YouTube's New TV App Design: Subscriptions Buried Under Shorts Videos

David

3 min read

Post on May 13, 2025

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YouTube's New TV App Design: A Short-Sighted Move Burying Subscriptions?

YouTube's recent redesign of its TV app has sparked a wave of frustration among users, many complaining that the prominent placement of Shorts videos overshadows access to their subscribed channels. While the platform aims to keep users engaged with its short-form video content, the new design arguably prioritizes Shorts over the core functionality that many users rely on: accessing their subscriptions. This shift has left many questioning YouTube's strategic direction and the user experience it prioritizes.

The Problem: Finding Your Subscriptions is Now a Chore

The biggest complaint centers around the difficulty in locating subscribed channels. Previously, subscriptions held a prominent position, offering easy access to new uploads from favorite creators. Now, navigating to your subscriptions requires several extra steps, buried beneath a seemingly endless stream of Shorts. This change, while perhaps intended to boost Shorts viewership, feels counterintuitive for many long-time YouTube users who primarily use the platform to watch videos from channels they actively follow.

Is YouTube Prioritizing Shorts Over User Experience?

This redesign comes as no surprise given YouTube's aggressive push to compete with TikTok and other short-form video platforms. The emphasis on Shorts is clear, and its placement at the forefront of the TV app reinforces this priority. However, this strategy might prove detrimental in the long run. Alienating loyal users who rely on the platform for long-form content from subscribed channels could drive them to alternative platforms. The question remains: is sacrificing the user experience of established features for the sake of promoting Shorts a sustainable strategy?

The Impact on Long-Form Content Creators

The shift towards Shorts could have significant repercussions for creators who primarily produce long-form content. Reduced visibility for subscribed channels could lead to decreased views and engagement for these creators, potentially affecting their revenue and motivation to continue producing high-quality content. This situation highlights a potential conflict between YouTube's efforts to compete in the short-form video market and its responsibility to support creators of all formats.

What Can You Do?

• Provide Feedback: YouTube actively encourages user feedback. Let them know your opinion on the new design through their feedback channels.
• Explore Alternative Navigation: While frustrating, there might be alternative ways to navigate to your subscriptions within the new interface. Explore the app's menus thoroughly.
• Use the YouTube Website: Consider using the desktop or mobile website instead of the TV app for a more streamlined subscription viewing experience.

The Future of YouTube's TV App

Only time will tell if YouTube will adjust its strategy based on user feedback. For now, the focus on Shorts in the TV app's redesign presents a significant challenge to users accustomed to the previous layout and raises concerns about the platform's future direction. Will YouTube listen to user concerns and revert some of these changes, or will this become the new norm? The coming weeks and months will provide a crucial insight into the platform’s responsiveness to its user base.

Keywords: YouTube TV app, YouTube Shorts, YouTube redesign, YouTube subscriptions, short-form video, long-form video, user experience, YouTube creator, TikTok competitor, TV app design, YouTube algorithm.