YouTube reclaims screen space on Android with a transparent status bar

Key Takeaways

• YouTube's latest update introduces a transparent status bar for a more immersive and modern look and feel.
• This update shows video thumbnails underneath the time, notifications, and status bar icons, where there was previously only a solid bar.
• The new transparent bar aligns with Google's commitment to edge-to-edge display for apps and is rolling out to users running Android 14 and 15.

YouTube is about to take back the top of your phone. A subtle update is rolling out to Android phones that introduces a transparent status bar to the app when scrolling through the Home and Subscription feeds. It looks a lot better than it did.

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Video thumbnails will start to appear underneath the time, notifications, and status bar icons along the top of your screen (via 9to5Google). The transparent status bar aligns with the existing ambient mode in the video player, giving the app a more immersive and consistent feel.

Taking back the top of the phone

Apps have struggled with the top of devices ever since holepunch cameras and notches appeared back in 2017. YouTube was no exception. Previously, a solid status bar occupied the top of the screen where your notifications, time, battery, and other tidbits of information were displayed. All the videos were displayed below this unused part of the screen.

The new change allows videos to extend beneath all of these, thanks to the transparent use of this part of the screen. It creates a more immersive and modern-looking viewing experience.

This transparent status bar aligns with Ambient mode in the video player. However, it's not all good news. There's a problem with the transparent bar when dark mode is enabled, turning the top of the device into a solid black bar. Google will most likely fix this in the near future.

The update is being rolled out gradually to devices running Android 14 or 15 and YouTube version 19.37.35. The change coincides with Google's latest push in Android 15 for "edge-to-edge" displays. Any ap targeting API level 35 will be displayed edge-to-edge by default. Google seems to think people enjoy this more.

This update is most likely part of Google's new design ethos, and it will be interesting to see if Google's other apps follow suite. We haven't seen too many third-party apps take advantage of the top bar and edge-to-edge display yet.

One thing is for certain. By reclaiming the top of the screen previously occupied by a boring solid bar, the YouTube app looks and feels more modern and immersive. It's the small things that count.