YouTube TV rolling out shortcut to switch between last-viewed channels on Roku

Ben Schoon | Feb 13 2024 - 8:32 am PT

Late last year YouTube TV quietly started testing out a button shortcut that would let you quickly switch between your last-viewed channels, but the feature didn’t show up for everyone. This week, the shortcut appears to be rolling out more widely to Roku owners.

When this feature first showed up in December, users noted it across select devices, mainly on Apple TV and Google TV. But the future never rolled out very widely, and actually disappeared for many who had it in mid-January.

This week, it seems to be rolling out more widely, this time showing up for users on Roku.

Several YouTube TV subscribers on Reddit note that the latest update for YouTube TV on Roku has added the option to switch between their previously viewed channels with a simple shortcut. A long-press of the “Select” (or “OK”) button will switch back and forth between the most recent channel you’ve been watching.

The feature seems to be rolling out pretty widely on Roku devices, but not across all platforms where YouTube TV can be found. Across Apple TV, Google TV, and other platforms, the shortcut isn’t showing up for all users. It is showing up for some users on other platforms, but not nearly as widely as it appears to be available on Roku.

Are you seeing YouTube TV’s new last-viewed shortcut? Let us know in the comments below, including what device you’re seeing it on.