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YouTube forces creators to disclose AI usage, but not always
The prominence of informative AI labels will differ based on the content
As AI continues to weave its way into Google’s apps and services, the company is taking measures to ensure users understand its impact. YouTube, the Google-owned video streaming platform, has a plethora of creators who are beginning to leverage AI for content. Now, the tech giant is enacting policies to make sure that viewers can differentiate fact from fiction while using YouTube.
How to fix YouTube embeds in Google Slides (AKA Error 150)
Try these troubleshooting methods to iron out video-playback issues
Google Slides is a free application and a solid choice for designing professional and creative presentations for your workspace or classroom. The app works on any device, including budget Chromebooks. Creating slides is effortless with its user-friendly UI, minimalist design, and collaboration features. You can also embed YouTube videos in Slides.
The YouTube app on your Roku or Chromecast just got a big upgrade
The goal is to create a more immersive, distraction-free experience
While YouTube may be at the top of the food chain in terms of video streaming platforms, the Google-owned service is still facing its fair share of competition. Many video-based apps and services are finding ways to differentiate themselves through UI. Now, YouTube is shifting its focus to improving its UI, seemingly with the goal of keeping viewers glued to their big screens.
YouTube stops showing recommendations when you’re not logged in
A blank homepage is all that greets you when you first go to the entertainment platform
YouTube’s homepage is usually filled with recommendations when you first visit the website. If you’re logged in or if you’ve built a local history, these videos can often be genuinely interesting to you. That’s usually not the case when you first visit the entertainment website without being logged in. It looks like Google finally understands that, as YouTube has stopped showing any video recommendations at all for new, logged out users.
YouTube's free picture-in-picture mode could go global really soon
Multiple non-Premium users are seeing PiP across Europe
Picture-in-picture or PiP is a feature we most often take for granted, given that it's been around for a while on Android now. YouTube, meanwhile, has allowed users to access PiP on Android for years, but there were certain limitations put in place later, which meant that non-subscribing customers were unable to access it. This changed in 2022, but only for US customers, with YouTube users in other markets requiring a Premium subscription to access PiP. But that appears to have changed over the past few weeks, with at least one of our editors' devices seeing the option to access picture-in-picture in Germany even without a Premium subscription.
Google's YouTube TV stands out among the streaming services offering live TV channels without cable, especially in the US. It offers access to over 100+ live TV channels, the ability to record shows and sports events with unlimited DVR storage, and add-ons to elevate your cord-cutting experience. Cross-platform availability isn't an issue. Google offers YouTube TV apps on Android, iPhone, smart TV platforms, and all the major streaming devices.
The YouTube app frequently picks up new updates, while the company also likes to keep its other services, like YouTube Music, up to date. Over the past year or so, the video streaming service has worked on revamping some elements of the channel page, making it easier for both creators and viewers. The video platform has now announced a redesigned channel page for the YouTube app on TVs.
Lights, camera, controversy: How YouTube has evolved since its launch in 2005
Let's explore all the ups and downs of YouTube over the past 19 years
Remember grainy videos of cats chasing laser pointers or kids twirling staffs Jedi-style? I 'member. We've come a long way. From its birth in a garage back in 2005, when it was a quirky website for sharing home videos with friends, to the global dominance it enjoys today, YouTube's journey has been filled with successes and failures. Let's rewind and follow the growth of this modern-day behemoth and determine if it has ultimately risen to glory... or completely lost its way.
YouTube's new Shorts feature is a direct attack on TikTok
You can now easily mix in music videos into your creations
YouTube Shorts, YouTube's answer to TikTok, has been expanding beyond just a hub for sub-60-second clips on the internet's top video platform. With billions of monthly logged-in views, it has become a significant platform for creators who have built entire audiences through short-form videos. Of course, YouTube Shorts has emerged as a strong rival to TikTok by incorporating some of the latter's ideas. To further compete, YouTube Shorts introduced features like Collab last year, and it's now beefing up that experience by allowing users to remix music videos.
YouTube wants to recommend content based on its primary color
The colors may be more than what meets the eye
YouTube, Netflix, TikTok, and some of the best entertainment apps on Android pride themselves on their content recommendation systems which profile users to understand their preferences and serve content accordingly. YouTube has stayed competitive with Shorts and filters for recommendations, but its latest change takes things a step up — content sorted by the primary color in the video.
