YouTube is updating its search filters, introducing new options, renaming existing menus, and removing certain filters. The changes are intended to refine how users narrow search results when looking for videos across formats.
How YouTube search filters work
After entering a search on YouTube, users can refine results using the filters menu.
- On desktop, the filters button appears near the top-right of the results page.
- On mobile, the filters menu is accessed through the three-dot icon in the top-right corner.
Users who regularly rely on these tools will notice changes once the update rolls out.
In its announcement, YouTube said the filter updates are based on user feedback and are designed to make search tools clearer and more effective. The company stated that the goal is to improve advanced search functionality so users can more easily and consistently find relevant content.
What’s changing in YouTube search filters
New filters and renamed options
- Shorts filter added: A new Shorts option has been introduced within the Type menu. This allows users to choose whether search results show Shorts or long-form videos, giving clearer control over content format.
- ‘Sort By’ renamed to ‘Prioritize’: The existing sorting menu has been renamed to better reflect its function.
- ‘View count’ renamed to ‘Popularity’: The previous view count option is now labelled Popularity. According to YouTube, this filter evaluates view count along with relevance signals such as watch time to determine how popular a video is for a specific search query.
Simplified filter layout
YouTube is reorganising the filters menu to make it easier to use. The company said some options were removed because they were not performing as expected and had led to user complaints.
Filters being removed
- Upload Date – Last Hour
- Sort by Rating
YouTube noted that recent uploads can still be found using other Upload Date filters, while widely viewed videos can be surfaced through the new Popularity option.
Availability
At the time of writing, the updated search filters are not yet visible on youtube.com or in the YouTube mobile apps. The rollout is expected to begin soon.