YouTube is testing a change that moves the dislike button on regular videos into the three-dots overflow menu, making it harder to find and use, according to reports from multiple users on X and Reddit.
The test was first highlighted by 9to5Google on Monday after X user TheBobPony posted a screenshot showing the dislike button relocated to a submenu while the like button remained visible beneath the video. Another X user, Samaytwt, shared a similar image, and Reddit users reported the button missing entirely or moved to an overflow menu alongside the "Report" option.
"YouTube keeps on getting worse... First the dislike counter got removed, then the button got removed on YouTube Shorts, now the dislike button on regular YouTube videos has been moved to a menu," TheBobPony wrote on X on October 19.
9to5Google said it could not replicate the behavior on its own devices, suggesting the test is limited to a small group of users. Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Verge.
The experiment follows YouTube's 2021 decision to hide public dislike counts on all videos, a move the company said was meant to protect creators from targeted harassment campaigns. Earlier this year, YouTube also dropped the dislike button from Shorts, pointing users to the three-dots menu instead.
Moving the button to a submenu on standard videos would add friction to the dislike action, likely reducing how often viewers use it. It is unclear how widely the current test is rolled out or whether YouTube plans to make the change permanent.