Big changes are coming to the YouTube app on your TV

YouTube has taken the lead in the so-called "streaming wars," outperforming giants like Netflix and Disney+ despite largely featuring user-generated content on its platform. Wanting to stay ahead, the app is planning to make some changes to how users interact with it on their televisions.

One of the most notable changes, according to The Hollywood Reporter, is the ability for creators to organize their content into episodes and seasons like a TV show. This could be beneficial for channels that post podcasts or already organize their videos episodically.

This is meant to make YouTube on your TV feel more like watching Netflix, for example, except you have access to the same creators, channels, and videos you like -- in many cases without having to pay for a subscription. (You can pay for YouTube to get rid of ads, but it's not essential.)

And that's not the only change YouTube is making to its TV app in the very near future. Similar to the way Netflix will automatically play trailers for a show when you navigate to a certain page, YouTube will play "interactive previews" when a user goes to a channel's page.

In an effort to further benefit creators, a few other features will be added specifically to help YouTube channels and associated businesses grow. It will become easier to subscribe to channels while watching a video on your TV, and accessing links in video descriptions on your TV will become more accessible thanks to QR codes.

So if you have been hoping that your YouTube experience would improve while using the app on your television, you're in luck! And if you're a content creator wondering if these updates will make a positive difference for you -- stay tuned!

These updates are expected to roll out in 2025.