Google just made finding YouTube videos much less of a headache – try it now

YouTube app icon
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It's been a very long time coming, but the YouTube mobile app now lets you sort videos in playlists and channels, eliminating the need to trawl through a list of clips you've already seen.

In many ways these seems like a minor change, but it is something that eager YouTubers have been clamoring for for quite some time. The absence of these particular sorting options in the mobile app was made stranger by the fact that they've been available on the website for some time.

But now, having started as a test for a select group of users of the mobile YouTube app, the options are now making their way to everyone.

Your videos – sorted

Previously, channel and playlist videos were automatically displayed in the order they had been added, with no sorting options made available to allow for easier, more logical browsing. Now – thanks to Google seemingly having listened to feedback – it's possible to sort these videos from newest to oldest, oldest to newest, or by popularity.

The ability to sort a channel by its most popular content is a great way to stumble across new videos, so it's really little wonder that these options – finally – made its way to the mobile app.

To access the new method of sorting, just head to the Videos or Playlists section of a channel and tap the new 'Sort by' menu that appears at the top of the screen. Then, all you need to do is to choose whether you want to see the most popular, the oldest, or the newest videos. Done.

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Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson
Freelance writer

Sofia is a tech journalist who's been writing about software, hardware and the web for nearly 25 years – but still looks as youthful as ever! After years writing for magazines, her life moved online and remains fueled by technology, music and nature.

Having written for websites and magazines since 2000, producing a wide range of reviews, guides, tutorials, brochures, newsletters and more, she continues to write for diverse audiences, from computing newbies to advanced users and business clients. Always willing to try something new, she loves sharing new discoveries with others.

Sofia lives and breathes Windows, Android, iOS, macOS and just about anything with a power button, but her particular areas of interest include security, tweaking and privacy. Her other loves include walking, music, her two Malamutes and, of course, her wife and daughter.

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