YouTube starts testing a new mobile app interface

Fresh off its September redesign for Android TV, YouTube has begun testing a revamped look for its mobile app, according to Android Authority.

The update touches several core elements. Notably:

• Video titles have been shifted to the right to make room for larger channel profile icons.
• Channel names are replaced by usernames (for example, “Jet Lag: The Game” now appears as @jetlagthegame).
• The action bar beneath the player has been reshuffled: text labels are gone, leaving only icons, and the notification bell has been moved to the front of the row.

The Shorts section has also been streamlined, with smaller, smoother-looking buttons.

So far, the reception hasn’t been great. Many users complain the redesign makes the app harder to read and less convenient than before.