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Android Authority
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Android Authority
6 hacks to reclaim your YouTube experience (and your sanity)
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority YouTube is a constantly evolving beast. Between the endless UI experiments, the rise of Shorts, and the ever-growing ad invasion, it's harder than ever to enjoy the platform like we used to in the good old days. But even though I eventually caved and got YouTube Premium — because when you can't defeat the system, sometimes, you've got to join the system — all hope is not lost. There are still plenty of ways in which I can take back control of my YouTube experience, and you can too. From browser tweaks, extensions, settings changes, and filters that can bring back a cleaner, calmer, and more customizable experience, here are six YouTube hacks you need to try today: Hack #1: Kill the Shorts Adamya Sharma / Android Authority If you're tired of YouTube's not-so-subtle push to get you hooked on Shorts, you're not alone. While bite-sized, snackable content is great when you're trying to avoid a YouTube deep dive, Shorts are overwhelmingly taking over the platform. Open the YouTube homepage, and you'll find just three proper video suggestions (one of which is inevitably an ad), followed by an aggressive wall of Shorts. No thanks! If you're on Google Chrome, grab the Remove YouTube Shorts extension. It's plug-and-play and simple, and it wipes Shorts not just from your homepage but also from search results. In fact, it entirely removes the Shorts category from YouTube's left panel. You can even use it on the Kiwi Browser for mobile, if that's your thing. The folks who make this extension also have an Android app called Block Scroll, which removes Shorts from your YouTube app on Android. But fair warning: the app asks for more permissions than I'm personally comfortable handing over, so use it with caution if you have to. If you're a Firefox user, check out the excellent Control Panel for YouTube. It not only deals with Shorts but also tackles YouTube's other UI sins, which brings me to my next point. Hack #2: Control the number of videos you see per row Regular YouTube UI with three videos in a row YouTube UI with uBlock Origin filter and 5 videos per row For reasons known only to YouTube, the homepage now shows just three videos per row on any screen size. On a 13-inch laptop, that's mildly annoying. On a 27-inch monitor? It's downright ridiculous. The good news is that you can also change this. If you're using Firefox or Brave (browsers that still support uBlock Origin with manifest v2), open the uBlock Origin settings and paste this line into the 'My filters' section: 5) Note that this hack won't work on uBlock Origin in Google Chrome because it no longer supports adding custom filters. That said, on other browsers, the trick works like magic, and you can change the number in that mod above from five to anything else you want, depending on the number of rows you want to see on YouTube. If you don't want to mess with uBlock filters to do this, you can also use the YouTube Row Fixer extension in Chrome or the aforementioned Control Panel for YouTube extension on Firefox to fix your video per row problem. Some of these extensions also give you additional controls like hiding sponsored and live videos, customizing thumbnail sizes, and skipping ads automatically, so be sure to check out those additional features as well. Hack #3: Get the old YouTube look back Adamya Sharma / Android Authority If you're tired of YouTube's cluttered look and endless Shorts, you can also check out the YouTube Redux extension to take things back to how they used to be. The Chrome extension brings back the classic, retro YouTube layout you know and love, complete with the old-school video player size, simpler homepage grid, and none of the extra fluff. Apart from the familiar interface, you'll also be saved from autoplaying channel trailers and distracting sidebars. So if you've been missing the way YouTube used to feel, Redux will let you reclaim that experience in just a few clicks. The best part if you can customize it further to suit your style. Hack #4: Disable picture-in-picture Exiting the YouTube app means you'll just get a floating player that stubbornly follows you around your phone like a clingy ex. That's YouTube's picture-in-picture mode at work, and while it's admittedly useful, it can be annoying if you just want the video to stop when you leave the app. Thankfully, disabling YouTube's picture-in-picture feature doesn't require help from any third-party tools. To disable it, just Tap your profile avatar in the YouTube app Go to Settings > Playback Toggle off picture-in-picture If you have a device that natively supports system-wide automatic PiP, like iPhones, you'll have to disable that setting, too, to get rid of YouTube's picture-in-picture mode. Unfortunately, there's no way (yet) to turn off the mini-player inside the YouTube app on mobile. However, you can use Chrome extensions like YT Mini Player Destroyer or Enhancer for YouTube to remove the mini player on desktop. Hack #5: Remove podcasts, music, mixes, and more from the YouTube UI I stumbled upon several useful uBlock Origin filters on Reddit, which I used to maximize my YouTube UI. These filters need to be applied with the same method I described in hack #2. They'll help you remove everything from podcast playlists to music playlists, mixes, livestreams, and more. Removes podcast playlists from home: # full podcast/):upward(ytd-rich-item-renderer) Removes music and other playlists from home: # full playlist/):upward(ytd-rich-item-renderer) Removes mixes from the homepage: Remove live videos: You can customize your YouTube UI by picking any (or all) of these filters and pasting them into uBlock Origin or choosing more from this very useful filter list that a Redditor has shared. Hack #6: Take a break Falling down the YouTube rabbit hole is inevitable sometimes. I'm sure there are days you've found yourself streaming for hours. But YouTube gives you an easy way out of this bad habit. To control your binge-watching urges on the YouTube mobile app, you can set Take a Break reminders that appear at chosen time intervals and pause the video, reminding you how long you've been watching. To set Take a Break reminders: Tap your profile picture Tap Settings Tap General Next to Remind me to take a break, tap the switch to turn reminders on Set your Reminder frequency and tap OK. You can also set a bedtime reminder by going to Profile picture > Settings > General > Remind me when it's bedtime and selecting a start and end time. We hope you found these YouTube hacks helpful. If you have any tips or tricks of your own, drop them in the comments and share the wisdom with us and fellow readers.
