YouTube's New Red and Magenta Gradient: A Fresh Look for a Modern Platform

YouTube Redesigns Its Visual Identity

YouTube's New Color Palette & Gradient:

• New Red Shade: In late 2023, YouTube introduced a softer, cooler shade of red to address technical issues with the previous 'pure red' from 2017. The old color was perceived as too loud, rendered orange on certain screens, and caused burn-in issues on TVs. The new shade is more welcoming and vibrant.
• Magenta Gradient: YouTube also introduced a red-to-magenta gradient, primarily used in the video progress bar. Magenta was chosen for its natural pairing with the new red and its symbolic representation of imagination and evolution. The gradient is placed at a 45-degree angle to signify forward movement.

Usage of Colors:

• Red: Used sparingly in brand marks, identity elements, and signature UI moments like the logo and product icons.
• Gradient: Found in topic icons, progress bar, Like and Subscribe buttons, Premium badge, and Live ring.

Motion Updates:

• Startup Animation: The startup animation features an expanding and contracting logo with the YouTube progress bar. The update includes a gradient for added branding, a quicker and thinner progress bar, and a shortened animation duration by 0.2 seconds.

Future Plans:

• YouTube is exploring further modernization in areas such as imagery, iconography, typography, and secondary color palettes.