- YouTube introduces YouTube Swipe Up scroll gestures for long-form videos, altering familiar swipe controls.
- New swipe feature mirrors YouTube Shorts navigation, sparking mixed user reactions.
- Feature is in limited testing on Android, with no official update from Google yet.
With YouTube’s continuous updates, users often feel a mix of excitement and frustration. While the platform remains a top choice for video streaming, recent changes such as an increase in ads and YouTube Premium pricing have left some users dissatisfied. Now, another shift might be on the horizon: YouTube is experimenting with new scroll gestures specifically for long-form videos, and it’s already stirring up debate among viewers.
Spotted by Tushar Mehta on X (formerly Twitter), YouTube’s Android app now includes a scroll gesture for its fullscreen video player, applied to long-form content. This change adjusts how users interact with videos in landscape mode by replacing the traditional swipe-up and swipe-down gestures for entering and exiting fullscreen. Instead, swiping down now advances to the next video, a setup similar to the short video navigation in YouTube Shorts.
This new gesture may be disruptive for long-time users accustomed to the current swipe controls for YouTube’s long-form content. While YouTube retains the button option to enter and exit fullscreen mode, the simplicity of swiping has made navigation easier, especially on larger screens. Adapting to this change could be challenging for many users, as it disrupts their established habits and could make watching long-form videos less immersive.
YouTube Swipe Up Gesture
The move seems designed to align YouTube’s controls for long and short videos, creating a unified experience across content formats. However, users may view long-form and short-form videos differently. While short videos in the Shorts section are designed for quick browsing, long-form videos tend to require more deliberate selection and engagement. The automatic skip gesture could feel jarring for those who enjoy long-form videos, especially given that a “Next” button already exists for moving between videos.
As of now, it appears this feature is being tested on a limited scale, with many users still unable to access it. There is currently no support documentation or changelog from YouTube confirming the change, making it unclear if this feature will be rolled out widely. Google has not provided further comments on this potential update, but users continue to discuss it widely online.
In conclusion, YouTube Swipe Up Gesture could bring convenience or discomfort depending on user preferences. This change highlights YouTube’s ongoing adjustments to enhance the app experience, though users may need time to adapt.
FAQ
What is YouTube Swipe Up gesture for long-form videos?
It allows users to swipe down to view the next video in fullscreen mode, mirroring the navigation in YouTube Shorts.
Is this swipe gesture available to all users?
Currently, YouTube Swipe Up Gesture it seems to be in a limited test on Android, with no official announcement from Google.
Will the traditional swipe gestures be replaced permanently?
There’s no confirmation yet if this is a permanent change, as it appears to be in testing.