![[Open Thread] Google may have changed the face of visual media forever, but is it for the good?](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.androidauthority.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F04%2FVeo-2-in-Gemini-on-an-Android-phone-scaled.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Android Authority
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Android Authority
[Open Thread] Google may have changed the face of visual media forever, but is it for the good?
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority 🗣️ This is an open thread. We want to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments and vote in the poll below — your take might be featured in a future roundup. I'm going to be real with you: Google Veo 3 is by far the most disturbing product launched by the company this year, perhaps ever. With a simple prompt, anyone can create a short movie, commercial, or some other dystopian brand of visual story that blurs the lines of reality and simulation. My colleague Adamya Sharma collated some of the creepiest and, indeed, coolest examples from people using Veo 3. The results are remarkable, and the characters disturbingly uncanny. Even dogs and cats look lifelike. It's incredible how far we've come with this technology in a few short years. But this begs the question: who needs a video camera, directors, sound designers, animators, editors, set designers, marketing professionals, or even film stars when this tech exists? Hell, you could pay for Google AI Ultra right now and make a documentary about Will Smith's love for pasta. I'm interested to hear how you think developments like Veo 3 will change the face of visual media for better, worse, or some awkward niche in between. So here are the questions: What are your impressions of Veo 3? Impressed? Creeped out? Can you tell the difference between a human-made production or one made by AI? Should there be stricter laws governing the creation of AI media? How would you use a tool like Veo 3 if it was made freely available? Have you used AI to generate videos? 0 votes Yes, I use it often NaN % Yes, I've tried it once or twice NaN % No, but I'm interested in it NaN % No, and I have no plans to do this NaN % 👇Sound off in the comments: What do you think of the future of AI video creation — terrific or terrifying?
Android Authority
21-05-2025
- Android Authority
Wear OS 6 preview: Google's next-gen smartwatch UI starts to take shape
Adamya Sharma / Android Authority Google has officially rolled out the first Developer Preview of Wear OS 6 based on Android 16. This early release introduces the new Material 3 Expressive design language to smartwatches, bringing dynamic theming, fluid animations, and improved scrolling. We spent some time exploring the preview. Here's what's new and what we've noticed so far. Curved buttons and new UI elements As previously announced, Wear OS 6 embraces Material 3 Expressive's design cues, with UI elements now curving to follow the circular shape of devices like the Pixel Watch. This design shift is immediately noticeable in areas like the recents menu and app drawer, where new display-hugging buttons appear at the bottom of the screen. These buttons also dynamically adjust their size as you scroll, giving the interface a more responsive and lively feel. However, this updated button style isn't consistent across the entire UI just yet. In areas like Settings, the older pill-shaped buttons are still present, highlighting that Wear OS 6 is very much a work in progress. That said, this is only the first developer preview, so it's likely that Google will continue to refine and make the interface more unified in upcoming builds. Beyond the curved buttons, Material 3 Expressive's influence can also be seen in larger, bolder Quick Settings icons, new lock screen animations, and smooth transitions throughout the system. These changes not only enhance aesthetics but would also improve usability, especially on smartwatches with smaller screens. Dynamic color theming One of the most noticeable upgrades in Wear OS 6 is its dynamic theming system. You can now set your color theme to match your watch face by default or pick from a set of preset color palettes, which feel inspired by Pixel phone colorways: Peony Moonstone Ivy Porcelain Iris Lemongrass Jade Indigo Once a theme is applied, it consistently permeates throughout the system UI. You'll even see a brief 'Applying theme' prompt as the watch updates its interface to reflect your new choice. It's worth noting, however, that theming still remains local to the Wear OS 6 watch. Your phone and wearable won't sync color themes despite the update. This is only the beginning for Wear OS 6. Google has hinted at more changes on the horizon, including bouncier transitions, motion effects, and refreshed Tiles. Wear OS 6 apps are also expected to start adopting the new Material 3 Expressive design language. We'll be keeping a close eye on future updates, but even in its early stage, Wear OS 6 is shaping up to be a meaningful visual and functional upgrade for Android smartwatches.
