YouTube is testing new swipe gesture for full-length videos

by Junna Base November 11, 2024

“Swiping up” is the new habit for users after the massive success of TikTok and its clones on YouTube and Instagram. Now the YouTube app appears to be testing a new swipe gesture in the default video player that switches to a new video.

The swipe gesture was first used by TikTok and has since been implemented by YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels (among other apps). It’s a quick and easy way to move through a series of short vertical videos. But generally it is only used for vertical videos.

YouTube is currently testing, as discovered by Digital trends Contributor Tushar Mehta on Twitter/X (h/t Android Authority), a new full-screen video player behavior where swiping up causes a new video to play.

This behavior, which appears to be only available in limited testing and has so far only been discovered on Android, would be a pretty drastic change. Currently, the swipe up gesture can be used to exit full screen mode. Swiping from either side (on Android) still lets you exit full screen mode, as does the arrow button in the top left corner.

It’s unclear whether Google plans to roll this out widely, but user response could play a role in that decision. YouTube has not yet commented on the change.

Let us know what you think of this possible change in the comments below!