One of the most pervasive annoyances on YouTube—those pop-up suggested videos and buttons that appear at the end of a video—can now be hidden, at least on a per-video basis. In response to user feedback, YouTube has introduced a “Hide” button that allows viewers to dismiss the end-screen overlays that often obscure the final moments of a video. This change aims to let users focus on the content without distractions, while still giving creators the freedom to include end screens.
Below, we break down exactly how this works, why it matters, how creators are impacted, and what this suggests about YouTube’s direction.
What’s Changing: Hide the End Screens
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When a video reaches its end and YouTube displays a set of recommended clips, links, or subscribe prompts, you’ll now see a small “Hide” option in the top-right corner of that overlay.
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Tapping “Hide” will remove the end-screen for that particular viewing session. It does not permanently disable end screens for all videos.
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If at any point you want to see the overlay again, you can tap a “Show” button to restore it.
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This gives users more control over what they see and helps prevent the recommended pop-ups from covering important visuals in the last few seconds.
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In internal experiments, YouTube found that enabling this option reduced clickthroughs on end-screen elements by only about 1.5%, suggesting limited disruption to creators’ metrics.
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YouTube is rolling out this feature across its apps, aiming to strike a balance between viewer comfort and creator monetization.
This feature addresses a long-standing complaint that end-screen elements sometimes obscure the concluding visuals or messages of videos, making the viewing experience feel cluttered or intrusive.
Why YouTube Did This
Feedback & Viewer Experience
Many users have repeatedly noted that end screens can block the final seconds of a video, or distract from meaningful closing visuals. By letting viewers hide these overlays, YouTube is directly responding to demands for a cleaner, more focused experience.
Minimizing Distraction
End-screen pop-ups often overlay critical content or disrupt the emotional finish of a video. Giving viewers the option to mute that interference increases the chances people engage fully with what they intended to watch—not get caught up in suggestions.
Preserving Creator Tools
YouTube did not remove or ban the functionality for creators to add end screens, subscribe prompts, or watermarks. Instead, it is layering in an opt-out for users in certain contexts, which helps maintain creators’ ability to drive engagement, while giving viewers more autonomy.
Data & Performance Sensitivity
By noting that the hide feature causes only a minor drop in end-screen clicks, YouTube signals confidence that this change won’t dramatically undermine creator growth or monetization—a key sensitivity when rolling out user-facing controls.
How the Hide Feature Works in Practice
Here’s a step-by-step look at how users will use it:
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Play a video until it approaches its end.
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When YouTube displays its overlay (showing recommended videos, subscribe buttons, etc.), look for “Hide” in the top-right corner.
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Tap “Hide” to dismiss that overlay for that session.
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If you want to bring the overlay back, tap the “Show” prompt.
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This setting resets per video—if you play another video, it will show the end screen unless you hide it again.
Because the setting is per-video, it keeps things lightweight—YouTube doesn’t permanently disable end screens globally unless a user chooses to manually hide them each time.
What This Means for Creators
Minimal Impact on Clickthroughs
YouTube’s internal metrics suggest only about a 1.5% dip in clicks triggered by end screens when users hide them. That’s small enough that many creators will likely see only marginal changes—especially for creators whose viewers rarely click recommended videos.
Retaining Creative Freedom
Creators still can include end screens, subscribe reminders, and video links. The new feature does not revoke or disable those tools. It simply gives viewers the choice to bypass them in that viewing.
Subtle Monetization Shift
Since creators often rely on end-screen recommendations to drive further views or conversions, this fallback gives more power to the viewer. Over time, creators may need to rethink how much reliance they place on end screens, or optimize content so that their primary message or call-to-action doesn’t occur behind overlays.
Change in Viewer Behavior Patterns
As more viewers adopt hiding overlays, patterns could shift in how often they click suggested content. Creators may need to rely more on in-video hooks, pinned links, or earlier calls to action rather than purely using end-screen elements.
Broader Implications: YouTube’s Philosophy & Trends
Focus on Clean Viewing Experience
This change reflects a broader trend: platforms allowing users more control. Whether through dark mode, UI minimalism, or reduced interruption, social and content platforms are leaning into smoother, less intrusive experiences.
Balancing Monetization & UX
YouTube often walks a tightrope between improving user experience and preserving creator monetization tools. This feature is one sign that they are cautiously experimenting with granting more viewer agency without undermining creator incentives.
Signals for Future Features
If the hide end-screen feature is well-received, YouTube might introduce more granular control over other UI elements: overlays, ads, watermarks, or recommendations in other parts of the app. It could be a test bed.
Viewer Power Shift
As end users gain more control over what UI elements they see, creators may prioritize quality storytelling, direct calls to action earlier in a video, or built-in conversion strategies that don’t rely on UI overlays.
Things to Keep in Mind & Limitations
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The hide option applies only to the current video session, not globally across all videos.
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Users will need to manually re-hide end screens for each video unless YouTube later expands the feature.
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Not all users may see the new option immediately—rollout is gradual depending on region, app version, and platform.
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Because it’s new, user awareness will be key—some may not realize they can hide overlays, so adoption may start slow.
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Some end-screen elements (e.g. final seconds or channel branding) may still persist depending on how creators design overlays.
SEO & User Engagement Considerations
For bloggers, publishers, or creators writing about this feature:
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Use keywords like “YouTube hide end screen,” “dismiss recommendation pop-ups YouTube,” “YouTube new hide button”, “YouTube end overlay control” to attract traffic.
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Explain both sides: benefits for users and impact for creators—this provides balanced coverage that engages both audiences.
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Include screenshots or sample workflows (if allowed) to help readers visualize.
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Consider writing follow-up content: “How to optimize your videos knowing end screens can be hidden” or “Tips for creators in a post-hide end-screen world.”
YouTube’s new option to hide recommendation overlays at the end of videos is a modest but meaningful step toward giving viewers more control. While it doesn’t remove creators’ ability to use these tools, it shifts some power to the audience and could gradually influence how creators plan their content and calls to action.
Viewed broadly, this update hints at a future where UI elements are more customizable, viewer experience is more prioritized, and creator tools evolve to suit changing viewer behavior. For users tired of being distracted in the final moments of a video, it’s a welcome update. For creators thinking ahead, it's a signal that viewer agency is increasingly important—and adaptability will be key in content strategy.
