YouTube is apparently testing an “endless scroll” feature for long-form videos designed to mimic TikTok’s scrolling format. Aiming to boost user engagement and help viewers discover more content, this test phase currently includes a small group of Android users.
YouTube’s endless scroll feature is part of a larger strategy to keep up with user preferences and compete with platforms like TikTok and Instagram, which have popularized continuous scrolling.
“If you’re a viewer in the experiment,” a YouTube forum post explains, “these new discovery experiences could include a mix of video formats.” YouTube spokesperson Allison Toh confirmed, “We’re running an experiment that allows users to swipe up to discover more videos, in either portrait or full-screen landscape mode.”
This experiment, however, isn’t solely about matching competitors. The goal is to help new creators find audiences in YouTube’s vast content ecosystem. By keeping users engaged for longer, YouTube hopes that creators who may have struggled with visibility could gain new followers in a continuously scrolling feed.
Potential impact on navigation and user experience
Not everyone is thrilled about this change. In the past, YouTube viewers have navigated through the app by choosing specific videos from channels they follow. The endless scroll feature would replace this with an algorithm-driven approach, showing users whatever comes next rather than allowing them to browse their subscriptions or recommended videos with a simple swipe.
Users have already noticed some drawbacks, particularly in landscape mode, where swiping down from a full-screen video no longer minimizes it.
Creators worry of “algorithm-first” content
While this feature may improve content discovery, some worry it places even more control in the hands of YouTube’s algorithm, echoing TikTok’s model. Creators have long used tools like custom thumbnails to attract viewers, often experimenting with numerous designs to find the most effective one. This endless feed, however, would reduce a creator’s ability to influence how their content appears, as videos would play automatically in a set order.
This “TikTok-ification” of YouTube may ultimately prioritize what the algorithm wants over what creators intend. Some creators express concerns about balancing content they genuinely want to make with content the algorithm might favor. For viewers, this might mean seeing fewer curated, personally-selected videos and more of what YouTube’s algorithm deems engaging.
