YouTube’s Big TV Update Brings Important News for Users

Mark
YouTube's Big TV Update Brings Good and Bad News for Users
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The YouTube app on Smart TVs and gaming consoles is getting some upgrades, and while some changes sound great, others might not be as exciting for everyone. Google has announced new features aimed at making the experience smoother, but whether they truly improve things depends on how you use YouTube on your TV.

One of the most noticeable updates is how channel previews work. Now, when you open a channel, you’ll see a fullscreen preview of its top video, making it easier to jump right in. Another small but useful tweak is the addition of ‘Subscribe‘ buttons on video watch pages, including YouTube Shorts, so you don’t have to backtrack to follow a creator.

Speaking of Shorts, YouTube finally admits the TV experience hasn’t been great. They’ve cleaned up the interface, reorganized buttons, and made things look better on the right-hand side of the screen.

Plus, if you’re watching YouTube on TV while using your phone, you can now cast regular videos without interrupting Shorts playback on your device. There’s also support for multiple audio tracks, making dubbed content easier to access.

Parents will appreciate the new ‘Parent code‘ feature, which locks kids out of adult profiles. It also prevents them from watching videos while signed out, helping to control what they see.

Logging in on Android TV is now easier, too. If your phone and TV share a Wi-Fi network, you can sign in by tapping a matching code on your phone. Plus, YouTube will now automatically switch to your phone’s account when casting, keeping recommendations and history separate from other household members.

These updates should already be live, but whether they make YouTube better or just different is up for debate.

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Mark is the kind of person who gets way too excited about new software updates and can’t resist taking apart gadgets—just to see if they can put them back together. With years of experience in tech journalism and a love for all things digital, Mark writes about the stories behind the screens, from game-changing innovations to the everyday tech that keeps life running smoothly. Outside of work, they’re the go-to “tech support” for friends and family, whether it’s fixing a printer that won’t cooperate or explaining why Grandma’s laptop keeps showing pop-ups. When Mark isn’t glued to their screen, they’re probably building their dream PC, rewatching sci-fi movies for the hundredth time, or testing a gadget that promises to “change everything.” Spoiler: they’ll let you know if it actually does.