YouTube is expanding its Custom Feed experiment, allowing users to shape their homepage recommendations using text prompts.
The platform normally relies on watch history, clicks and engagement to decide what videos to recommend. That system can sometimes overwhelm a homepage with similar content after a user watches only one video on a particular topic.
YouTube first began testing Custom Feeds in November 2025 and introduced a more advanced version in the US in May 2026. The latest expansion allows participants to create several personalized feeds at the same time.
Users in the experiment can enter prompts describing exactly what they want to watch. For example, someone could request guided meditation videos under 10 minutes, and YouTube would generate a dedicated feed based on that request.
Participants can create up to eight active Custom Feeds, which are pinned near the top of the homepage. Prompts can be edited at any time, while feeds that are no longer used will eventually expire.
On mobile devices, Custom Feeds replace YouTube’s existing topic chips for users taking part in the experiment. The traditional categories remain available on desktop.
The test is currently limited to signed-in users in the United States who have English selected as their device language and watch history enabled. It is available on Android, iOS and desktop, although YouTube has not announced when the feature might expand globally.
Videos watched through Custom Feeds still appear in normal watch history, meaning they can also influence recommendations on the main homepage. Views also continue to count toward creator watch time and monetization.
The feature gives users more direct control than YouTube’s existing recommendation tools, such as “Not interested,” blocking channel suggestions or clearing watch history.