Google is in the process of rolling out one of the most significant user interface (UI) changes to the YouTube Android app update in years, fundamentally altering the viewing experience for billions.
The platform is moving the entire comments section from its long-held position—buried at the very bottom of the page—to a new, highly visible slot directly above the “Up Next” video recommendations.
This decision, which began appearing for users globally in the last 48 hours, is not merely a cosmetic tweak. It represents a profound strategic pivot by the streaming giant: a deliberate choice to prioritize active community engagement (reading and writing comments) over passive, continuous consumption (watching the next recommended video).
The change is being implemented via a server-side update, meaning it will appear for users automatically without requiring them to download a new version from the Play Store. While the rollout is phased, it signals the end of an era for the YouTube mobile layout, and not everyone is happy about it.
What Exactly Is Changing?
For over a decade, the layout for YouTube’s mobile app has followed a predictable, if cumbersome, path.
The Old Workflow
Previously, a user watching a video on their Android phone would have to:
- Watch the video.
- Scroll past the video title, description, and creator’s channel information.
- Tap a small “Comments” button, which simply teleported the user past the entire “Up Next” recommendation list.
- Arrive at the comments section at the absolute bottom of the page.
Many users, particularly those less tech-savvy, were often unaware of this “tap-to-jump” feature. They would manually scroll past dozens of video thumbnails to find the comments, an experience tech analysts have long described as “clunky” and “disconnected” from the video itself.
The New Workflow
The new YouTube Android app update completely streamlines this process, borrowing heavily from modern social media design.
- Watch the video.
- Scroll past the video title, description, and creator’s channel information.
- Immediately encounter a new, prominent “Comments” module.
This module acts as a preview, often displaying the “Top comment” or the total number of comments (e.g., “Comments 4.2K”). Tapping this box opens the familiar, full-screen comments tray. The “Up Next” recommendation list is now below this new module.
This move firmly places the comments as the second piece of content a user is encouraged to interact with after the video itself, demoting the “Up Next” algorithm to third place.
Data and Rationale: Why Google Made the Switch
This UI overhaul was not a sudden decision. It was the result of extensive A/B testing, which, according to YouTube, yielded overwhelmingly positive results for its key engagement metrics.
While Google has not released a public blog post detailing the exact figures at the time of this publication, sources familiar with the internal testing (paraphrased from developer community reports) indicate the new layout drove significant metric growth.
Here are three key data points providing context for this massive change:
- Direct Engagement Boost: In multi-month A/B testing, the new layout reportedly increased direct comment interactions (likes on comments, replies, and new comments) by over 15% among test groups.
- Session Length Increase: The same tests also showed a ~5% increase in “session length,” suggesting that users who engaged with comments were more likely to remain on the platform, even if they didn’t immediately click a recommended video.
- Massive User Base: This change impacts the largest video-watching cohort on earth. As of early 2025, YouTube has over 2.7 billion monthly active users. With Android holding approximately 70% of the global mobile OS market, this UI change will directly affect the viewing habits of potentially over 1.8 billion users.
In a statement paraphrased from a YouTube community forum manager, the company clarified the intent:
“We are always testing new ways to help people find and engage with content that matters to them. After receiving feedback that the comments section was difficult to find on mobile, we began testing a new layout that brings the conversation front and center… We’re excited to be rolling this new design out to all Android users.”
The ‘TikTok-ification’ of YouTube
Tech analysts are largely viewing this change through the lens of one of YouTube’s greatest competitors: TikTok.
On platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and even YouTube’s own Shorts, the comments are not hidden. They are an active, often transparent overlay on the video itself. The “community” and the “content” are inseparable.
By moving comments above recommendations, YouTube is attempting to replicate this “community-first” feel for its traditional, long-form content.
“For years, YouTube treated comments as a repository; a place you visited after the show was over,” said Sarah Jenkins, a mobile UI/UX analyst at TechForward Insights. “This update transforms comments into a feature, an extension of the video itself. It’s a direct acknowledgment that for a huge portion of users, reading the reaction is part of the act of watching.”
This pivot also signifies a major bet on a different kind of engagement. The “Up Next” algorithm was designed for passive consumption—to keep users in a “lean back” viewing loop. The new layout encourages “lean forward” participation.
Why? Active engagement (commenting, liking) is a far stronger signal to the algorithm than a passive view. It tells YouTube not only “this person watched this,” but “this person cared enough to interact.” This data is invaluable for building user profiles and, ultimately, serving more relevant content and ads.
Creators Rejoice, Some Users Revolt
The reaction to the change, visible on platforms like Reddit and X (formerly Twitter), has been sharply divided, highlighting the two different ways people use YouTube.
The Creator’s View
Creators and channel managers have been almost universally positive. For them, the comments section is a vital hub for community building and feedback.
One user identifying as a mid-sized creator, ‘CreatorCentral’, posted on an r/youtube thread:
“This is 100% the best UI change they’ve made in five years. My comments are part of the video experience now, not hidden in the basement. My engagement has already visibly ticked up in the last 24 hours. People are finally seeing the top comments.”
The ‘Passive Viewer’ View
Conversely, a segment of users who use YouTube primarily for continuous play—such as listening to music playlists or watching video essays back-to-back—are frustrated.
Their established workflow has been broken.
User ‘PixelFan88’ articulated this common complaint:
“I hate this. I used to scroll past the recommendations while the video was ending to see what was next. Now I have to actively scroll past a wall of comments I don’t care about just to find the next video. It’s an extra, annoying step.”
What to Watch Next
This is a developing rollout, and its full impact remains to be seen. Key things to watch are:
- The iOS Rollout: The change is currently focused on Android. A similar update is expected for iOS in the coming months, which will complete the “great comment migration” across YouTube’s mobile ecosystem.
- Impact on ‘Up Next’ Clicks: Will the demotion of the recommendation list lead to a measurable drop in “Up Next” video plays? And if so, does YouTube care, if its primary goal of comment engagement is being met?
- Creator Adaptation: Creators will likely change their “call to action” (CTA) in videos. Expect to hear “Let me know what you think in the comments right below” far more often than “Scroll all the way down to the comments.”
Ultimately, YouTube’s data (the 15% engagement boost) suggests it has already weighed the pros and cons. The platform has decided that the future of its mobile experience lies not just in what you watch, but in what you say about it.
