YouTube updates mobile app layout with custom feeds and subscription tab placement

YouTube is altering its mobile application layout on Android and iOS devices by introducing dedicated custom feeds and repositioning key navigation features, Digital Trends and 9to5Mac reported on October 22, 2026. As part of this interface update, YouTube is removing the Subscriptions tab from its fourth position in the bottom navigation bar and placing it into a redesigned top bar on the Home tab. [1][2]

According to Digital Trends, custom feeds are now replacing the existing topic chips on the interface for eligible users. Digital Trends and 9to5Mac both report that the platform is testing and implementing this redesigned top bar on mobile devices to bring dedicated feeds and subscriptions into the primary Home experience. 9to5Mac noted that testing for the interface redesign originally began earlier in the year. [1][2]

The platform operates as the second most visited website globally and maintains approximately 2.7 billion monthly active users as of February 2026. More than 500 hours of video are uploaded to the platform every minute, resulting in over 20 million new videos added each day. [7]

The structural changes to the Home page aim to shape a more seamless experience and alter how viewers discover content, 9to5Mac reported. The update marks a major shift in navigation for the platform, which had maintained the Subscriptions tab in the bottom bar for nearly a decade. [2][3]