YouTube introduces 20 new animated Like button effects

YouTube has added 20 animated effects to the Like button — each with its own theme depending on the video’s content.

Users began spotting the changes, and developer Andreas Storm compiled all the variations into a single gallery.

The animations change based on the type of video. Comedy clips trigger a laughing emoji, educational ones light up a bulb, music videos show floating notes, travel content launches a small airplane, and sports videos make a basketball bounce.

The Dislike button remains unchanged. YouTube stopped displaying the number of dislikes back in 2021, a move that was publicly criticized by the platform’s co-founder Jawed Karim.

These animations are part of YouTube’s larger redesign that began in October 2025. Along with the new effects, the video player now features rounded, semi-transparent buttons and a refreshed set of controls.