YouTube Pulls Subscriptions From Mobile Bottom Bar as Custom Feeds Roll Out

YouTube is removing the Subscriptions tab from the bottom bar on Android and iOS and moving it to the top bar on the Home tab, alongside the launch of custom feeds. 9to5Google reported the change on October 22, 2026.

YouTube's Redesigned Top Bar and Feed Tabs

On mobile, YouTube is "kicking off a series of updates to shape a more seamless Home experience." The redesign starts with a new top bar that carries dedicated feeds. Subscriptions leaves its fourth position in the bottom bar, where it had appeared for nearly a decade since 2017, and now sits in the top bar on the Home tab. "Subs" appears in the second position after "Home" with a red underline.

After Subs, viewers see dedicated feeds for Live, Music, and Movies & TV, with the last only appearing if they hold active subscriptions such as Primetime Channels. The change also removes YouTube's navigation drawer.

Custom feeds launch alongside the redesign and sync to the web. Viewers tap "+" at the top of the Home feed and describe the topic, channels, or vibe they want, such as "help me unwind after work with guided meditations under 10 minutes." The resulting feed appears as a top tab in the main feed after Home and Subs, and a prompt box at the top of each feed lets viewers change it. Free users "can save up to 3 active custom feeds, while YouTube Premium members can save up to 8." Custom feeds are first rolling out on "mobile and desktop in English to U.S. based, signed-in viewers," with more countries to follow.

YouTube's Scale and Earlier 2026 Launches

YouTube has approximately 2.7 billion users worldwide as of 2026 and generates approximately $60 billion in annual revenue, according to akta.pro company records. The same records list two funding rounds: a $3.5 million series A in November 2005 led by Sequoia Capital and an $8 million round in March 2006 led by Artis Ventures and Sequoia Capital.

In June 2026, YouTube rolled out a Shorts update that included Clear Screen mode, 2x playback speed, a heart icon replacing the thumbs-up, removal of the dislike button, and an AI-powered Remix tool built on Google's Gemini Omni model. That same month, YouTube and Mercado Libre launched YouTube Shopping in Argentina and Mexico, letting creators tag products in videos and earn affiliate commissions of up to 14%.

YouTube's Earlier October 2026 Changes

On October 21, 2026, Android Authority reported that YouTube announced new security measures to protect channel owners from hacked accounts, temporarily pausing features such as livestreams and playlist additions, with monetization unaffected and security teams reviewing accounts within 24 hours. The Hollywood Reporter reported the same day that YouTube held its annual Made on YouTube event on September 23, while Netflix, Disney, and Tubi courted creators with original programming and day-and-date deals. Business Insider reported that TikTok redirected ad budgets to YouTube and Pinterest after Meta blocked ByteDance ads on its apps, with YouTube's share rising to 17% in the first two weeks of October.