YouTube Tests Moving Dislike Button to Hidden Menu

The platform is moving the dislike button into an overflow menu on desktop, continuing a trend of deemphasizing negative feedback.

Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Internet

Bold flat-color editorial illustration in navy and cream with a red accent, showing a geometric module nesting into a larger container. — YouTube is testing a desktop interface update that moves the dislike button into an overflow menu, further limiting public interaction with content. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you support platforms hiding the dislike button on videos?

YouTube is currently testing a new desktop interface that relocates the dislike button into a hidden overflow menu. This update aligns the standard video player with the Shorts interface, which moved the interaction to the same menu several months ago.

Why it matters

This change continues a years-long effort by the platform to de-emphasize negative feedback, following the removal of public dislike counts in 2021. The move further restricts immediate user interaction with content, shifting the button from a primary interface element to a secondary action.

The interface modification moves the dislike button into an overflow menu alongside the report button, which previously housed only auxiliary functions. This change eliminates the instant visibility of the dislike action that characterized the desktop video player design.

The players

YouTube

A video-sharing platform owned by Google that hosts the world's largest repository of user-generated content.

The details

The platform is altering its desktop front-end code to migrate the dislike action from a dedicated icon to an overflow menu. This overflow menu requires an extra click to access, effectively masking the dislike option from the primary video control bar. The like button continues to reside as an exposed, single-click interface element near the video display.

2021: YouTube removed public dislike counts.
Several months ago: YouTube moved the dislike button on Shorts to an overflow menu.
October 2026: Users reported the dislike button being moved in desktop UI tests.

The Tech Race

This move follows the 2021 removal of public dislike counts, extending the platform's strategy of insulating creators from public negative sentiment. It aligns the desktop experience with the mobile-first Shorts format, standardizing how users interact with content across different video types.

Desktop users will find the dislike option is no longer immediately clickable, requiring an additional step to report negative reactions. This interface change currently appears to be a targeted test rather than a final rollout for all users.

The takeaway

The move suggests a permanent shift toward hiding interaction metrics that quantify negative feedback. Users should monitor official platform updates to see if the menu-based dislike button becomes the permanent standard for all desktop videos.