YouTube appears to be once again testing layout with comments on the side
YouTube is once again venturing into redesign territory, rolling out a new look that has previously sparked controversy. This isn't the platform's first rodeo with this particular layout, having tested it earlier this year only to be met with widespread disapproval.
The redesigned interface shifts the video title, description, and comments to a sidebar, making room for larger video recommendations directly beneath the currently playing video. This move was widely disliked during its initial test phase, prompting YouTube to revert to the original layout for many users. However, in recent days, the redesign has made a comeback, appearing for a subset of users once more.
The reasons behind this second attempt remain unclear. It's possible that YouTube is simply gathering additional data and feedback to inform future decisions. The company has stated in various replies that these redesigns are experiments, and that most experiments only last for a few weeks. However, it is uncertain whether this specific redesign falls under that timeframe.
Whether this revamped interface will become the standard YouTube experience is yet to be determined. Nevertheless, this second round of testing suggests that YouTube is still exploring ways to enhance the user experience, even if it means resurrecting a design that initially missed the mark for most.
The redesigned interface shifts the video title, description, and comments to a sidebar, making room for larger video recommendations directly beneath the currently playing video. This move was widely disliked during its initial test phase, prompting YouTube to revert to the original layout for many users. However, in recent days, the redesign has made a comeback, appearing for a subset of users once more.
The new @YouTube UI just arrived, and words cannot describe how much I loathe it.
— Artem Russakovskii (@ArtemR) May 21, 2024
I haven't seen a single person who liked this yet. How do I rolled this back? pic.twitter.com/sXx2JsiYjT
That said, there was a small subset of users (yours truly included) that preferred this type of layout, as it allowed for browsing comments while watching the video at the same time. However, this may not be ideal for those that prefer to watch a video in its entirety before diving into the comments — if wanting to read the comments at all. YouTube does sometime offer tests such as this one to be optional as part of its "Experiments," but currently there is no such test being offered there.
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