Now to be fair to YouTube here, my understanding is that we are in the minority here. They are really just changing the UI/UX to match what the user base is actually doing. Which is only the home page recommendations and shorts.
I don't have the numbers, it's purely based off watching YouTubers talk about their user base and how their videos are consumed now.
Now to be fair to YouTube here, my understanding is that we are in the minority here.
To push back on this, YouTube has been making subscriptions less accessible and overall less visible gradually for years now. In general it somewhat irks me when people defend big tech UI decisions with "but that is how people are using it" while ignoring that often the way people use something is caused by deliberate UX choices and patterns from those companies.
I just went to check thinking it couldn't be that bad. I don't actually use the Youtube app almost at all, so when I first opened it it had a subscriptions button right at the bottom right. I guess it updated itself though, because I re-opened it and that button was gone.
Even with written instructions, it took me several tries to figure out how to get to the new subs tab. Have to agree that this is indeed crazy.
Have you tried simply pulling the page back down after it has slid up? Seems to work on android on version 21.43.523. Note that I usually don't use that app to watch YouTube videos, so that's just a snapshot of me testing it a minute ago.
As of yesterday, it changed for me on Android to match what @AndreasChris describes. Funnily enough I don't even use the Youtube mobile app that often, but the past two days I was checking it to see if it'd show someone I subscribe to scheduling a livestream. So I noticed the change pretty quickly.
Looking at the Play Store, the app didn't update since October 28 and isn't even queued for an update, so it's not a matter of different app versions. (Unless it's somehow tied to Google Drive updating "1 day ago"...?) If it hasn't hit your phone yet, there might be a gradual rollout across all users.
It's already there. Though subscriptions are still the same amount of clicks for me. They are just somewhat obfuscated under "subs" in a top menu on the home page.
Luckily on Android I can also long press on the youtube icon and choose to go subscriptions directly.
Have you tried the Yattee app? It's an alternative open source YouTube app for iOS. Doesn't have a recommendation feed, but since you already don't use that, it may work for you.
You could try Greyjay? It's what I use exclusively and it works fine. Its configurable, removes adds, shows what you subscribed to (locally on device) in chronological order, and it aggregates Nebula, PeerTube and Twitch feed as well. It's basically YouTube premium but for every video platform at the same time.
I cann't go back.
kaffo | 5 hours ago
I had the same experience.
Now to be fair to YouTube here, my understanding is that we are in the minority here. They are really just changing the UI/UX to match what the user base is actually doing. Which is only the home page recommendations and shorts.
I don't have the numbers, it's purely based off watching YouTubers talk about their user base and how their videos are consumed now.
creesch | 3 hours ago
To push back on this, YouTube has been making subscriptions less accessible and overall less visible gradually for years now. In general it somewhat irks me when people defend big tech UI decisions with "but that is how people are using it" while ignoring that often the way people use something is caused by deliberate UX choices and patterns from those companies.
kaffo | an hour ago
Ok, that's valid. It did cross my mind as I posted.
They do definitely try to push users to the home feed and shorts, and it's been working.
[OP] teaearlgraycold | 4 hours ago
Well, they could simply just show me a subscriptions button if I have watch history turned off.
j3n | 5 hours ago
I just went to check thinking it couldn't be that bad. I don't actually use the Youtube app almost at all, so when I first opened it it had a subscriptions button right at the bottom right. I guess it updated itself though, because I re-opened it and that button was gone.
Even with written instructions, it took me several tries to figure out how to get to the new subs tab. Have to agree that this is indeed crazy.
AndreasChris | 4 hours ago
Have you tried simply pulling the page back down after it has slid up? Seems to work on android on version 21.43.523. Note that I usually don't use that app to watch YouTube videos, so that's just a snapshot of me testing it a minute ago.
json | 3 hours ago
Or just swipe sideways. Because now home, subs, music, live, more are basically UI tabs and swiping sideways navs between the tabs.
Though there is a conflict with swiping sideways through a carousel vs trying to switch tab.
eg.
https://youtube.com/shorts/RAR9WrjLV6o
[OP] teaearlgraycold | 4 hours ago
That initiates a reload and doesn't show any buttons or links.
rubix | 3 hours ago
What AndreasChris described works in the newest version just fine. Are you sure your app hasn't updated yet to move the Subs tab to the top bar row?
updawg | 4 hours ago
On Android, it's always there on the bottom.
CannibalisticApple | 4 hours ago
As of yesterday, it changed for me on Android to match what @AndreasChris describes. Funnily enough I don't even use the Youtube mobile app that often, but the past two days I was checking it to see if it'd show someone I subscribe to scheduling a livestream. So I noticed the change pretty quickly.
Looking at the Play Store, the app didn't update since October 28 and isn't even queued for an update, so it's not a matter of different app versions. (Unless it's somehow tied to Google Drive updating "1 day ago"...?) If it hasn't hit your phone yet, there might be a gradual rollout across all users.
[OP] teaearlgraycold | 4 hours ago
That's how it was yesterday for me. The update is likely coming to Android soon...
creesch | 3 hours ago
It's already there. Though subscriptions are still the same amount of clicks for me. They are just somewhat obfuscated under "subs" in a top menu on the home page.
Luckily on Android I can also long press on the youtube icon and choose to go subscriptions directly.
fxgn | 3 hours ago
Have you tried the Yattee app? It's an alternative open source YouTube app for iOS. Doesn't have a recommendation feed, but since you already don't use that, it may work for you.
https://docs.yattee.stream/docs/app/getting-started
Pepetto | 2 hours ago
You could try Greyjay? It's what I use exclusively and it works fine. Its configurable, removes adds, shows what you subscribed to (locally on device) in chronological order, and it aggregates Nebula, PeerTube and Twitch feed as well. It's basically YouTube premium but for every video platform at the same time.
I cann't go back.