YouTube has launched a new feature that lets viewers hide end screens, reducing distractions at the end of videos. End screens are commonly used by creators to promote other content, encourage subscriptions, or direct traffic to external links. While they serve a promotional purpose, many viewers found them intrusive, often blocking parts of the video and detracting from the final message.
With the new update, a small “hide” button will appear in the top-right corner of the video player, allowing users to remove end screens entirely, leaving just the video visible. If viewers wish to bring the end screens back, they can simply tap the “show” button. This preference will only apply to the current video being watched, resetting when viewers switch to another video.
In addition to this, YouTube is making changes to the desktop interface by removing the hover-to-subscribe button that appears when users move their cursor over a channel watermark. This adjustment aims to simplify the layout and reduce unnecessary clutter, while still providing other clear ways for viewers to subscribe.
These updates come in response to feedback from users who wanted more control over their viewing experience. YouTube’s early tests show minimal impact on creators’ engagement, with hiding end screens reducing interactions by less than 1.5%. The hover-to-subscribe feature accounted for less than 0.05% of total subscriptions.
With these changes, YouTube continues to prioritize user experience while maintaining a smooth and effective content promotion environment for creators.
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