YouTube TV rolling out new Library design for recordings

YouTube TV revamps Library tab with filter-based design following 2023 redesign. New iteration prioritizes recently recorded content and unwatched items. Users can filter by genre, recording time, and more. Initial user feedback suggests usability concerns.

YouTube TV rolling out new Library design for recordings
Image: 9to5google

YouTube TV is introducing a revised Library tab for its smart TV apps, following a previous redesign in 2023. This latest iteration focuses on a filter-based approach to managing recorded content.

The Library tab serves as a central hub for users to access recorded shows, movies, on-demand content, and past purchases. The complexity of managing various content types within a single page necessitates a user-friendly organization system.

The 2023 redesign introduced a "Catch Up on Your Favorites" section alongside categorized listings for the remaining library content. However, this approach received mixed reviews and is being replaced.

The new Library features a default "New for You" section showcasing recently recorded content and unwatched items. A "Recently Recorded" tab complements this by displaying recordings from the past week.

A comprehensive list of sections includes:

  • New for You
  • Recently Recorded
  • Most Watched
  • Scheduled
  • Series
  • Movies
  • Daily Shows
  • Sports
  • Events
  • All
  • Purchased
  • Expired

Each section offers its own filtering options upon selection. For example, "Recently Recorded" allows filtering by "New," "Rerun," "Series," "Daily Shows," and "Sports."

Image: 9to5google

The updated Library design is currently rolling out to YouTube TV smart TV apps. Initial user feedback, primarily gauged through Reddit discussions, suggests a less than favorable reception. Common complaints center around the incompleteness of the "New for You" section, the inability to reorder sections, and the persistence of watched content within "New for You."