YouTube is testing a new tool aimed at fixing one of its most common user complaints — an overwhelming and often irrelevant home feed.
The experimental feature, called “Your Custom Feed,” lets users directly shape the type of videos they want to see instead of relying solely on the platform’s algorithm.
For years, YouTube users have struggled with inaccurate recommendations. A single viewing session — like watching a few Disney clips — can cause the algorithm to flood the home feed with similar videos, even when users never intended to explore that content in depth.
The new feature appears to be YouTube’s attempt to address this frustration and create a more intentional viewing experience.
How “your custom feed” works
YouTube has rolled out the experiment to a limited group of users. Those included in the test will notice a “Your Custom Feed” tab next to the traditional Home button.
Clicking on it allows users to enter prompts based on their personal interests. Instead of passively scrolling through an algorithmic feed, viewers can actively guide the type of content they want to see.
For example, typing “cooking videos” in the custom feed prompt will signal YouTube to highlight more food-related content moving forward.
Could this change future of recommendations?
The feature may offer a more effective alternative to the tedious process of clicking “Not interested” or “Don’t recommend channel” on unwanted content.
While it remains unclear how widely the experiment will be adopted, experts say a customizable feed could significantly improve user satisfaction — especially for people whose recommendations are frequently derailed by accidental or casual viewing.
YouTube is not alone in redesigning how recommendations work.
Threads is currently testing its own algorithm-configuration tool, giving users more control over what appears on their timeline.
Meanwhile, X (formerly Twitter) is working on a feature that would let users tag its AI chatbot Grok to help fine-tune feed recommendations.
