YouTube Tests New “Save” Button for Shorts, Moving the “Dislike” Feature

YouTube is testing a new “Save” button in the Shorts player, making it easier for viewers to save their favorite Shorts to playlists. As part of the experiment, YouTube will move the “Dislike” button from the main UI to the three-dot menu, which could impact how users interact with and refine their Shorts feed.

Currently, Shorts shows the “Like” and “Dislike” buttons prominently on the right side of the screen, but for those in the test group, the thumbs down will be replaced by a “Save” button. YouTube explains that this change is aimed at helping users quickly bookmark Shorts they want to revisit.

Even though the “Dislike” button will be tucked away in the three-dot menu, users can still express their feedback by selecting “Dislike” from there. It’s an interesting shift, especially considering that the algorithm likely already picks up on negative signals through user behaviour, like scrolling past content quickly.

This test hints that fewer people use the dislike option compared to the like button, which may have prompted YouTube to reconsider its prominence. The platform already offers a “Not Interested” option in the same three-dot menu, so now users will have both options to fine-tune their preferences.

Though it’s a small test for now, it’s an experiment worth noting for its potential impact on user interaction and content curation. YouTube says the feature is rolling out to a limited number of mobile viewers.