YouTube rolling out improved mini-player, collaborative playlists, custom playlist thumbnails and more

YouTube is rolling out a bunch of new improvements and features like the ability to set thumbnails for playlists, set sleep timers and an improved mini-player.

YouTube says some of these changes are rolling out to everyone while others will be available in the coming weeks. (Image Source: YouTube)

YouTube recently announced that it is making “over two dozen improvements” across web, mobile, TVs and YouTube Music. In a blog post, the Google-owned video-sharing platform said that includes changes to the mini-player and the ability to set bedtime with Sleep Timer to name a few. Here’s a quick look at some of the most notable changes coming to YouTube.

YouTube mini player

New and improved mini-player

YouTube says its new and improved mini-player now makes it easier for viewers to multitask. Compared to the previous implementation, where the mini-player was pinned to the bottom right of the screen, it can now be moved to any corner of the screen, making it easy for users to place wherever they want to.

YouTube Collaborative Playlists

Collaborative playlists and custom thumbnails

Like Spotify, YouTube is getting a collaborative playlist feature that allows users to invite their friends and family using a special link or QR code. While the feature is currently rolling out for those on the web and mobile app, the company says it will soon be available for TVs.

YouTube is also introducing a new feature that allows you to create a custom thumbnail using an image from your camera roll. For those wondering, you can also add text, filters and stickers for more personalisation.

In case you don’t want to use your own image, the platform also allows you to choose an AI-generated theme and generate images based on your selection. The company also went on to say that users will soon be able to vote on videos within playlists.

YouTube Sleep Timer

Sleep Timer

In addition to the aforementioned improvements, YouTube is getting a new feature called “Sleep Timer”, which, as the name suggests lets you automatically pause videos after a specified duration. The functionality was previously limited to Premium members but is now available to everyone.

YouTube badges

YouTube Badges

To increase engagement on the platform, YouTube is adding new badges, which will appear in both YouTube and YouTube Music apps. The company says these badges will “celebrate milestones unique to the platform”, like being an early paid member of a channel of a top listener of an artist. For those wondering, YouTube badges will be visible in the “You” tab in the coming weeks.

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YouTube TV improvements

If you watch YouTube on the big screen, the new update brings several visual improvements, which the company says offers “a more cinematic viewing experience.” Users can now interact with Shorts, read comments and even browse the shop without having to stop watching videos. Moreover, when you visit a creator’s channel, the immersive channel pages will automatically start playing videos to offer a sneak peek of their content.

Recently, YouTube announced that it is adding a new “Captured with a camera” badge that will make it easy to differentiate between an AI-generated video and one captured with a camera.