YouTube's phone app now lets you build your own video feeds

YouTube has added a way to build your own video feeds in its phone app. Instead of relying only on what its recommendations pick for you, you can set up a tab for a topic or mood you care about and have videos gathered there.

How it works

On the app's home screen, a plus sign sits on the menu at the top. Tap it and type what you want under "Add a custom feed for any topic or mood." A CNET writer typed San Francisco 49ers, and a new tab called SF 49ers appeared. A feed for the 2026 midterm elections was added the same way.

Feeds can be changed later. Open one and you will see buttons to edit the prompt, rename the feed or delete it. The writer edited the 49ers feed to include the Golden State Warriors, and it then showed videos for both teams.

What to know

• You must be 13 or older to use custom feeds.
• Both watch history and search history must be turned on.
• The feature reached desktop last month.
• It is not on tablets yet.

Google, which owns YouTube, has not said when tablets will get it. The material does not say how many feeds you can create or how YouTube picks the videos for each one. Anyone who keeps their history switched off will not be able to use the feature.