Joe Maring / Android Authority
TL;DR YouTube appears to be rolling out or testing a new UI design for its player on the web.
The new design places the video controls into bubbles.
This UI change was first spotted back in April.
Every now and then, YouTube tries to update its look to mixed results. You may remember the backlash the company got last year when it tried to relocate the video title, description, and comments section to the right side panel. Well, the video platform is at it again, with a new change that has users divided.
Over on Reddit, multiple reports are popping up about a new UI change to YouTube’s video player. The update specifically affects the player’s video controls on the web. These UI elements have been placed inside bubbles. The play/pause button and the timer have their own individual bubbles, while the rest of the controls sit together in a different bubble.
Old New New
It also looks like the volume button has moved from the left side over to the right side of the player. Additionally, it seems that the button layout may differ depending on user, with some users having more buttons than others.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this design; it was first spotted back in April 2025. At the time, the update appeared to be a test. It’s unclear if this is still a test with a new batch of users getting exposed to it. But given the number of reports, it’s possible the new UI is slowly rolling out. We have not yet seen the update on our own devices.
As with any UI design change, the update is being met with criticism. However, not everyone is of the same mind, with some users finding the minor change to be fine.
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