YouTube Denies Hiding Dislike Button, Moves It to Creator Menu
YouTube spokesperson Kimberly Taylor told The Verge the platform is not testing hiding dislikes for viewers, only changing the UI on creators' own uploads.
YouTube said on Wednesday that it is not testing a version of the platform that hides the dislike button from viewers, according to a statement the company gave to The Verge. Instead, the platform is rolling out a new interface for creators on their own uploaded videos that places the dislike button behind the three-dot menu.
YouTube spokesperson Kimberly Taylor provided the statement. Creators can still see their full dislike counts in YouTube Studio, where the figures sit alongside other analytics for each video.
The clarification followed a report The Verge published on Tuesday, which said YouTube appeared to be testing a hidden dislike button based on screenshots shared by at least two users on X.
YouTube has changed how dislikes work on the platform before. The company hid public dislike counts on videos starting in 2021, saying at the time that the move was intended to prevent harassment. Earlier this year, it also removed the dislike button from Shorts.
What changes for creators
Under the new layout, the dislike control on a creator's own video is no longer displayed as a standalone button but is reached through the three-dot menu. Dislike data itself remains available through YouTube Studio analytics.
Quick answers
Is YouTube hiding the dislike button?
No. YouTube said it is not testing hiding the dislike button for viewers. It is rolling out a new UI that moves the dislike button into the three-dot menu for creators on their own uploaded videos.
Can creators still see their dislike counts?
Yes. Creators can find their full dislike counts in YouTube Studio alongside other analytics.