing out new tools and features to help you find, watch, share and create content more easily. These test features (sometimes also called "betas" or "experiments") are usually available for a short period of time and only for a small group of people.

If you ever notice that YouTube looks a bit different for you than it does for your friend or family member, you're likely seeing one of these experiments. Be sure to give YouTube feedback and report any potential technical issues – our teams use this information and experiment results to help us decide if, when, and how to release these features more broadly.

Learn more about some existing feature experiments

To help you keep up with these test features, our TeamYouTube Community Managers will pilot keeping this forum thread updated with cool and interesting ones that we think you'll want to know about! While this post won't include every experiment, it's a good place to start if you're curious about what we're testing out, or whether or not you're currently seeing an experiment.

  • [December 15, 2021] Increasing strictness when holding potentially inappropriate comments for review: We are now launching an experiment where a small number of creators will be able to "Increase Strictness" if they are using the "Hold Potentially Inappropriate Comments for Review" setting. As you may know, we launched the ability for channel owners to hold potentially inappropriate comments for review in 2017. This feature, which creators can find in YouTube Studio, uses technology to automatically detect spam, self-promotion, gibberish, and other potentially inappropriate content in comments. Creators have asked us for the ability to hold even more comments for review and we take that feedback seriously.


    The "Increase Strictness" setting will increase the number of comments we hold for review by applying a stricter threshold for what is determined as potentially inappropriate. The feature is off by default (as it is optional) and will only be accessible if your channel is in the experiment. This setting can be enabled on the channel level in YouTube Studio > by navigating to Settings > Community> Defaults > Select "Hold Potentially Inappropriate Comments for Review" then choosing "Increase Strictness" > Save.
  • [December 6, 2021] New Guided Policy Experience:Today, we're introducing a new guided policy experience to help support creators when working through a policy issue. We've heard feedback from you about how difficult and frustrating this process can be, so we hope providing a clearer outlook on how to move forward will help in these stressful moments. Now, creators will have more information about how to proceed when they receive a Community Guidelines violation and be given clearer options on how to resolve it. The guided experience will walk creators through the options available for their policy situation, and help you come to the best decision for you.
  • [December 6, 2021] Testing viewer 'collections' in the Subscriptions feed: To make it easier for viewers (like you!) to organize and find content quickly in your Subs feed, we're testing out customizable 'collections' that will appear at the top of your feed. Note: all content from subscribed-to channels will still appear in reverse chronological order underneath collections, same as they appear today. If you're in the experiment, you'll see we're starting off with a Favorites collection which is based on subscriptions you've recently watched. You can edit your collections, including the Favorites collection, by simply adding or removing channels from your Favorites. You'll also be able to create new collections around topics, creators, and other content you enjoy. This experiment is only available to a small percentage of viewers on Android and iOS while we test and gather feedback.

  • [November 15, 2021] Testing new features to help creators manage brand deals on YouTube: We're experimenting with ways to help creators manage brand deals through two features, an updated 'Paid Product Placement' checkbox and new 'Media Kit' audience tools. Creators in this experiment will see the existing "video contains paid promotion" checkbox become required in the upload flow to indicate if their content includes a brand deal. We're also testing a new audience summary within the YouTube BrandConnect interface that makes it easier for creators to pitch themselves for brand deals by using a tailored Media Kit. Note: This experiment only impacts a small percentage of creators, and we'll consider rolling this effort out more broadly based on experiment feedback and results.

  • [November 2, 2021] Testing direct access to Shorts: We're experimenting with a new Shorts experience - if you're in the experiment and you close the YouTube app while watching Shorts, you will be dropped into the Shorts player when you reopen the app (so you have direct access.) If you exit the YouTube app while watching any content other than Shorts, we won't direct you right into Shorts next time you open the app. If you are placed into the experiment and would like to send feedback, please click the 3-dot menu in the Shorts player and select "send feedback." Note: this test is only available to a small percentage of viewers using mobile devices.

  • [October 5, 2021] Testing engagement graph above progress bar: We're experimenting with showing viewers a signal to help them quickly see which parts of a video may be interesting. If you're in this experiment, you'll see a graph above the red progress bar while scrubbing - if the graph is high, it means that part of the video has been frequently re-watched. Note: this experiment is only available to a small percentage of viewers on mobile and desktop.

