YouTube Music launches split-screen now playing on Android and iOS

Technology Apr 15, 2026

YouTube Music just dropped a new split-view design for its Now Playing screen on Android and iOS.
Now you can see bigger cover art, playback controls, and your up-next queue all at once.
Flipping between "Song" and "Video" is easier too, thanks to new icons.

YouTube Music moves lyrics, removes tabs

The progress bar is thicker, and the line gets thicker when you tap and scrub, and the bottom section now focuses on what's playing next.
The old "Lyrics" and "Related" tabs are gone: lyrics show up after the thumbs-up/thumbs-down buttons, while related tracks are tucked behind the song title.
You can also swipe to switch between compact or full-screen views.
This update rolls out with versions 9.14 (Android) and 9.15 (iOS).