YouTube has announced that its player on desktop will now automatically adapt to a video’s aspect ratio and different screen sizes, removing black bars from videos.
Last week, YouTube rolled out an update to its video player on desktop that will make a big difference to how videos of different aspect ratios play on the platform. For one, vertical videos will now show on desktop, without the signature black bars on each side. The update was first announced on its user forum last week and later reported by Android Police.
The affected aspect ratios following the update include standard and vertical 16:9, and older 4:3 as YouTube’s desktop player will also adjust automatically to a computer’s screen size. The move makes the platform more friendly for aspect ratios other than 16:9 but has angered some users, who claim the update makes videos smaller, causes parts of videos to be cut off, and even lowers video quality in some cases.
As one user explained, “Some YouTube videos just don’t look good when the screen is big. Either give us a way to opt out of this, or fix it.” So, it’s not the “best viewing experience” that YouTube was aiming for.
Here is what the update looks like:
4:3 (like older SD videos)
4:3 Before
4:3 After
Vertical Video
Vertical Video – Before
Vertical video – After
Standard 16:9 Videos
For most newer videos in the standard HD aspect ratio, this update uses some of the screen’s extra white space, to enhance the video size, without impact to the video quality.
16:9 Before
16:9 After
Android and iOS devices have had the update for a while now, so the latest change “aligns the desktop and mobile viewing experiences” somewhat. However, it seems there is a lot more work to do before it’s perfect. Perhaps that’s why YouTube announced the update on its user forums, and not in an official blog post.
You might also like
More from YouTube
Smaller Creators Can Now Access YouTube Partner Program
The YouTube Partner Program will now be open to creators once they reach 500 subscribers, allowing smaller creator to monetize …
YouTube Brings Unskippable 30-Second Ads To TV
YouTube is bringing longer unskippable ads to its TV app, unless you're paying for the platform's premium subscription YouTube says these …
YouTube Brings Shopping Features To Shorts
YouTube is testing affiliate marketing and in-app shopping features on Shorts, less than a week after TikTok began testing similar …
Get Ready To Choose Your YouTube Handle
YouTube is introducing handles to make it easier for members to find and connect with each other. Your handle will be …
YouTube Now Lets You Add A Voiceover To Your Shorts
YouTube is adding one of its most-requested features to Shorts; the ability to add a voiceover, like narration and original …
YouTube Starts Adding Watermarks To Downloaded Shorts Clips
YouTube has started adding watermarks to downloaded Shorts clips to stop users from cross-posting them to other platforms.
YouTube Expands Offense Warnings To Desktop, Updates Payments System
New updates for creators! A dedicated payments account within AdSense, and warnings on potentially offensive text detected by AI.
YouTube Offering Podcast Networks Up To $300k To Film Episodes
YouTube is offering financial incentives to podcasting networks to adapt their shows to a video format and share them on …
YouTube Adds Guided Support For Community Guideline Violations
YouTube has updated its review process to provide creators with specifics about the reportedly violative video and facilitate a resolution.
