YouTube rolls out new interface for Android

By Brenda Stolyar May 31, 2017

A new look for YouTube's Android app

After months of testing, YouTube has officially rolled out a redesigned layout for its Android’s app. The navigation tabs, which used to live at the top of the screen, have moved to the bottom.

The navigation bar includes the standard home, trending, and subscriptions tabs, but the new design replaced the Accounts tab with Library. The Library tab still tracks your activity such as history, playlists, uploads, and likes. Your account settings can now be accessed by clicking on the user icon in the right-hand corner, next to the cast and search icons.

The main three tabs still serve the same purposes: The home screen brings you to a feed of recent uploads from channels you’re subscribed to, as well as recommended videos based on your viewing history; the trending tab gives you access to videos that are new and currently popular; and the subscriptions tab shows videos and posts from your subscribed channels. Clicking on the user icon, you’re brought to your channel, notifications, settings, and the option to switch between different accounts.

YouTube iOS app. Image used with permission by copyright holder

Even though it no longer allows you to swipe through different sections, the tabs now save where you left off scrolling so you won’t lose your spot as you switch back and forth on the app. The redesign also includes a minor switch in color scheme with the navigation bar in white, and the action bar (top bar) and highlighted tabs in red.

The new interface is almost the same as the YouTube app for iOS devices, where the only difference is an “Activity” tab which tracks all your notifications in one section.

As smartphone screens become commonly bigger in size, the new interface is meant to help improve the navigation process — giving you quicker and more comfortable access when holding your phone.

The bottom navigation redesign has been available on iOS for some time, but the update is now gradually rolling out to Android.

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