Joe Maring / Android Authority
TL;DR
- YouTube is launching a redesigned video player for content embedded on other sites, matching the redesign of the main player that debuted last year.
- The new YouTube embed player moves some controls to the center of the screen and others to the top right corner of the user interface.
- Users are already criticizing the changes, citing missing features and control locations that are less accessible than before.
YouTube has separate video players for its own site and for embedded content that appears on other sites. Last year, Google presented a renewed video player on the YouTube site which abandoned the classic design for a translucent user interface with rearranged buttons. This was launched in October 2025 and Not everyone was excited about the new look.. While Google described the visual adjustments as “more visually satisfying and obscures less content,” many users found the controls harder to see and more complicated than the classic user interface.
For better or worse, Google is now rolling out a similar redesign for the YouTube embedded player on other sites. We spotted the new built-in player starting to appear on Thursday, March 26, and Reddit users also noticed the tweak in multiple publications. Previously, the classic layout of YouTube’s built-in player neatly housed playback controls below the progress bar, including play/pause, volume, subtitles, and image quality.
The new design of YouTube’s built-in player changes the style with more translucency, a UI that juts deeper into the video content when revealed, and button locations split between the top, bottom, and middle of the UI.
Notably, the play/pause button is no longer below the progress bar. This is a departure from YouTube’s main desktop player UI, which still includes all playback controls below the progress bar. Instead, YouTube’s new built-in player places the play/pause button in the center of the screen. The volume, subtitles and player settings buttons are relocated to the top right corner of the built-in player.
I don’t want to miss the best of Android Authority?
A copy link button now appears in the bottom left corner of the built-in player, where the play/pause button used to be. The redesigned insert player removes the double-click shortcut to enter full-screen mode and the skip video button is also gone. Instead, YouTube’s new built-in player includes a shortcut to “More Videos” below the progress bar. The full screen mode button now also floats above the progress bar.
Reddit users have already criticized the new look, claiming that the repositioned controls are less accessible than before. In addition, they point out that the old “Share” button is less functional, since it now only supports copying links.
What do you think of the new user interface of YouTube’s built-in player? Let us know in the comments below.
Thank you for being part of our community. Read our Comment Policy before publishing.
