YouTube's new miniplayer: Users report pauses, vanishing videos, and a chaotic experience

Update 14/11/24: YouTube has confirmed that the issue with unpausing videos has now been resolved with the latest v19.45 update. This same update also fixes the issue with disappearing videos when using the miniplayer. And ICYMI, it appears that YouTube is reverting the recent miniplayer change after heavy criticism.

Update 07/11/24: YouTube support on X has acknowledged the issue with unpausing videos and confirmed the team is working on a solution.

Original article follows:

YouTube’s Android miniplayer update was meant to introduce a streamlined, sleek new interface, but for many users, it’s proven to be a redesign nightmare. What was initially claimed to be an experimental feature is now in wider circulation, and reports of glitches, interruptions, and usability issues have flooded social media and tech forums.

Many users, who are usually excited to see app updates, are feeling more frustrated than ever. Among the issues are videos that stubbornly refuse to unpause when a user leaves fullscreen mode. This strange, almost comically annoying glitch has left users feeling like their video-watching freedom has been severely compromised, forcing them to remain in fullscreen if they want uninterrupted playback. As if the new layout wasn’t already challenging enough, the videos have developed a tendency to vanish when minimized. Instead of neatly shrinking into the corner as it once did, the miniplayer now often disappears entirely. For some, getting it back is only possible by closing and reopening the YouTube app or starting a new video altogether.

This update has also brought unexpected pausing with screen rotation. Viewers switching between portrait and landscape modes find that this action often triggers a pause that seems impossible to undo without heading back to fullscreen. Even the new swipe gestures, which should make navigation feel smoother, have become overly sensitive. Many users are finding that swiping down on the miniplayer inadvertently switches them to the next video, or in some cases, even restarts their current video. Simple actions such as checking the time or pulling down the notification bar can inadvertently redirect users to an entirely different clip, adding an unexpected layer of frustration to something that was once a simple swipe. Here’s a video of the glitch shared on Reddit:

Even minor details like video titles have not been spared from the confusing redesign. In previous versions, users could fully view longer titles by tapping into the description. Now, the redesigned interface leaves titles annoyingly truncated, with no way to see the full text. This has happened before, so it’s likely the glitch will be fixed soon.

Interestingly, not everyone who updated is experiencing these glitches. I recently moved to rhe latest version 19.43.40 yet I have no issues at all with the new YouTube miniplayer. However, it’s clear that for many, the redesign has been far from smooth.

YouTube’s support team on social media has recommended a classic troubleshooting method: uninstalling and reinstalling the app, or restarting the device entirely. As simplistic as it sounds, this approach has surprisingly helped some users. For the truly fed-up, rolling back to an older version of the app has proven effective in restoring usability. And for those willing to forego the app experience altogether, switching to YouTube’s web version via a mobile browser has provided a more reliable, if unconventional, alternative.

YouTube’s latest Android update raises questions about its design priorities, as the app now feels more convoluted than ever, complicating simple actions and frustrating users. It’s not unusual for updates to disrupt a few things here and there, but this round of glitches has struck at the very core of YouTube’s ease of use. For now, YouTube users eager for stability may be better off waiting for another update or trying a few of the fixes that have worked for others. Ideally, YouTube will soon address these bugs — or perhaps even reconsider whether the miniplayer’s new look and feel truly enhance the viewing experience.