  • [July 15, 2021] Testing new channel guidelines: We're experimenting with providing a small number of creators the ability to define up to three channel guidelines for comments. These are specific rules that everyone must read and accept before leaving a comment that outline the types of conversations you want to see on your channel. If you're part of the experiment, you'll be able to create your channel guidelines in YouTube Studio > Settings > Community. During the experiment, guidelines are only visible to viewers on iOS/Android Mobile devices. All channel guidelines must adhere to YouTube's Community Guidelines. Note: As we experiment, access to this feature may only be available for a short period of time. Stay tuned in the YouTube forum for updates on this feature's availability.

  • [June 23, 2021] Testing out timestamps in YouTube policy violation emails: We want to make it easier for Creators to understand policy decisions, know when to appeal, and avoid similar violations in the future – that's why we're testing out improved policy emails that provide an example of a timestamp showing where we believe the policy violation exists in the video. The timestamp will be linked and included alongside specific details about the Community Guideline and links to related help resources. To start, we're testing this with a subset of YouTube policies (so you may not see it yet) and have plans to expand to more policies in the future pending feedback and results. Many of you have specifically asked for timestamps from our Support teams, so we're looking forward to your thoughts!

  • [June 2nd 2021] Testing out video appeals for YPP suspensions & rejections: We're experimenting with video appeals to help you give us additional information on your channel and content if you think we made a mistake in suspending or rejecting your channel from YPP. Our policy team will review your video and take a second look at your channel with the shared context in mind. If your appeal shows how your channel complies with our policies, we'll either approve your channel for YPP, or turn monetization back on before the end of the 30 day suspension window. This experiment is only available to a small percentage of creators in YPP, but we hope to expand the program in the future.

  • [April 29, 2021] Testing new timed comments: We're currently testing a new feature that allows you to view comments timed to the exact moment you're watching in a video. This experiment is available on some videos to a small group of people and we'll consider rolling this out more broadly based on feedback. To see if you're part of the experiment, go to the comments section on iOS or Android, and tap the Sort button to select "Timed Beta".

  • [April 12, 2021] Testing ways to help people assess information online:  We're experimenting with ways to prompt critical thinking when consuming information online. This small experiment will feature media literacy tips in the form of 15 second skippable ads that will show up before a video (it will look like this). Note: these tips will show up before a random sample of videos in the U.S. and are not a judgement on any videos. We'll consider rolling this effort out more broadly based on experiment feedback.

  • [March 22, 2021] Testing automated list of products detected in videos: We are experimenting with a new feature that displays a list of products detected in some videos, as well as related products. The feature will appear in between the recommended videos, to viewers scrolling below the video player. The goal is to help people explore more videos and information about those products on YouTube. This feature will be visible to people watching videos in the US.

  • [March 18, 2021] Testing a new way to enjoy YouTube on Twitter: Twitter is testing a new way for you to watch YouTube videos on Twitter. If you are in the experiment, you'll be able to watch YouTube videos directly in your Twitter feed. This experiment is available to a small group of people in the United States, Canada, Saudi Arabia, and Japan using the Twitter app on iOS for a limited period of time while we gather feedback.

  • [January 21 2021] Testing Clips on YouTube: We're beginning to test Clips on YouTube with a small group of creators. The clips feature allows viewers to select 5-60 seconds of a creator's content (video uploads and streams) that can be shared with others across platforms. When viewing content from one of the channels in this experiment, you'll see a clip icon under the video that will allow you to select a portion of the video you want to clip. This experiment is only available to a small group of channels for now, but we hope to roll this to more channels in the future. Creation of clips is currently available on desktop and Android devices to start, with iOS devices coming soon. Read more about this experiment and share feedback here.

  • [January 14, 2021] Testing a new way to shop on YouTube: We're testing a new way for people to easily discover and purchase products featured in YouTube videos. Creators in this pilot can add certain products to their videos. Viewers can then see a list of featured products by clicking the shopping bag icon on the bottom left corner of the video. From there, viewers can explore each product's page to see more information, related videos, and purchase options for that product. We are currently piloting this feature with a limited number of creators. It is visible to users in the US on iOS, Android, and desktop.

  • [December 14, 2020] Testing new ways to view Shorts: We're beginning to test a new way for you to watch Shorts, a new short form video experience that lets you create short videos right from the YouTube mobile app. We'll be adding a Shorts icon to the top or bottom row of the mobile app that makes it easier for you to tap and watch Shorts on YouTube. Those who are in the experiment will either see a Shorts icon in place of the Explore tab (with the Explore icon moved to the top row) or will see a Shorts icon in place of the Cast icon in the top row (casting can still be done in the player while watching a video). This experiment is available to a small group of users in India using the YouTube app on Android and iOS while we gather feedback.

