The YouTube mobile app is getting a small redesign. Here’s what’s changing

By Patrick Hearn Published December 10, 2024

How do you feel about the YouTube app on iOS and Android? Most of us use the app and don’t think twice about it, but YouTube announced a lot of changes in October. Some of these planned updates have begun to roll out, and they’re worth paying attention to — especially because one of them is difficult to notice. The updated bottom bar is a subtle change, but it adds a bit of flair.

The updated bottom bar is part of a server-side update, which means you don’t have to download a new version of YouTube to see it. However, you should ensure you’re using the latest version of the YouTube app. For Android, that’s 19.47, and it’s 19.49 for iOS. The update hasn’t reached all devices yet — I still don’t see it on my own phone — but it should be applied by the end of the day.

The navigation bar at the bottom of the app will be slightly transparent, giving you the sense of looking through a pane of frosted glass. Previously, the bar was a solid color. It can be a bit hard to see, but enabling YouTube’s dark theme can help. To do this, select the You icon in the navigation bar, then Settings > General > Appearance > Dark theme.

The intent of the update is to give you a more immersive browsing experience, according to 9to5Google. The web version of YouTube should also see a change, with the top bar receiving the blurred effect instead of the bottom. Again, however, I do not yet personally see that update.

In total, Google announced over two dozen updates in October that include the sleep timer becoming available for everyone (instead of just YouTube Premium subscribers), more playback speed options, profile badges, and a whole lot more. With YouTube trying to become a larger presence in the streaming arena with a lot of free movies and the YouTube TV options, it’s no surprise the company is trying to improve its interface.