YouTube tests new mobile layout

YouTube is testing a new mobile layout that changes one of the app’s most familiar controls: the Subscriptions feed. Recent reports said the company is moving Subscriptions out of the bottom navigation bar and into a swipeable row near the top of the screen. YouTube confirmed to at least one outlet that the redesign is an experiment, not a full rollout, and that it is being shown to a small percentage of users on Android and iPhone. (9to5google.com) (marketingbrew.com) The change matters because Subscriptions is one of the few parts of YouTube that lets users bypass recommendations and go straight to channels they chose to follow. Social posts cited in coverage of the test showed some users objecting to the move, especially because it alters long-established app navigation. (androidheadlines.com) Reports also said YouTube told users that subscription features remain available across the app. ### Where did the Subscriptions tab go? Android Headlines reported on May 11 that YouTube is testing a redesigned mobile feed layout that moves Subscriptions from the bottom bar to a new top navigation area. In that test, users switch between feeds with horizontal swipes instead of tapping a bottom-tab icon. (9to5google.com) 9to5Google reported on May 18 that the new design removes the dedicated Subscriptions tab from the bottom navigation bar in the tested version of the app. Republic World reported a day later that the shift had frustrated some users, citing reactions to the new placement. (republicworld.com) ### What else changes in the test? Android Headlines said the feed categories are being moved to the top of the screen and made swipeable. The same report said YouTube may also test putting other feeds, including Movies and TV, into that top navigation area. It added that Explore may appear only when users pull down to refresh the feed or scroll upward. (androidheadlines.com) That would make the redesign broader than a single tab relocation. It would also place subscription content alongside other feed types in a format that resembles other social apps with adjacent, swipeable timelines, according to the report. (9to5google.com) ### What has YouTube said about the experiment? YouTube told Android Headlines it is experimenting with the redesigned feed experience and wants to see whether the changes simplify navigation. The report said the company is testing the layout with a small percentage of users globally across Android and iPhone. (androidheadlines.com) Reports citing YouTube’s explanation said the company’s stated goal is to make it easier for users to reach the content they care about. Coverage of the test also said YouTube maintained that subscription features are still accessible even as the app’s navigation changes. (androidheadlines.com) ### Why does this matter to YouTube’s business? Marketing Brew reported on May 19 that YouTube CEO Neal Mohan said subscription revenue now accounts for about one-third of the company’s total revenue. Mohan made the remark at the MoffettNathanson Media, Internet, and Communications Conference in New York, according to the report. (androidheadlines.com) The same report said YouTube has been investing in YouTube TV and YouTube Premium, and that the company sees subscriptions as part of its push to capture more living-room viewing. Marketing Brew also cited Mohan as saying YouTube Music and YouTube Premium had more than 125 million paid subscribers as of 2025. (androidheadlines.com) ### What happens next? The current test is limited, and YouTube has not announced a wider launch date for the redesigned mobile layout. Android Headlines said the company will use user feedback to decide whether the swipeable feed design should move beyond the experiment. (marketingbrew.com) For now, the next concrete step is the test itself: a small percentage of Android and iPhone users globally will continue seeing the new navigation while YouTube evaluates responses. (androidheadlines.com) (marketingbrew.com)