If you’ve loaded up YouTube on your computer recently, you might have felt like you needed to adjust your screen. For a growing number of users, the familiar grid of video suggestions has suddenly transformed, featuring significantly larger thumbnails. This change often results in fewer videos being displayed per row, making the page feel somewhat zoomed in or sparse.
This isn’t a glitch affecting just a few. It appears to be a deliberate test by YouTube, experimenting with a bolder visual layout on the desktop homepage. Users have flocked to forums like Reddit over the past few weeks and months to share their experiences. One user, abednadirfr, asked, “Am I the only one whose homepage thumbnail are ridiculously huge now? Is this a bug?” Another, Cruxion, noted the practical effect: “Yeah I went from easily having 6 thumbnails per row to now only 2 unless I’m zoomed out to 67%, then I get 3.”
While I’ve personally noticed variations of this larger thumbnail test appearing sporadically for some time now, the recent increase in user reports suggests the experiment is expanding. For reference, at the time of this writing, I can see just 6 videos on the homepage, 3 videos per row, on an M2 Macbook Air using Opera. This wider testing phase could indicate that YouTube is gathering final data before deciding whether to make this change permanent for everyone.
This visual shift isn’t happening in isolation. It mirrors a similar update rolled out for the YouTube app on Apple TV, which also introduced much larger thumbnails recently. This suggests a potential move towards a more consistent design language across different platforms where YouTube is viewed.
The reaction to the web test has been mixed, with many users expressing frustration about needing to scroll more or manually zoom out their browser to see a decent number of videos. Some are even exploring browser extensions to revert the layout.
It’s unclear why YouTube wants users to stare at giant thumbnails rather than give them the option to see more videos per scroll. Nevertheless, feel free to share your thoughts about this change in the comments below.
Dwayne Cubbins
833 Posts
For nearly a decade, I've been deciphering the complexities of the tech world, with a particular passion for helping users navigate the ever-changing tech landscape. From crafting in-depth guides that unlock your phone's hidden potential to uncovering and explaining the latest bugs and glitches, I make sure you get the most out of your devices. And yes, you might occasionally find me ranting about some truly frustrating tech mishaps.
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