YouTube is the latest of Google’s apps to roll out new homescreen widgets to iPhone and iPad users. Users have already noted how handy these widgets are, with one in particular that makes accessing YouTube on your mobile device even more effortless.
The ‘Quick Actions’ YouTube widget measures only 4×2, making it a manageable size. However, its features are what have users excited. With this widget, you have a search field that enables you to immediately search YouTube for content. Tapping in the search field will bring up your keyboard so you can type your query. Alternatively, you can also tap on the microphone icon to launch a voice lookup. Just below the search field, you’ll also have buttons to take you directly to your YouTube Home, Shorts, or Subscription.
If you prefer having smaller widgets that don’t take up too much space on your screen, they have you covered. There’s also a smaller 2×2 YouTube widget available that just allows a quick text-based search. Both of these widgets can have either a white or black background, depending on your system settings.
These widgets for iPhone and iPad have slowly been rolling out over the last two weeks. However, they only became live with the release of YouTube version 17.40.5 on Saturday, October 15th. As such, users should see them available in their widget settings once they’ve updated their YouTube.
This is the first major drop of iOS widgets from Google since they released the Inbox from Gmail, XL iPad options by Drive, and Translate shortcut widgets at the beginning of the year. There’s no denying that the release of these convenient shortcuts will make it even easier for iOS users to use and access YouTube straight from their home screen.
In other news, you should start hearing hit records in more YouTube videos soon!
