YouTube’s TV app Is getting a big makeover this summer — Here's a first look

Watching YouTube on your TV is about to get a lot smoother and more enjoyable. To celebrate YouTube's 20th anniversary — yep, it’s been two decades since ‘Me at the Zoo’ — Google has announced a major redesign for the YouTube TV app, set to roll out this summer.

While Google hasn’t shared all the details yet, they did tease a screenshot of the upcoming look and promised a few exciting upgrades. Expect easier navigation, quality improvements, and a better playback experience. Plus, the update will make it easier to dive into comments, channel info, and subscriptions — basically making the TV version feel a lot more like the full browser experience we know and love.

A Better Way to Multitask, Too

YouTube TV subscribers are also getting something cool: an upgrade to Multiview. Until now, the four-screen Multiview grid has mostly been a sports fan’s dream. But soon, a small selection of popular non-sports channels will also support Multiview, letting you watch multiple streams at once. It’s coming in the next few months.

Small Tweaks, Big Difference

Even though this redesign focuses more on the look rather than adding tons of new features, it’s a welcome refresh. Updates like a new button for adding videos to playlists and a quicker way to subscribe while watching make the experience feel more polished — and more in line with YouTube’s mobile apps.

Of course, YouTube is still saving some premium goodies for paying users. As part of its birthday announcements, Google also revealed that Premium subscribers will soon be able to watch videos at 4x speed on mobile — a nice perk for those paying $13.99 / £11.99 / AU$14.99 a month.

For now, those of us sticking to the free version can still look forward to a much-needed TV app upgrade sometime between June and September. Here’s hoping it’s sooner rather than later!