YouTube Spotted Testing Dedicated Button for Shorts on Android, iOS: Report

YouTube has been spotted testing a dedicated button for ‘Shorts' on Android and iOS. YouTube's latest feature that was launched in India in early beta last month, allows users to share short 15-second videos. The Create button for YouTube Shorts was available on the bottom bar of navigation for Android users and now, as per a report, there is a separate ‘Shorts' button for Android as well as iOS users. YouTube Shorts is a TikTok rival, and is expected to expand to other countries soon.

A report by Beebom claims that the YouTube app on iOS now has a new Shorts button, next to your personalised topic suggestions. This is not a creation tool but will instead let you view YouTube Shorts directly. You can tap the ‘Shorts' button, and a video will immediately start playing, said the report. You can also like and comment on the videos, and swipe up to browse between Shorts.

The dedicated Shorts button for YouTube is also starting to appear for select users on Android, as per the report. A Twitter user took to the micro-blogging site to share a screenshot of the same.

YouTube has been spotted testing a dedicated button for ‘Shorts' on Android
Photo Credit: Twitter/ @Ashishnasa7

After Instagram and Reels YouTube is the latest app to jump on the short videos bandwagon. Several other companies have been competing with TikTok, especially after it was banned in India a few months ago, and is facing challenges in the US too.

YouTube Shorts offers a handful of editing tools, and is expected to roll out over the course of the next few weeks. To see if you have access to the new feature, you can tap the “+” icon, and select Video. If you see Create a short video that means it has rolled out for you. YouTube Shorts camera has a bunch of features, such as stringing multiple video clips, speed controls, times, and adding music to clips.

If you don't have access to the YouTube Shorts camera yet, you can still upload vertical videos under 60 seconds long, with the hashtag #shorts in the title or description, and they will be picked up. More features are expected to be added to YouTube Shorts soon.

Will Xbox Series S, PS5 Digital Edition fail in India? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.