Take Control of Your YouTube Experience with Custom AI Feeds

Take Control of Your YouTube Experience with Custom AI Feeds

YouTube now allows you to move beyond the standard algorithm by designing your own video discovery space with simple text prompts. This feature turns your Home page into a curated dashboard built specifically for your current mood or professional needs.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

June 13, 2026

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We have all been there. 

You open YouTube looking for something specific, like a quick coding tutorial or a ten-minute yoga session, but the algorithm keeps pushing the same three viral clips you have already seen. 

It feels like you are fighting the platform just to find what you actually want to watch.

Here’s a Cool Tip: Use the "Your custom feed" Feature to Build a Custom Video Feed.

YouTube is finally giving you the keys to the engine. Instead of waiting for the "Up Next" logic to guess your mood, you can now dictate exactly what kind of environment you want to browse in. 

Whether you need a deep dive into market trends or a quiet space for white noise, you can build it on demand.

Feature Explanation

The feature, officially called Your Custom Feed, is a discovery tool that uses natural language prompts to generate a unique, refreshing set of video recommendations. 

Unlike a standard playlist, which is a static list of specific videos, a custom feed is a dynamic mini-homepage that constantly pulls in fresh content based on a theme you define.

It works by placing a dedicated chip at the top of your Home tab. 

When you select it, you enter a description of what you want to see, such as "latest reviews on electric vehicles" or "calming nature documentaries." 

YouTube’s AI then scans the platform’s massive catalog to assemble a live feed tailored to that specific intent.

This update matters because it directly addresses the algorithmic bubble problem. 

For years, users have noted that YouTube gets stuck in a loop of familiar content. 

This tool allows you to break out of that loop instantly without having to create a new account or manually hunt for individual channels.

What You’ll Gain

• Eliminate scrolling fatigue by jumping straight into a pre-filtered environment.
• Discover new creators who fit your niche but might not normally appear in your main feed.
• Stay focused during work or study by creating a feed restricted to educational or professional topics.

Step-by-Step Instructions

This feature is currently rolling out to signed-in viewers in the U.S. using the English language setting. 

You must have your YouTube Search and Watch history turned ON in your Google account settings for the option to appear.

Enable YouTube History on Mobile (iOS & Android)

1. Open the YouTube app (iOS / Android) and tap your Profile picture or the "You" tab in the bottom right corner.
2. Tap the Settings icon (the gear) in the top right corner.
3. Select Manage all history.
4. Switch to the Controls tab at the top of the screen.
5. Locate the YouTube History section and tap Turn on.
6. Scroll down and ensure the checkboxes for "Include the YouTube videos that you watch" and "Include your searches on YouTube" are both checked.

Enable YouTube History on Web/Desktop

1. Navigate to YouTube.com and sign in to your account.
2. Click on your Profile icon in the top right corner and select Your data in YouTube.
3. Scroll down to the YouTube Watch History and YouTube Search History sections.
4. If either is labeled as "Off," click the arrow next to the setting to open your Google Activity Controls.
5. Click the Turn on button to re-activate history tracking.
6. Confirm the change by clicking Turn on in the pop-up window.

fig. 1 - Create Your Custom Video Feed in YouTube

iPhone / Android / Mobile App:

1. Open the YouTube app (iOS / Android) and ensure you are on the Home tab.
2. Look at the row of chips at the top of the screen, just below the header.
3. Tap the chip labeled Your custom feed.
4. In the text box that appears, enter a prompt (e.g., "30-minute vegan meal prep ideas") or select one of the suggested buttons.
5. Tap Enter or the search icon. YouTube will present a curated feed of videos matching your request.
6. To save this for later, you can pin the feed to your top bar for quick access.

Web / Desktop:

1. Navigate to YouTube.com and sign in.
2. On the Home page, locate the category chips at the top of the video grid.
3. Click Your custom feed.
4. Type your desired vibe or topic into the prompt box.
5. Press Enter. You will see a new layout populated entirely with videos relevant to your prompt.
6. To change the content, simply click the text box at the top of the custom feed and type a new instruction.

Cool Example: 

• A freelance graphic designer can enter "advanced typography and 3D motion design tutorials" to turn their YouTube Home page into a professional development hub for the afternoon.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Intentionality: Moves discovery from passive scrolling to active, intent-based requests.
• Dynamic Updates: Unlike a manual playlist, the feed refreshes automatically with new uploads that match your prompt.
• Privacy: These custom feeds are private to your account and are not visible to other users.
• Speed: Offers one-tap access to specific routines, like a morning meditation or a daily news brief.

Cons:

• Single Feed Limit: Users can only maintain one active custom prompt at a time.
• History Dependency: Requires Search and Watch history to be enabled, which is a barrier for privacy-focused users.
• Regional Limits: Limited to the U.S. and the English language during the initial rollout phase.

Feature Access

This feature is currently in a rolling launch as of May 2026. 

It is available to signed-in users in the United States on the iOS and Android mobile apps, as well as the desktop web interface. 

It requires the account language to be set to English. 

There is no additional subscription fee for this feature, though YouTube Premium users may see it sooner as part of their opt-in experimental features.

Score

Criterion  |  Score (0–10)  |  Justification

Value  |  9

Effectively breaks algorithmic loops and saves significant search time.

Usability  |  8

Very intuitive once found, though the history requirement is a barrier for some.

Wow Factor  |  7

A clever use of natural language to solve a long-standing discovery problem.

Total: 24/30 | 👍 Good

This is a powerful step toward making YouTube a tool you command rather than a platform that simply happens to you.

Key Takeaways

The Your Custom Feed tool shifts the power of discovery from a mystery algorithm to your own specific instructions. 

It is the single best way to clean up your Home page and ensure the videos you see actually match your current goals or mood.

Cool Tip Snapshot

• Feature Name: Your Custom Feed
• Platform(s): iOS, Android, Web
• Quick Benefit: Create dynamic, prompt-based video feeds.
• Best For: Niche research, specific routines, and breaking out of the standard algorithm.
• Access Type: Free / Rolling Out (U.S. Only)
• Difficulty: Easy

Try It Yourself

Ready to declutter your Home page? 

Head over to YouTube and look for that "Your custom feed" chip. 

Try a specific prompt for your favorite hobby and see what the AI finds for you. 

If you found this tip helpful, leave a comment below with your favorite custom prompt, and don't forget to subscribe to the One Cool Tip newsletter and share this article with your friends and coworkers!

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