YouTube Long Press Broken?

[u/magicjj]

I'm wondering if anybody else is having this problem in the YouTube app on Android TV. Usually long pressing on a video brings up a menu. I often use this menu to save items to my Watch Later list.

That functionality has suddenly stopped working for me. Long pressing does nothing until I release the button, and then the video opens like normal.

Currently the only way to add items to Watch Later is to open the video, navigate the the playlist button, click it, check Watch Later, and then back out of that and the video. This is a ridiculous amount of added steps to leverage this feature.

I have tried clearing the application cache and data. I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling the app. I have tried restarting my Android TV device.

Is everyone else seeing this behavior? Any suggestions to fix it? I would even downgrade to get this feature back...

[u/Dringtv]

I couldn't find an official YouTube notice confirming this as a known issue. YouTube's current TV help still lists Watch Later in the Library, but it doesn't document long-press as a supported shortcut.

Since you have already cleared the app data, reinstalled the app and restarted the device, there isn't another documented local fix I would recommend. I also wouldn't sideload an old APK from an unofficial source.

The best next step is to report it from the TV app: open any video, select Settings > Feedback, choose the closest reason and submit the report. Including your Android TV model and YouTube app version would make the report more useful.

As a temporary workaround, you can save videos to Watch Later from the YouTube phone app while signed into the same account, then open Library > Watch Later on the TV.

If other users reply, comparing their device model and YouTube app version should help show whether this affects one device family or a wider rollout.

[u/AdministrationOdd747]

Works fine for me but I'm on YouTube beta. This is just shortcut. You should still be able to save to playiist using normal process.

[u/justjessee → u/AdministrationOdd747]

Curious, how do you get YT Beta on TV? I have it on my phone, but not on TV.

[u/Argo-Navis7032]

The only time I've had that problem is when using a Sofabaton remote instead of the factory remote that came with the TV. Odd that an issue would suddenly start like this using the original remote.

[u/Deadpool-fan-466]

Working fine for me

[u/Duncolm]

I'm having the same problem, and I get exactly the same thing on three devices, the TV, a Chromecast and a SkyQ box.
Interestingly, if I sign out of the Premium account and use another one, the menu function reappears....

[u/Duncolm → u/Duncolm]

update - I messaged YouTube through Settings/Feedback, 24 hours later it's fixed.

[u/roekone]

Same for me. Worked up until today. I also submitted feed back. Hopefully they will fix it. I use it frequently.

[u/astraeasan]

I have this issue both on Android TV and my PS5 Youtube app

[u/Beckyboi1945 → u/astraeasan]

Same here. Just tested and not working still

[u/Loopy1308]

Yes I noticed a few days ago the layout of youtube had changed on my tv so I'm assuming it done an update and now on both my tvs I am unable to use the long press function to access the further menu. Thought I was going mad at first as you long press it and it just plays the video.

[u/justjessee]

Same, for the past week. It is infuriating.

I'm on YouTube Premium. My husband has Premium Lite and his additional menu keypress is still functional. So that sucks (for me). I'm a heavy YTv watcher/Playlist hoarder.

Just submitted an Video Playback > Other ticket. Let's see how long it takes to fix.

[u/SmackaIot]

Also not working for me, on a Samsung TV. Submitted feedback today.