How to enable the hidden, experimental, center-aligned version of YouTube
YouTube, like many other websites, undergoes changes, and it has taken on a number of guises over the years. Some looks have lasted for a long time, while others have been shorter lived. There are also experimental looks, not all of which end up being released, but even when a redesign is rolled out, it can take a while to make its way around the world. Currently in the experimental stage is a center-aligned layout which includes a cleaned up interface a new menu and a few other tweaks.
In the new design, a top navigation bar is now locked to the top of the screen, remaining in place while the rest of the page scrolls. There is a customizable carousel and a new Upload button encourages visitors into sharing. It's not yet clear quite when this new interface will be officially released to a waiting world, but it's something you can enable now; all it takes is a quick cookie tweak.
You'll need to fire up YouTube and then access your web browser's dev console and the method varies slightly from one browser to another.
- In Chrome, press Ctrl + Shift + J
- In Opera, press Ctrl + Shift + J
- In Internet Explorer, press F12 and move to the Console section
- In Firefox, press Ctrl + Shift + K
Select and copy the code below before pasting it into the console.
document.cookie="VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE=LlWIQlLwL_Y; path=/; domain=.youtube.com";window.location.reload();
Hit the Enter key and then close the console. You should find that the page automatically reloads with the new, cleaner interface in place.
Should you change your mind and decide you prefer the old look, return to the console and enter the following code to reverse the change.
document.cookie="VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE=; path=/; domain=.youtube.com";window.location.reload();
Do you like the new look, or are you sticking with the old interface?