YouTube may be testing a less visible dislike button

YouTube may be testing a small interface change with a large effect: moving the dislike button out of the main action row and into the three-dots menu. The apparent experiment has been reported through screenshots shared by users, but neither YouTube nor Google has confirmed how broadly it is being tested. ¹²

The reports describe a familiar dislike control becoming less visible rather than disappearing entirely. At least two users shared screenshots showing the button inside the three-dots submenu, while another Reddit user reported that the control had vanished from the usual row altogether. Those reports do not establish a platform-wide rollout, and the screenshots could represent a limited experiment, an account-specific change or a test that YouTube later abandons. ¹²³

That uncertainty matters because moving the button changes how quickly viewers can express a negative reaction. The current layout places like and dislike controls alongside one another beneath a video. Putting dislike behind another tap would add friction, which could reduce the number of people who use it even if the function remains available.

YouTube has changed the visibility of dislike feedback before. In 2021, it removed the public dislike count while keeping the underlying creator-facing count, saying the move was intended to protect creators from harassment. The company has also continued adjusting the control on specific parts of the service: earlier this year, YouTube removed the dislike button from Shorts and directed viewers towards the three-dots menu instead. ¹⁴⁵

The current reports therefore look more like a possible extension of an existing direction than proof that YouTube is removing dislikes altogether. However, the distinction between hiding a count and hiding the button itself is important. The former changes what audiences can see about a video's reception; the latter could change how much effort viewers must make before leaving negative feedback.

Our opinion

YouTube should explain whether this is a genuine experiment and what it is trying to measure. A test is not a confirmed product change, and the available evidence is still limited to user reports and screenshots. Until YouTube comments, the sensible reading is that some accounts may be seeing a layout experiment rather than a final redesign. If the company does make the change permanent, it should keep dislike easy to find and clearly communicate what happens to the feedback once it is submitted.