The big screen YouTube experience is getting a major upgrade with new creator tools, sharper visuals, and smarter shopping integration. Here’s a full rundown of what’s new.
YouTube says that more people are watching on their TVs these days, with some channels earning six figures or more from TV screens for over 45% this year.
So, YouTube’s rolling out five new features that basically turn your TV into the best seat in the house.
Here’s what’s new
Creators can soon upload thumbnails up to 50 MB, which means video previews will finally look sharper on 4K screens. YouTube is also testing support for bigger video uploads, so everything should look a little crisper.
There’s a new AI feature called Super Resolution on the way that’ll upgrade older, low-res videos automatically so that your favourite ancient uploads get bumped from SD to HD and eventually up to 4K. It is good to see that creators can opt out, and if you want the original resolution, just pick that in the settings.
YouTube’s also giving channels a makeover on the TV app. The new homepage features more immersive channel previews, so you can flip through videos way faster. There’s also the new Shows layout, making it simple for creators to organise videos into bingeable playlists. It helps viewers find the good stuff and keeps them watching longer.
Smarter search
Search is getting smarter, too. When viewers search within a creator’s channel, they see the channel’s videos first. This ensures that creators’ content doesn’t get lost in a sea of random content. Makes sense.
And for avid shoppers, soon you’ll be able to scan QR codes from shopping videos right on your TV and open the product page on your phone. YouTube is also trying out special product features that pop up during key moments in a video, so you can grab what you see right when you see it.
With these updates, YouTube is turning TV into more than just a screen. It has become a stage for creators, a place to discover new shows, and even a shopping mall destination all in one. These upodates will begin rolling out soon.
