YouTube kills Trending section

YouTube has announced that it will be shutting down its Trending page, citing changes in the way content is created, discovered, and consumed on the platform. There is no specific timeline, but YouTube says the Trending page and its "Trending Now" list will be removed in the coming weeks.

This feature was introduced in 2015 when things were simpler, and YouTube needed a list of videos that were gaining traction to describe current trends or hot topics. In the years since, Trending has become part of the Explore tab, and YouTube has gradually grown into a larger feature with sections for "videos created by diverse fan communities" and "multiple micro-trends loved by diverse communities."

Users can now learn about what's trending on YouTube from a variety of places, including recommendations, search suggestions for Shorts, comments, and Communities. The Google-owned video platform said it has seen a significant decline in traffic to its Trending page over the past five years.

In fact, YouTube has been building out alternatives to the Trending page in recent years. When it disappears, users can head over to YouTube Charts for specific categories like top podcasts of the week, trending music videos, trending movie trailers, etc.

YouTube will continue to show personalized recommendations, and users can still use the Explore tab to browse non-personalized content. For creators, the platform will continue to provide content ideas and trending insights through features like the Inspiration tab in YouTube Studio.

The Google-owned platform will increase visibility for emerging creators and new videos through the Hype feature (currently in beta), while YouTube will continue to highlight rising creators through its official social media channels and a dedicated section on the Music Explore page.

Lesley Montoya

Update 12 July 2025