YouTube is changing, Neal Mohan says he is giving you the keys to your homepage

YouTube is giving viewers more control over their home page with prompt-based Custom Feeds and a redesigned top menu.

In Short

• YouTube is replacing its old topic chips with new Custom Feeds that let you type out exactly what you want to watch
• The Subscriptions tab is moving to a redesigned top menu bar to make reaching your favorite creators much easier
• The feature is currently rolling out in the US and allows Premium members to save up to eight personalized video streams

YouTube is making some big changes to its homepage. The video-sharing platform is rolling out an update that gives viewers much more control over what shows up on their screens. The platform is replacing its old topic chips with brand-new "Custom Feeds" and is testing a redesigned top menu to make the Subscriptions tab much easier to reach.

Build your own Custom Feeds

Earlier this year, YouTube started experimenting with Custom Feeds. Now, it is rolling out to more users as a regular part of the everyday Home page experience. Instead of tapping on pre-made topic chips, you can now tap the "+" button at the top of the Home page and type out exactly what you want to watch.

Whether you want to follow a specific topic, a certain type of content, or just a particular mood or vibe, YouTube will build a dedicated stream of videos for it. This is very similar to how YouTube Music can now turn your written prompts into a personalized playlist. Once created, YouTube will automatically keep your Custom Feed updated as new videos are uploaded.

Free users can save up to three Custom Feeds at a time, while YouTube Premium subscribers can keep up to eight. You can edit or remove these feeds whenever you want.

YouTube CEO Neal Mohan announced the feature on X, stating that the update gives viewers full control over their homepage. "With custom feeds, we’re giving you the keys to your homepage," Mohan wrote, adding that his very first feed is dedicated to Bay Area sports highlights.

Subscriptions are moving to the top

YouTube is also cleaning up its mobile app navigation to save you from stretching your thumbs to the bottom of the screen. The platform is testing a simplified top bar right on the Home tab.

The Subscriptions feed is moving into this new top navigation bar. It will sit right next to standard permanent shortcuts for Live and Music feeds. Additionally, a dedicated Movies & TV option will appear in this top bar for viewers who have active subscriptions.

Who gets the update?

Currently, Custom Feeds are rolling out to signed-in users in the US who are 13 years of age or older, with their language settings set to English. To make the feature work, you must have your YouTube watch and search history turned on.

If you create a Custom Feed on your mobile app, it will automatically sync to your desktop browser. YouTube is expected to bring the feature to more regions soon.

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