  • [November 24 2020] Testing an easier way to add timestamps to videos: We're testing out an easier way to add a video timestamp tied to the exact moment you're watching when commenting on a video. People in the experiment will see a new icon as they're writing a comment that they can tap to automatically add the current time of the video (without having to manually enter it themselves!). This is only available to a small group of users for now.

  • [November 23 2020] Testing automatic video chapters: We want to make it easier for people to navigate videos with video chapters, so we are experimenting with automatically adding video chapters (so creators don't have to manually add timestamps). We'll use machine learning to recognize text in order to auto generate video chapters. We're testing this out with a small group of videos. If your videos are impacted, you can opt out of this experiment and/or share feedback here. More on video chapters here.

  • [October 6 2020] Testing a new reminder in comments to help encourage respectful interactions: To help encourage more respectful interactions on YouTube, we're testing out a reminder that pops up before you post a potentially offensive comment, giving you a moment to reflect on your comment and revise your reply/comment before it's published. From the reminder, you can move forward with posting your comment as is, or take a few extra moments to edit your comment before posting it. Note: Even if a comment doesn't trigger the reminder (as it won't catch all potentially offensive comments) it may still be removed due to Community Guidelines violations. Only those randomly selected to participate in the experiment will see the reminder. We'll continue to adjust if and how the reminder is shown pending experiment results.

  • [September 14 2020] Testing a new section for upcoming content in Subscriptions: We want to make it easier for you to find upcoming content (scheduled live streams and Premieres) from channels you are subscribed to, so we are testing out a new section in the subscriptions feed called "Upcoming live and premieres" that shows this content separately from the latest uploads you usually see in the subs feed. Upcoming live streams and Premieres from the channels you are subscribed to will be sorted in reverse chronological order, meaning live streams and Premieres happening soonest will be placed first and ones scheduled for later will follow after. You can set reminders for upcoming streams and Premieres by clicking the bell to be notified when the stream or Premiere goes live. We're starting these experiments on desktop with a small group of people while we gather feedback.

  • [August 5 2020] Testing out a way to record multi-segment videos: We're testing out a new way for creators to easily record multiple clips directly in the YouTube mobile app and upload as one video. If you're in this experiment, you'll see an option to 'create a video' in the mobile upload flow. Tap or hold the record button to record your first clip, then tap again or release the button to stop recording that clip. Repeat these steps until you're done capturing footage up to a maximum length of 15 seconds. Creators will also have the ability to adjust the recording speed and also set a countdown timer for their multi-segment video uploads. If you'd like to upload a longer video, you'll still be able to do so by uploading from your phone gallery instead of recording through the app. We're starting these experiments on mobile (both Android and iOS) with a small group of people while we gather feedback.

  • [August 5 2020] Testing out ways to remind people to sign in: To help you experience all of the benefits of a signed in YouTube experience, we're testing out ways to remind people to sign in, including a new sign in prompt that shows up on desktop, mobile web and/or TV for a small percentage of people. If you see this prompt and don't want to sign in at this time, you can dismiss it. More details here.

  • [August 4 2020] Testing a new search bar experience: To make it easier to find and tap the Search icon, we are testing a new search bar in the top navigation menu to make it more prominent and intuitive. If you use YouTube Premium and see this experiment, you'll no longer see the Premium logo but you can confirm you're logged into your Premium account here. This experiment is only available to a small group of people using the YouTube mobile app on android devices.

  • [July 30 2020] Testing a new icon and icon location to create and upload videos on mobile: To make it easier to upload videos on mobile, we're testing out a different spot and an updated look on the app for uploading videos. In our design studies, we found that creators think the current placement for creation is not intuitive, so we are testing a new placement of the icon with a small group of users. If you're in the experiment you'll find the new upload icon in the middle of the bottom bar with a universal + sign.  You can still easily access Subscriptions (one spot to the right) and Notifications (in the top bar) -- nothing is changing with the functionality of any of these icons/tabs. This experiment is available to a small percentage of people on the YouTube app on Android devices, and we'll consider rolling it out more broadly based on your feedback.

  • [July 24 2020] Testing out a comment filter for "top comments" in YouTube Studio: To help you find and respond to comments, we're experimenting with showing the comments visible on the Watch page (Top Comments) in YouTube Studio. If you are in this experiment and want to see all published comments, you can remove all filters.

  • [June 29 2020] Testing a simplified menu for video quality settings on mobile: We want to make it easier for you to understand streaming settings, so we're testing an updated settings menu when changing the quality of videos. The new quick menu will give you more info about quality settings and how they impact your data, while an advanced menu lets you see options like 1080p, 720p, 480p, etc. as you already do today! These settings can be found both in the video player and your YouTube app settings. This experiment is available to a small group of users using the YouTube app on Android and iOS while we gather feedback.