YouTube has less than half as many paid subscribers as Spotify, and only itself to blame
Google is celebrating 100 million YouTube Music and Premium subscribers
Google is celebrating a big milestone for its paid YouTube services. The company has announced that it now has 100 million YouTube Music and Premium subscribers. While the number is impressive on the surface, it’s less than half of the 210 million people strong paid subscriber base of Spotify — a competitor that notably only offers audio content.
A VPN might be your ticket to an ad-free YouTube experience
You don’t need to travel to Albania to avoid ads on YouTube
YouTube is an unrivaled resource thanks to its massive and unique library of video content, but Google has seemingly been leveraging that exclusivity as a way to increase advertisements lately. Without a premium subscription, ad interruptions aren’t just an annoyance — they can be so frequent that they deter some people from viewing YouTube content altogether. Now, some YouTube viewers have found a workaround for the issue, and all it takes is a good VPN.
YouTube is slowing down load times for users with ad block
The platform ran a similar experiment back in November
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In a bid to push revenues, YouTube has long tried to convince its users to switch to the $14/month Premium tier. Failing to do so would result in viewers having to sit through ads, with YouTube at one point even testing up to eleven unskippable ads, although the subsequent backlash led the company to end this experiment. As for people who continue to use workarounds, like using ad blockers, the streaming platform had some other plans, including, but not limited to, slowing down load times.
How to get the most out of your YouTube Music subscription
Get the most out of your monthly subscription cost
If you love YouTube Music and want to make the most of it, consider getting a subscription. A YouTube Music subscription has many benefits, but you'll want to ensure you're getting your money's worth. You can enjoy all the perks of YouTube Music Premium whether you sign up for it directly or as part of YouTube Premium. You can also switch from Spotify Premium to YouTube Music Premium.
YouTube will help you find the right first-aid video quickly in an emergency
Expert-approved emergency care videos at the top of search results
YouTube is one of the few platforms where you can get a step-by-step tutorial on how to fix that obscure issue with your washing machine and, in the next moment, watch a travel vlog of someone on the other side of the world. If you possess the mental fortitude to not click on any of those tempting recommended videos, YouTube can be one of the best educational resources on the internet. In recent months, YouTube has cracked down against ad blockers and opted for fewer but longer ads on YouTube on TV apps. More importantly, YouTube has just made finding the most essential how-to videos on their site more accessible.
YouTube is doubling down on its distracting ambient mode
Ambient mode on Android just got more lively
YouTube's ambient mode is one of those features that no one asked for, but Google gave us anyway. Despite the controversial response to the introduction of ambient mode in October of last year, YouTube recently began experimenting with adding ambient mode to its full screen video player. Ambient mode is not a significant UI change. Instead, it works to complement YouTube's new rounded video player. Ambient mode's glow was previously most evident on the browser, but a recent update brings a more vibrant effect to YouTube on Android.
YouTube is down on both mobile and web right now
The Subscriptions tab isn't loading, but some videos are
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Google's servers are usually rock-solid, but even the best of us fall on hard times. It appears YouTube is having one of those off days, as we're seeing reports that the Subscriptions tab isn't loading for many users right now. The outage appears to be multi-regional if not global, and it's affecting both the desktop site and the mobile app.
Chrome is making it easier to screenshot videos without all the junk
A new right-click option to 'Save video frame' was just enabled by default in Chrome Canary
If you’ve ever uploaded videos to YouTube, you’ve dealt with the annoyance of saving a still frame from that video to then use as your thumbnail. You don’t even have to be a content creator to get frustrated trying to grab a screenshot from a video without showing the volume slider, play/pause button, and other elements from the player controls. Thankfully, Google has been working on a feature to copy still frames from any online video with a new option in Chrome's right-click menu. Back in October, we wrote that Google was working on a “Save video frame” feature that had to be turned on manually in Chrome Canary. Earlier this week, that tool was enabled by default.
How to listen to YouTube with the screen off
Who needs Spotify when you've got these YouTube workarounds?
YouTube offers a large collection of streaming audio and video content. It would take 82 years to watch everything that's uploaded in one day. Yet, it's disappointing when music or a video stops when you minimize YouTube or lock your phone screen. Premium users don't have such an experience, as background playback is one of the perks.
YouTube Music's revamped Now Playing screen is widely available
The new gradient background was first spotted months ago
In our long time covering YouTube Music, the service has undergone innumerable changes, both in terms of functionality and visuals. Back in October, we reported on a slightly updated Now Playing UI on Android that offered a gradient background rather than a fixed color. This feature is now widely rolling out, at least according to one individual on Reddit.