By Hafiz Rahat Usama 
YouTube, the world’s largest video-sharing platform, is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025. Since its inception in 2005 with the upload of “Me at the Zoo” by co-founder Jawed Karim, YouTube has transformed from a simple video-sharing site into a global entertainment powerhouse. As part of its milestone celebration, YouTube has introduced a series of new features and updates aimed at enhancing user experience and supporting content creators.
Celebrating Two Decades of Innovation
Over the past two decades, YouTube has revolutionized the way people consume and share content. With over 20 billion videos uploaded and more than 20 million videos added daily as of March 2025, the platform has become an integral part of daily life for billions of users worldwide. In 2024 alone, YouTube saw over 100 million comments per day, with creators “hearting” about 10 million of those each day. Videos received over 3.5 billion likes daily, underscoring the platform’s immense reach and engagement .
New Features and Updates
To mark its 20th anniversary, YouTube has rolled out several new features and updates:
1. Enhanced Playback Speeds for Premium Users
YouTube Premium subscribers on mobile devices now have access to expanded playback speed options, including 2.05x, 2.5x, 3x, and even 4x speeds. This enhancement allows users to consume content more efficiently, catering to those who prefer to watch videos at an accelerated pace .
2. Custom Multiview for YouTube TV
YouTube TV subscribers can now create their own multiview setups with select non-sports content. Initially launching with a few popular channels, this feature will expand to more networks and genres over time, offering users greater control over their viewing experience .
3. AI-Powered Music Discovery: “Ask Music”
The new “Ask Music” feature allows YouTube Premium and YouTube Music users to generate a custom radio station based on their mood or a description of the music they’re in the mood for. This AI-driven tool offers a personalized music discovery experience, enhancing the way users explore new content .
4. Voice Replies to Video Comments
Building upon the feature tested in 2024, YouTube is now expanding the ability for creators to respond to video comments with voice messages. This addition fosters more direct and personal interactions between creators and their audiences .
5. Redesigned TV App and Interface
YouTube is updating its TV app to improve navigation, playback, video quality, and ease of access to features like comments, channel information, and subscriptions. This redesign aims to enhance the viewing experience, making it more intuitive and user-friendly .
Embracing AI and Supporting Creators
YouTube continues to invest in artificial intelligence to enhance user experience and support content creators. New AI features include tools to help creators generate video ideas, titles, and thumbnails, as well as expanded auto-dubbing capabilities for all partners. Additionally, YouTube is focusing on improving viewer protections for younger audiences by using machine learning to estimate user ages .
Fun Easter Eggs for Users
In celebration of its 20th anniversary, YouTube has introduced several fun Easter eggs for users to enjoy:
- “Yoodle” Logo: Clicking on the special anniversary logo will “rick-roll” users with a playful mash-up of Rick Astley’s iconic hit, “Never Gonna Give You Up.”
- “bday” Command: Typing “bday” while watching a video will display an old-school version of the video player interface, offering a nostalgic experience.
- Birthday Animations: On select videos, including the first-ever upload “Me at the Zoo,” users will see a festive birthday progress bar and a “20” animation when they like the video .
YouTube’s Growth and Future Outlook
As of 2025, YouTube boasts over 3.5 billion monthly users and generates $36 billion in annual ad revenue. The platform has become a dominant force in streaming, social video, music, podcasts, and live content, often seen as the second-largest search engine and most-used music service globally . Looking ahead, YouTube aims to continue its evolution by embracing new technologies, supporting creators, and enhancing user experiences across all devices.