Android Authority
13-05-2025
- Android Authority
Did you spot these unannounced Pixel features in Google's big Android Show reveal?
Adamya Sharma / Android Authority TL;DR Google's Material 3 Expressive preview quietly reveals two upcoming Pixel features: AOD wallpapers and a redesigned lock screen with a compact notification shelf. Always On Display support for wallpapers was last seen on the Pixel 3, making this its first appearance since. The updated pixel lock screen layout includes shifted At a Glance widgets and an optional compact notification shelf. Google has shared many announcements today through The Android Show: I/O Edition, including big news in the form of Material 3 Expressive, which is bringing about design refreshes for Android and Wear OS. Curiously, as part of the announcement, Google has shown off two features that it doesn't talk about in the barrage of announcements today: Wallpaper on the Always On Display, and Pixel's new lock screen layout with the compact notification shelf. You will notice these two secrets hidden in plain sight if you check out the Live Updates GIF in Google's Material 3 Expressive announcement. This GIF (converted to video format above) starts with the lock screen wallpaper visible on the Always On Display. Google hasn't talked about this feature yet, nor has it been leaked for the Android 16 or beyond releases, so this is the feature's first sighting. However, the Always On Display wallpaper support isn't new to the Google Pixel lineup. It was first spotted in the Android 9 Pie source code in 2018 and subsequently debuted on the Pixel 3. For whatever reason, subsequent Pixels don't have this feature, while iPhones and even Samsung Galaxy phones have had this for a while. The GIF also shows off the new Pixel lock screen layout and the compact notification shelf that we have previously leaked. As you'll notice in the images above, the At a Glance widget's date and weather complications have moved to the right of the clock, which we predicted back then. At the time, we noted that these complications also move below the clock when centered, but the GIF doesn't show that yet. The compact notification shelf is expected to be an optional setting that collapses notifications on the lock screen for a cleaner lock screen look. Instead of showing the full notification preview, only the app's icon appears in a small, slightly transparent chip located below the At a Glance widget's contextual information complication, ensuring it doesn't obstruct the wallpaper. Tapping this chip expands the notification shade, revealing all pending notifications. Here's a better look at the updated lock screen layout, from our previous coverage on Android's big UI overhaul: Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority Old vs new lock screen notification shelf in Android These changes are not coming to Android 16's first release, but could come with future Android 16 QPR releases or even Android 17. We'll keep you updated when we learn more. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Android Authority
09-05-2025
- Android Authority
A Pixel 8 was left in a hot tub for four days, here's what happened
Adamya Sharma / Android Authority TL;DR A Pixel 8 owner lost their phone during vacation. Their device was found four days later, submerged in a hot tub. The phone continues to work without issue. There are plenty of mishaps that can occur while on travel, but one of the worst may arguably be losing your phone. A Pixel 8 owner recently found themselves in just such a situation. In what turned out to be a real-life stress test, the ending to this story is quite surprising. According to Reddit user Intrepid-Ad3513, to celebrate a holiday and four additional days off, they traveled to Poland with a group of friends. While on vacation, the group stayed at an Airbnb with various amenities, including a hot tub. The Redditor states that one night, they got so drunk that they lost their Pixel 8 on the first day of the trip. Despite searching for it, the group was unable to locate the missing device. On the fifth day, as the group headed back home, Intrepid-AD3513 was surprised by a video the Airbnb owner sent them. The video showed the owner fishing the missing Pixel 8 out of the hot tub. The Redditor mentions that the water in the hot tub reached up to 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit). After finding the phone, the Airbnb owner packaged the Pixel 8 up and sent it to Intrepid-AD3513. In a huge upset to expectations, the phone was still in working order after the user unwrapped the package and plugged the device into the charger. The user also shared an image of the handset working without issue. The Pixel 8 has an IP68 rating, meaning it can prevent ingress of dust and protect against water for long periods of time. However, this rating is for 30 minutes of water immersion, not four days. So, the fact that the phone seems perfectly intact is astonishing. One commenter jokes that the water was probably keeping the device cooler than usual, as Pixel phones are commonly known to get warm. The Redditor says that they wrote the post with their Pixel 8 and that, 'I will never buy another phone other than a Pixel.' Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
