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Preview YouTube’s Modern Design refresh

Google tests a Modern Design refresh of its video streaming service YouTube currently that is going to be launched later this year if the test shows promising results.

These tests, regardless of Google property they are run on, are limited to select testers or visitors only, and it is usually not possible to get in unless you are invited by Google.

Google uses cookies to distinguish between regular visitors and testers, and since cookies are the only requirement, it is easy enough to join provided that you have the right information.

The following guide walks you through the steps of configuring popular web browsers so that YouTube's Modern Design loads when you visit the site.

Please note though that the design is only available if you are not signed in to your Google account. You can apply the changes while signed in, but need to sign out before they become available.

YouTube Modern Design

youtube modern design

The new YouTube design is different in several ways from the current design and layout.  You will notice for instance that pages scroll infinitely now and that new content is added once you scroll close to the bottom of the current page.

This is the case for search results pages for instance which, in the old design, display links to additional pages at the bottom of the screen.

Some iconography has been refreshed, there is a big teaser video at the top of YouTube's frontpage, and channel design has been updated as well.

How to enable the new design

It is actually pretty easy to enable the new design preview on YouTube. First two things you want to do is sign out of your YouTube account if you are signed in, and switch to the US (worldwide) site.

Either load http://www.youtube.com/?gl=US directly, or scroll down to the bottom of the screen and click on the Country menu to pick worldwide from the options.

Once that is out of the way, do the following:

  1. If you are using Google Chrome or a Chrome-based browser, press Ctrl-Shift-I to open the Developer Tools.
  2. Select the Resources tab.
  3. Open Cookies > www.youtube.com.
  4. Locate Visitor_INFO1_LIVE, select it with the mouse, and hit the Del-key on your keyboard, or right-click on it and select Delete from the context menu.
  5. Switch to the Console tab.
  6. Paste the following text in and hit the Enter-key afterwards: document.cookie="VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE=Qa1hUZu3gtk;path=/;domain=.youtube.com";

This sets the cookie in Google Chrome.

  1. If you are using Mozilla Firefox, a Firefox-based browser, press F12 to open the Developer Tools.
  2. Switch to the Storage tab.
  3. Select Cookies > www.youtube.com
  4. Locate the Visitor_INFO1_LIVE and delete the cookie.
  5. Switch to the Console tab.
  6. Paste the command document.cookie="VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE=Qa1hUZu3gtk;path=/;domain=.youtube.com"; and hit enter to write the new cookie information.

Close the Developer Tools and refresh the page you are on to check out the new YouTube design.

This article was first seen on ComTek's "TekBits" Technology News

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