YouTube Experiments A ‘Play Something’ Button

When you're at a loss for what to watch on YouTube, it looks like you may click the "play something" option on its mobile app, which takes you to a random video. 

Only some users are seeing the notification, which Android Police initially noticed, as you browse through the feed on your homepage in between content.

YouTube tests a ‘play something’ button

Although Android Police states that the button only takes users to YouTube Shorts, several discovered that the function also randomly displays full-length movies. 

The extent to which Google is implementing this functionality and whether YouTube considers your viewing history when selecting random movies to play are yet unknown.

Given that a user on Reddit saw the button back in May, it appears like YouTube has been working on it for a while. 

Likewise, Netflix introduced a feature called the "Play Something" button in 2021 that allows you to view previously unwatched series and movies at random.

Read more: The Creator Fund on TikTok Is Closing