The YouTube Subs tab is where your Subscriptions feed lives now: open the app, stay on Home, and tap Subs at the top of the screen. YouTube took Subscriptions out of the bottom bar on Android and iPhone and added new Live, Music and custom feeds next to it.
Key takeaways
- Subscriptions is now “Subs”, the second tab at the top of Home.
- The bottom bar is down to Home, Shorts, Create and You. The side menu is gone too.
- New top tabs: Live, Music, and Movies & TV (only if you pay for channels).
- Custom feeds let you type what you want to watch: 3 for free users, 8 with Premium.
- Custom feeds start in the U.S., in English. Canada is not confirmed yet.
2017
Year Subscriptions joined the bottom bar
3
Custom feeds for free users
8
Custom feeds with YouTube Premium
30 days
Unused custom feeds expire
What changed in the YouTube app
Since 2017, Subscriptions sat in the fourth spot of the bottom bar. That tab is now gone on Android and iPhone.
Nothing replaced it. The bottom bar now shows Home, Shorts, Create and You.
YouTube also removed the slide-out side menu. It calls this the start of “a series of updates” to the Home experience, so more changes are likely.
The rollout is gradual. If your app still looks the old way, it simply hasn’t reached your account yet.
How to find the YouTube Subs tab
- Update the app. Get the latest YouTube version from the App Store or Google Play.
- Open Home. Tap Home in the bottom bar, the first icon on the left.
- Look at the top row. Right after Home you’ll see Subs. A red underline shows it’s selected.
- Scroll your uploads. Subs still shows the newest videos from channels you follow, just like before.
Tip: it’s now two taps instead of one. If you check Subs daily, the muscle memory takes a few days to adjust.
The new top tabs at a glance
| Tab | What it shows | Who gets it |
|---|---|---|
| Subs | New uploads from channels you follow | Everyone signed in |
| Live | Live streams | Part of the new app layout |
| Music | Music videos and audio | Part of the new app layout |
| Movies & TV | Paid channels and rentals | Only with active paid subscriptions, like Primetime Channels |
| Custom feeds | Videos matching a prompt you type | U.S., English, signed in (for now) |
How YouTube custom feeds work
Custom feeds are the bigger idea. Instead of hoping the algorithm guesses right, you describe what you want in plain words.
- Tap the “+”. It sits at the top of your Home feed.
- Describe your feed. Type a topic, channels or a mood, such as “short guided meditations to unwind after work”.
- Open your new tab. The feed appears as its own tab after Home and Subs and keeps adding fresh videos.
- Edit any time. Change the prompt box at the top of the feed if results drift off topic.
Free accounts can keep up to 3 active custom feeds. YouTube Premium members can keep up to 8. Feeds work on mobile and desktop and sync when you’re signed in to the same Google account.
A feed you don’t use for 30 days expires. You can make a new one with a fresh prompt.
Can Canadians use custom feeds?
Not officially yet. YouTube says custom feeds are rolling out first to signed-in viewers in the U.S., in English.
YouTube says more countries will follow, but it hasn’t given Canada a date. The Subs tab move itself is an app redesign and is not limited to custom feeds.
When it does arrive, you’ll need to be signed in, have YouTube set to English, and keep watch history and search history turned on.
The catch, and your privacy
- History must stay on. If you pause watch or search history for privacy, custom feeds won’t work.
- It shapes your main Home. Videos you watch in a custom feed go into your normal watch history and can change your regular recommendations.
- Feeds are private. Other people can’t see or find your custom feeds.
- Some prompts get refused. Prompts must follow YouTube’s Community Guidelines.
Want more control on other apps too? Our guide to Facebook’s “Your algorithm” feed controls shows the same idea on Facebook and Instagram.
Station take
Losing the Subscriptions button is annoying for people who only watch channels they follow. But it’s one extra tap, and Subs still works the same way.
Custom feeds are the part worth watching. Typing “beginner home workouts under 15 minutes” beats training the algorithm for weeks. We’ll update this guide when Canada gets access.
Run a YouTube channel for your business? Your viewers’ Home screen just changed, and Media Station Studio can help you plan Shorts and uploads around it.
FAQ
Where did Subscriptions go on YouTube?
It moved to the top of the Home tab and is now called “Subs”. Open Home and tap Subs, the second option in the top row.
Can I get the old bottom bar back?
YouTube hasn’t announced any setting to bring Subscriptions back to the bottom bar. The new layout is becoming the default.
Are YouTube custom feeds available in Canada?
Not yet confirmed. They’re starting in the U.S. in English, and YouTube says other countries will follow without giving dates.
Do views from custom feeds count for creators?
Yes. YouTube says custom feed views count toward a creator’s watch time and monetization, the same as the normal Home feed.
Paying for Premium just for extra feeds? First check what you already pay for with our guide to finding every subscription you forgot about. More how-tos live in Tips.
Sources: 9to5Google · Android Headlines · iGeeksBlog · YouTube Help: custom feeds · YouTube Help Community. Photos: Pexels (free licence). This article was prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by Media Station. Disclosure.