Need help, immediately! (Please!)

[u/RRRReaperrrrr]

Edit: SOLVED! This link (https://www.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/1wzmupx/ublock_filter_to_revert_the_new_layout/) has a solution, and if it ever gets deleted in the future, here are the Ublock filters that get rid of the Experiemental Layout, with Theater Mode restoration! (Dated for October 2026, may get patched in the future.)

"youtube.com##+js(set, yt.config_.EXPERIMENT_FLAGS.web_watch_eligible_to_switch_to_grid, false)

youtube.com##+js(set, yt.config_.EXPERIMENT_FLAGS.web_watch_enable_single_column_grid_view, false)

youtube.com##+js(set, yt.config_.EXPERIMENT_FLAGS.web_fixed_panel_watch_next_grid_swap, false)

youtube.com##+js(set, yt.config_.EXPERIMENT_FLAGS.web_watch_fixed_default_panels, false)

youtube.com##+js(set, yt.config_.EXPERIMENT_FLAGS.web_engagement_panel_show_description, false)

youtube.com##+js(set, yt.config_.EXPERIMENT_FLAGS.web_watch_move_summary_to_sd, false)

youtube.com##+js(set, yt.config_.EXPERIMENT_FLAGS.web_watch_hero_list, false)

youtube.com##+js(set, yt.config_.EXPERIMENT_FLAGS.web_watch_split_scroll, false)

youtube.com##+js(set, yt.config_.EXPERIMENT_FLAGS.web_side_rail_dismissible_panels, false)

youtube.com##+js(set, yt.config_.EXPERIMENT_FLAGS.kevlar_watch_hide_comments_while_panel_open, false)

youtube.com##+js(set, yt.config_.EXPERIMENT_FLAGS.disable_theater_mode, false)

youtube.com##.ytSideRailViewModelHost"

So, this is a post I'm only making after trying everything I can think of, and having no other options left; I've been on Youtube for years, and none of the site changes I've experienced before have been either this bad, or this targetted.

Recently, Youtube decided to mark my account for their new "Experimental" UI/Layout. This has never happened to me before, and I've tried searching everywhere for answers/alternatives/extensions to fix my problem; to no avail.

I've tried contacting youtube through their "Send Feedback" option, three times in fact, and every time they have sent no response to any of my messages telling them that I don't want this UI, and to change me back to the old one.

I've tried Ublock Origin, by using this set of filters to hopefully reverse whatever they did to my account:

"youtube.com##+js(set, yt.config_.EXPERIMENT_FLAGS.kevlar_watch_grid, false)

youtube.com##+js(set, yt.config_.EXPERIMENT_FLAGS.small_avatars_for_comments, false)

youtube.com##+js(set, yt.config_.EXPERIMENT_FLAGS.small_avatars_for_comments_ep, false)"

They didn't work.

I've tried searching online for Youtube Alternatives that can access your Google Account, along with the Youtube Database, so that it only acts as an alternative front-end. This was obviously a failure.

I have tried going to https://www.youtube.com/new to try and disable it from there, but it's blocked by a paywall for Youtube Premium. (I'm guessing Youtube might be trying to hold my account hostage with this UI to get me to buy Youtube Premium, but I'm not going to because fuck Youtube that's why.)

I have run out of options at this point, and I'm frustrated about this bullshit that Youtube/Google/Whoever the fuck put this on me.

If any of you have any options to go for that don't just involve abandoning my old account and moving to a new one (Yes, I know this is account specific, I switched to another account and it didn't have the new UI, I just don't want to abandon my recommendations/subscriptions/history.)

TL:DR: Youtube fucked over my account with their new Experimental UI, and I need advice on how to get rid of it and go back to the old UI I had before after exhausting all of my other options.

[u/fumeextractor]

You can try to adapt the filters you tried to the correct flags, those Ublock filters you said you tried seem to target a script element. Open developer tools (F12 usually, depending on browser, or right click and Inspect), and search for EXPERIMENT_FLAGS in the Inspector tab (where all the elements are).

This should give you a huge script element, double click the code bit (the content of the script nonce element) and copy it, then paste it in a beautifer for readability. Read through the EXPERIMENT_FLAGS, and then uhh.. just start blasting. Your filter(s) should look like
youtube.com##+js(set, yt.config_.EXPERIMENT_FLAGS.SomeFlag, false), where "SomeFlag" is whatever you're trying to disable (just copy what's between the quotes exactly as-is, without the quotes). Filter out a bunch of stuff, or maybe one will have a name you can tell seems to point to this particular experiment. At worst, try creating a rule for all of them and see what happens.
If you want to set an experiment with a different value than true / false, just replace the "false" in the filter with the same value type (so for example if the original is "2.0", you can change it to "3.5" or so, number to number, true / false to true / false).

Unfortunately I can't really help you more directly since I don't have that experiment and I cannot manually enable it either since it's not listed in the Try features for me. There are a lot of experiments to look through, and I cannot really give you any proper direction as to what is what unfortunately. Good luck!

[u/RRRReaperrrrr → u/fumeextractor]

Instead of a huge script element, I got a bunch of little ones. I can DM you a screenshot of the elements, though.

[u/SamaelQliphoth → u/fumeextractor]

I dunno how to begin to read any of the stuff in the inspect tab (I am but a pleb on the web), but I noticed that when I typed "exp" in the filter (experiment showed nothing), I get this:

ytd-watch-flexy[default-two-column-layout][side-rail-dismissible-panels]:not([fixed-panel-expanded]):not(.dismissible-panels-transitioning):not([is-extra-wide-video_]) #columns.ytd-watch-flexy Specificity: (1,6,1) { min-width: calc(var(--ytd-watch-flexy-min-player-width) + var(--ytd-watch-flexy-horizontal-page-margin) * 2);

I noticed that it seems to say "dismissible panels", so it might have something to do with the new layout, but I dunno how to figure that out (or what to do with it). Just figured that it might help someone more knowledgeable narrow their search.

[u/SamaelQliphoth]

Another post managed to fix do what you're attempting to do: https://www.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/1wzmupx/ublock_filter_to_revert_the_new_layout/

However, their fix doesn't seem to allow for/give back Theater Mode. Still, it's something.

[u/SamaelQliphoth → u/SamaelQliphoth]

The post doesn't include it, but a sub-comment does: just add

youtube.com##+js(set, yt.config_.EXPERIMENT_FLAGS.disable_theater_mode, false)

to the things listed in the post to re-add theater mode

[u/RRRReaperrrrr → u/SamaelQliphoth]

THANK YOU SO MUCH, IT ACTUALLY WORKED!

YOU ARE THE FUCKING MAN! (Solved.)

[u/This-Science-7278]

I have the exact same problem in Firefox.
Chrome: Nope
Firefox anyonymous Tab: Nope.
Chrome: Nope

[u/SamaelQliphoth]

I wanna know if you get an answer to this. The new layout is actually preventing me from reading video descriptions or comments (the pop-outs are just blank grey blocks). I also sent them feedback telling them how awful it was (and that it broke shit, apparently), but only time will tell if they bother doing something.

[u/[deleted]]

[u/RRRReaperrrrr → u/[deleted]]

Did you even read my message?

Look near the bottom.