Old school wins: YouTube rolls back disliked mini-player update

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

YouTube seems to be rolling back its recent mini-player redesign after it was widely criticized by users.

In July, Google started rolling out a floating picture-in-picture (PiP) mini-player that would bounce between the corners of the screen. The reworked design replaced the stationary mini-player that used to appear just above the bottom bar in the app. While some folks liked the new design, many YouTube users thought it was distracting and full of glitches.

If you hated the new YouTube mini-player, you’re in luck. It seems Google has heard your frustrations and is rolling back the changes, restoring the old mini-player (h/t TechIssuesToday).

“Thank you, YT!!!! Just noticed it a few mins ago. Already so much better. I don’t know why they thought to change it in the first place,” wrote a user on Reddit.

Another user commented,”The old mini-player was better anyways and easier to close rather than the new one, and the old one didn’t take up a whole corner.”

The original YouTube mini-player seems to be a part of a new app update. Folks are reporting that the mini-player is restored to its formal glory after updating to version 19.45.36 of the YouTube app. It works like it used to and appears in a small window at the bottom with basic controls.

Do you like the new old design of the YouTube mini-player, or do you prefer the floating PiP window? Take our poll above and share your thoughts.

Meanwhile, it looks like Google is testing another controversial change for YouTube. The streaming platform’s Android app is changing the swipe gesture behavior for fullscreen videos, breaking users’ muscle memory.