YouTube may soon make it harder for users to dislike videos. The platform is reportedly testing a new interface that hides the Dislike button inside the three-dot menu instead of displaying it next to the Like button. The change could make it less convenient for viewers to express dissatisfaction and for creators to understand what their audience dislikes.
Several users began reporting the change around two weeks ago, sharing screenshots on Reddit and X. Affected users can still dislike videos, but they must open the three-dot menu below the video and select Dislike from the options listed above the Report button.
The change appears to be part of a limited A/B test. Not everyone is seeing the new interface, and YouTube has not confirmed whether it plans to roll it out to all users.
This is not the first time Google has changed how dislikes work on YouTube. In 2021, the company removed public dislike counts, arguing that the move would help protect creators from targeted dislike campaigns. Users could still dislike videos, but the number of dislikes was no longer visible to the public.
The current test goes a step further by making the Dislike button itself harder to find. While the feature remains available, hiding it behind another menu adds an extra step to a basic interaction.
The change has drawn criticism from users who believe dislikes remain useful even without public counts. Viewers often use them to judge tutorials, product reviews, and other videos before spending time watching them. A high number of dislikes can help warn users that a tutorial may be misleading or that its advice is not useful.
Creators also rely on dislike feedback to understand how viewers respond to their content. Although they can no longer see public dislike counts, the feedback can still provide a signal about what their audience does not like.
Some users have also argued that options such as “Not interested” do not offer a reliable replacement for the Dislike button. The former helps YouTube understand viewing preferences, while the latter lets users directly express their reaction to a specific video.
It remains unclear whether YouTube will make this change permanent. The limited rollout suggests Google is testing how users respond to the new interface before deciding what to do next. Until the company makes an official announcement, the Dislike button should remain visible for users who are not part of the test.
