YouTube is putting Shorts front and center on TVs, and users aren't happy

What you need to know

• YouTube is shaking up the Subscriptions page in an update announced last month and rolling out now.
• The page will now place Shorts at the top of the viewable area, requiring users to scroll to see traditional long-form content.
• This tweak is rolling out for YouTube app users on TVs and consoles, including Apple and Google TV hardware.

YouTube is rolling out a change to its app for TVs and consoles that prioritizes Shorts content over your subscriptions. The tweak, announced last month, shakes up the Subscriptions tab on the YouTube app for TVs.

It separates YouTube Shorts from long-form videos, placing Shorts at the very top of your subscriptions tab. This change is widely rolling out for TVs and consoles, including Google TV and Apple TV hardware, as reported by Reddit users and 9to5Google.

The new Shorts row on the Subscriptions page still only shows videos from channels and creators you're subscribed to. However, the vertical length of Shorts previews means that long-form YouTube videos aren't fully visible on the Subscriptions page anymore without scrolling.

Previously, Shorts were mixed in with a user's main subscriptions feed. The new update adds separation for YouTube's vertical, short-form content and the platform's traditional horizontal, long-form content. For some, it will come at the expense of usability, as users now have to scroll to see their traditional YouTube subscription row on the Subscriptions page.

In the first few days following the new Subscriptions page's rollout, some users are already unhappy with the shift. One user on Reddit, u/AtlasMMX, pointed out the oddness of being unable to see their long-form subscription row on a 77-inch flatscreen TV. They particularly criticize the wasted space atop the Subscriptions page, which theoretically could be used to put Shorts and long-form content on the same viewable area.

It's just one of many Reddit posts on the YouTube subreddit criticizing the move across platforms, including Google TV and Apple TV. Unfortunately, there's no way for YouTube users on TVs and consoles to rearrange the order of their Subscriptions page.