YouTube moves the dislike button into the three-dot menu for some users
In November 2021, YouTube hid public dislike counts on videos, saying the move would protect creators from harassment and targeted dislike campaigns. But an extra tap is often enough to stop people from bothering, which means fewer dislikes reach creators and YouTube’s recommendation system. Instead of sitting next to the like button, the thumbs-down icon now shows up inside the three-dot menu for a small group of users, as reported by 9to5Google. Creators can still see the numbers in YouTube Studio, but viewers lost a quick way to judge a video before hitting play.
Screenshots shared on X and Reddit show the dislike button placed in the overflow menu alongside the “Report” option. At the time, Google said dislikes would continue to work as usual on long-form videos and live streams. YouTube is testing a change that tucks the dislike button away on regular, long-form videos. The like button, meanwhile, stays right where it has always been. Some users say they started seeing the new layout around two weeks ago, and it seems to be showing up mainly on the desktop website. The test looks limited for now. Most viewers still see the dislike button in its usual spot, and Google has not commented on the change yet. This test fits a familiar pattern. Technically, that still holds. You can dislike a video, it just takes an extra tap. Users have not taken kindly to the experiment, with many on Reddit and X calling it change for the sake of change. Going by how the Shorts test ended, though, the hidden dislike button may not stay a test for long. You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.
Earlier this year, the platform went a step further and removed the dislike button from Shorts entirely, pointing users to feedback options in the three-dot menu instead.