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If we’re all honest with ourselves, it’s no secret that a massive chunk of our media consumption happens on the biggest screen in the house these days. Whether I’m diving into the latest tech news or just trying to pull up some Chicago Cubs highlights, I spend a lot of time navigating the YouTube app on Google TV.
Fixing the navigation clutter
If you use the YouTube app on your smart TV regularly, you are likely familiar with some of the frustrations found in navigating the UI. The existing sidebar has always felt a bit tedious. Getting to the stuff you actually want – like your Subscriptions and your Library – required clicking past Search, Home, Music, Movies & TV, and Podcasts. It works, but it’s a lot of unnecessary clicking just to get to the channels you actively follow.
What’s new in the update
According to a new report from 9to5Google, a server-side update is beginning to roll out that completely reorganizes this sidebar. The new layout keeps Search and Home at the very top but immediately follows them with your Subscriptions and Library.
Even better, this new section includes two direct channel shortcuts right there in the menu. It’s not entirely clear yet if these are your most-watched channels or algorithmically suggested ones, but having quick access to them without diving into a submenu is a huge win. Below that, the rest of the categories (News, Live, Podcasts, Music, Gaming, Sports) fill out the bottom of the list.
Rolling out now
Since this appears to be a server-side change, you won’t need to hunt for an app update in the Play Store. Users are already spotting the change across both Google TV devices and Samsung TVs. I haven’t seen it hit my personal living room setup just yet, but I’ll be keeping a close eye out for it. It’s a small tweak, but one that will definitely make navigating the YouTube app a much smoother experience.
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