  • [June 25 2020] Testing out a manual language selector for voice search: To improve the YouTube Voice Search experience, we are testing out a way to select a different language for voice search than what's currently set in your app's settings. This experiment will help our voice search systems better account for these differences. If you're in the experiment, you'll see a blue banner on your voice input screen with more details. This experiment is available in these languages, plus Uzbek, Punjabi, Burmese, and Estonian.

  • [June 15 2020] Testing out updated video description section: As a first step in bringing new and improved features to video descriptions, we're testing out a new viewing experience for descriptions – when you tap on a video title (same as you do today), those in the experiment will see the description in a new page instead of in-line as part of a drop down. This experiment is only available on mobile to a small group of people while we gather feedback.

  • [May 26 2020] Testing out AutoPlay Button in the video player: To make it easier to find and use the autoplay button on mobile, we're adding the button directly inside the player instead of in the watch next section. This should help you adjust your autoplay settings without having to exit full screen and rotate your phone. As always, you can still adjust autoplay in settings. This experiment is available on iOS and Android to a small percentage of people while we gather feedback.

  • [Apr 30 2020] Testing out new icons on iOS: To help improve accessibility for mobile users, we're experimenting with higher contrast icons on the YouTube mobile app. This experiment is on iOS-only and available to a small percentage of people while we gather feedback.

  • [April 28 2020] Testing 'Products in this Video' feature: To help viewers discover products, we're running a small experiment that will show to some viewers which products are mentioned in the video with new visual elements (overlayed on the video and below the video). For example, in a 'top 10 smartphones in 2020' video, some viewers will see an icon on the video, along with more information below, listing the phone models included in the video.

  • [April 10 2020] Testing new video chapters on mobile: To help you more easily navigate videos, we're testing out video chapters, which allow you to jump forward to a specific section of the video, rewatch a portion of the video, and more. Chapters appear at the bottom of the video player and use timestamps from the creator's video description. The feature will appear on a small selection of videos across Android, iOS and desktop while we gather feedback. Note for Creators: if you're in the experiment and wish to opt out, please adjust the first timestamp in your video description to be something other than 0:00 for example, just change it to be "0:01."

  • [April 9 2020] Testing out a new comment section on mobile: To make it easier to find comments while you're watching videos (without having to scroll through the entire list of "Up Next" videos!) we're testing out a new comment section that appears directly below the video. This experiment is mobile-only and only available to a small percentage of people while we gather feedback. More details.

  • [Mar 27 2020] Testing bigger thumbnails in the search results: To make it easier for you to quickly find and recognize the video you're searching for on YouTube, we're testing bigger thumbnails in the search results. These thumbnails also make room for longer video titles, higher resolution previews and channel icons, so you'll see more information about each video at a glance (like the experience on Home already!). This experiment is available to a small group of people on both mobile and desktop while we gather feedback.

  • [Feb 19 2020] Testing the ability to schedule Community posts on desktop: To make it easier for creators to plan their Community tab content ahead of time, we're testing a feature that allows you to schedule posts (including photos, text, GIFs, and polls!). This experiment is desktop-only and available to a small percentage of creators while we gather feedback.

  • [Jan 24 2020] Testing another version of the YouTube video sticker in Stories: To make it easier to watch YouTube videos linked in Stories, we're testing a video sticker that links you directly to the video (without first having to add it to your Watch Later playlist). We also hope this helps creators direct their audience to their own VODs, as well as VODs from other creators! This experiment is only available to a small percentage of people while we gather feedback.

  • [Jan 14 2020] Testing comment features for Community Posts: We're testing out some existing comment features on Community Posts including the ability to reply to comments, receive notifications when your comment gets a reply, and the option to sort comments by "newest first". These features are only available on new Community Posts created and not previous/existing Posts. For creators, we're also testing ways for you to manage comments on your Community Posts directly in YouTube Studio, including the option to pin a comment on your Post. This experiment is only available to a small percentage of people while we gather feedback.

  • [Jan 7 2020] Testing a new way to share other creators' community posts: To make it easier for creators to collaborate with other creators and amplify each others content, we're testing a feature that lets you share each others' community posts with your own audience. Sharing posts is easy: tap the "share" icon on the post, type some new text/info for your audience, then select "share post". Your reshare will appear on your channel's Community tab, and may appear in your audience's Home or Subs feeds. This experiment is only available to a small group of creators with 1k+ subscribers while we gather feedback on mobile & desktop.

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