On August 25, 2026, Google confirmed that YouTube expanded its Custom Feeds experiment to support multiple custom feeds per account for signed-in users already in the trial. According to the company, this update builds on the initial single-feed feature introduced in May 2026 and is available on both mobile and desktop as part of an ongoing experiment with no general release date announced.

These feeds appear as labeled chips aligned horizontally at the top of the YouTube Home screen on both mobile and desktop platforms, enabling quick toggling between multiple personalized recommendation streams, according to Google’s August 25, 2026, announcement. Users can generate each feed by entering a text prompt describing the desired video content or by selecting from suggested prompts, with YouTube’s AI then curating a dynamic recommendation list based on the prompt, watch history, and search activity.

The update allows users in the experiment to create and maintain up to eight separate custom feeds, each tailored to different topics or moods.

This expansion reverses the earlier limitation, introduced in May 2026, which restricted accounts to a single active custom feed at a time. Previously, users had to overwrite the existing feed’s prompt to change topics, but the new multi-feed capability lets participants maintain several concurrent feeds, each with its own unique prompt and recommendations, sources confirmed. The company noted that inactive feeds expire after a few weeks of non-use to prevent clutter and encourage users to keep their feeds relevant, with the expiration timeframe reported by multiple outlets as roughly 30 days.

Access to multiple custom feeds remains limited to signed-in users in the United States who were already part of YouTube’s original Custom Feeds experiment. The test group must have search and watch history enabled, as these data points are essential for the AI-driven recommendation system to function effectively, according to official YouTube help documentation and statements from Google representatives. The feature is currently available only in English and is described by the company as an ongoing experiment without a set date for general release.

The interface changes include a horizontal row of custom feed tabs resembling topic-based timelines found on other social platforms. Selecting a chip loads a full-screen feed of videos tailored to the prompt, visually similar to the standard Home feed but scoped to the user’s chosen theme. Each custom feed includes a text box at the top where users can edit the prompt to refine or change recommendations instantly without deleting the feed. This functionality allows for highly specific prompts, such as “competitive Valorant guides under 15 minutes” or “guided meditations under 10 minutes,” producing feeds aligned with detailed viewer intent, according to coverage by tech news outlets.

Earlier coverage of the single-feed experiment, which began in November 2025 and rolled out broadly in May 2026, emphasized that users could pin their custom feed beside the regular Home feed but could not maintain multiple feeds simultaneously. The new multi-feed update addresses this by allowing multiple “mood- or topic-based feeds” to coexist, a capability frequently requested by users, sources said. The system’s design ensures that feeds tied to signed-in accounts can influence overall recommendation patterns through watch history and prompt edits, though each feed remains scoped to its specific prompt during use.

YouTube officials have framed the multi-feed experiment as part of a broader AI-powered personalization initiative, allowing users to steer recommendation algorithms with natural-language prompts rather than relying solely on passive viewing behavior. Analysts and commentators have compared the feature to “Bluesky-style custom feeds,” noting that it offers more granular control over content consumption by organizing recommendations into separate, labeled feeds. This approach is seen as a competitive response to other platforms experimenting with user-curated or algorithmically distinct feeds, aiming to retain viewers within YouTube’s ecosystem across different interests.

The company has not provided a firm timeline for when multiple custom feeds will be made available to all users globally. Instead, it continues to describe the feature as an experimental “playground” with potential changes before any wider release. The current rollout remains confined to a limited test group, primarily in the United States, with English-language support only. Users outside the experiment or those who do not meet the eligibility criteria cannot access the multi-feed feature at this time, according to Google’s public statements and help resources.

The original Custom Feeds feature, introduced broadly in May 2026, marked YouTube’s first step toward user-driven, AI-powered feed personalization. The expansion to multiple custom feeds announced in August 2026 builds on that foundation, reflecting ongoing efforts to enhance user control over video recommendations. The system’s reliance on watch and search history underscores the importance of user activity data in shaping personalized content, while the automatic expiration of inactive prompts aims to maintain an organized and relevant user interface.