Web Desk — October 30, 2025
San Bruno: Video-sharing giant YouTube announced five innovative updates on Wednesday aimed at enhancing the platform’s experience on TV screens for creators and viewers alike, capitalizing on the living room’s rise as a key viewing hub.
YouTube Senior Director of Product Management Kurt Williams highlighted the platform’s explosive growth, noting that channels earning six-figure revenues from TV screens have jumped 45% year-over-year. “The living room is the new prime time for creators,” Williams said, emphasizing tools to make content pop on big screens without extra effort.
Key new features include:
- Expanded Thumbnails: Creators can now upload files up to 50MB (from 2MB), enabling stunning 4K-resolution previews for sharper first impressions on TVs.
- AI-Powered Upscaling: Videos uploaded below 1080p will be automatically enhanced to HD quality, with 4K support coming soon. Original files remain untouched, and users can opt out or revert to originals.
- Immersive Previews and Showcases: Channel homepages will feature dynamic previews and redesigned shows, allowing videos to play in a cohesive, binge-friendly format for better navigation.
- Channel-Prioritized Search: When viewers search from a specific channel, results will spotlight that creator’s videos first, ensuring content doesn’t get buried in broader YouTube feeds.
- Shopping Enhancements: Tagged shopping videos will include scannable QR codes for instant product page access on mobile. Testing begins for timestamp-specific product highlights to drive targeted sales.
These updates, rolling out gradually, reflect YouTube’s commitment to seamless cross-device optimization—upload once, shine everywhere. With 35 billion hours of shopping-related views in the past year, the features also aim to supercharge e-commerce for creators.
