YouTube is giving creators a big-screen boost with five new tools designed to make their content look sharper, more immersive, and easier to discover and shop right from viewers’ television sets. The platform announced that the updates are part of its broader strategy to make the living room the new “prime time” for creators, as viewership on TV screens continues to surge.

According to YouTube, the number of channels earning six figures or more in revenue from TV screens has jumped by over 45 percent in the past year. To build on this momentum, the platform is introducing a suite of enhancements that upgrade video quality, improve discoverability, and simplify shopping experiences on the big screen.

In a company press release, YouTube said the updates are aimed at “making any YouTube content a premier experience on TV,” reflecting the growing shift of online video viewing to connected televisions.

One of the biggest upgrades comes in the form of stunning first impressions — creators can now upload video thumbnails of up to 50MB, up from the previous 2MB limit, allowing for 4K-resolution previews. YouTube is also testing larger video uploads with select creators to enable higher-quality original content.

Additionally, YouTube is introducing an AI-powered video enhancement tool that automatically upscales lower-resolution videos. The feature will initially support videos below 1080p, enhancing them from standard definition (SD) to high definition (HD), with plans to support 4K upscaling soon. Importantly, creators will retain full control of their libraries and can opt out of these enhancements at any time. Viewers, too, will be able to choose whether to watch the original or enhanced version.

Beyond video quality, YouTube is revamping the channel experience on TV. Viewers can now explore their favorite creators through immersive previews and easily flip through channel collections. The platform’s redesigned “Shows” layout helps creators organize their content into binge-worthy categories, perfect for living-room viewing.

To improve discovery, YouTube is rolling out contextual search on TVs — meaning when viewers search from a creator’s channel page, videos from that creator will now appear at the top of results instead of being buried among unrelated content.

Another key feature focuses on “From couch to cart” — enhancing shopping videos on the platform. Viewers will soon be able to scan QR codes from their TV screens to instantly open product pages on their phones. YouTube is also testing a feature that allows creators to showcase products at specific, timed moments within videos, making shopping more seamless and engaging.

YouTube revealed that over the last 12 months, viewers have watched 35 bn hours of shopping-related videos, a significant portion of which took place on TV screens — underlining the platform’s ambition to blend entertainment with e-commerce.

As YouTube continues to strengthen its presence on connected TVs, these updates reflect its long-term vision to make content look stunning across every screen. “Film and upload once, and we’ll ensure your content looks great anywhere,” the company said.