If the dislike button is missing on YouTube, first check what you’re watching. Regular long-form videos and live streams still have a thumbs-down, but Shorts haven’t had one since YouTube retired it in June 2026, and embedded players on other websites don’t show like or dislike buttons at all. If you’re on a normal YouTube watch page and the button still isn’t there, the usual causes are full-screen mode, a browser extension that restyles YouTube, or an out-of-date app.
This guide is about YouTube’s own dislike button, the one you press to rate a video. If the button is there but you’re missing a dislike number from the Return YouTube Dislike extension, that’s a different problem, covered in Return YouTube Dislike not working.
Button or count: which one is missing?
People use “dislike button missing” for two different things. Sorting out which one you mean saves a lot of time.
| What you see | What’s going on | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| No thumbs-down icon at all | The native button isn’t showing | This guide |
| A thumbs-down icon with no number next to it | Normal. YouTube hid public dislike counts in 2021 | Use an extension or a web viewer for an estimate |
| A heart instead of a thumbs-up, and no thumbs-down | You’re on a Short | Shorts dislike button removed |
| The RYD extension’s number disappeared | An extension problem | Return YouTube Dislike not working |
YouTube’s dislike button has never shown a public number since late 2021. If you can see the icon but not a count, nothing is broken.
Quick checks before anything else
Work through these in order. Most people find the answer in the first three.
- Is it a Short? Look for a heart instead of a thumbs-up and a vertical, swipeable player. Shorts no longer have a dislike button.
- Are you on YouTube itself? A video embedded on a news site, blog or forum uses YouTube’s embedded player, which doesn’t include like and dislike buttons.
- Are you in full screen? Exit full screen. On a computer the buttons sit under the player, out of view in full-screen mode.
- Are you signed in? The button is still visible when you’re signed out, but pressing it only brings up a sign-in prompt.
- Is the app up to date? Update the YouTube app from the App Store or Google Play and reopen the video.
- Does it show in a private window? If the button appears in a private or guest window with no extensions, an extension is hiding it.
Cause 1: It’s a Short
This is the most common reason in 2026. On June 25, 2026, YouTube announced it was retiring the dislike button on Shorts and replacing the thumbs-up with a heart. YouTube’s Like or dislike a video page now says to “tap the heart for Shorts” and to use the thumbs-down on “a long-form video or livestream.”
So if the video is a Short, the missing button is expected, not a fault. To tell YouTube a Short isn’t for you, use Not interested or Don’t recommend this channel in the three-dot menu. The details are in YouTube Shorts dislike button removed in 2026.
Cause 2: You’re watching an embedded video
Videos embedded on other websites play in YouTube’s embedded player, which is a stripped-down version of the player. When we checked on September 11, 2026, a standard YouTube watch page included the like and dislike control in its page data, while the embedded player page for the same video didn’t include either button.
Fix: click the video title or the YouTube logo in the embedded player to open the video on YouTube, then use the thumbs-down on the watch page.
Cause 3: Live streams and full screen
Live streams do have a dislike button. YouTube’s Help Center says: “To dislike a long-form video or livestream, use thumbs down.” It sits in the same place as on any other video.
What hides it during live streams is usually the layout rather than the stream. On a computer, full-screen or theater view pushes the details below the player out of sight. On a phone, the live chat can take over much of the screen, and full-screen playback hides the action row.
Fix: exit full screen, collapse or close the chat, then scroll to the video title. The thumbs-down is in the action row with the like button.
Cause 4: You’re signed out, or on the wrong account
When you’re signed out, YouTube still shows the dislike button, but pressing it doesn’t record anything. We checked the signed-out page data, and the button opens a prompt that reads “Don’t like this video? Sign in to make your opinion count.”
If the button seems unresponsive, check which account you’re using: on a computer, look at the profile picture in the top right; in the app, tap your profile picture. If you use several accounts or a Brand Account, make sure you’re on the one you want to rate with.
Cause 5: A browser extension is hiding or replacing it
Extensions that change how YouTube looks can remove, move or cover the like and dislike control. Common culprits are:
- Ad blockers with cosmetic filters that hide page elements
- YouTube “cleaner” or layout-tweaking extensions that remove buttons under the player
- Extensions that modify the like and dislike area itself, including dislike-count extensions
The Return YouTube Dislike extension is one of those that works inside the like and dislike area, to add its estimated number. A September 2026 release added an option called “Hide clutter buttons” that is designed to keep Like and Dislike visible while hiding other buttons, and project contributors have also submitted fixes to keep the native dislike icon intact on YouTube’s newer watch-page layout. That’s a sign of how easily layout changes and extensions can collide.
Fix: open the same video in a private or guest window, where extensions are usually off. If the button appears there, turn your extensions off one at a time in your normal window until you find the one hiding it, then update it or change its settings.
Cause 6: App version, rollouts and experiments
YouTube rolls out interface changes gradually and runs experiments on small groups of users. That can mean two people see different layouts on the same day.
As of September 11, 2026, YouTube’s official test features and experiments page doesn’t list any test that removes the dislike button from long-form videos. The only confirmed dislike-button removal is the Shorts change. If you believe you’re seeing an unusual layout, updating the app is still the best first step, because older app versions can render the page differently.
Fix on Android: update YouTube in Google Play. If that doesn’t help, open your phone’s Settings, go to Apps, choose YouTube, open Storage and tap Clear cache, then reopen the app.
Fix on iPhone and iPad: update YouTube in the App Store. If the problem continues, delete the app and reinstall it. Your account data is stored with Google, not on the phone.
Cause 7: Browser cache, zoom and window size
On a computer, a stale page or an odd window size can make the action row look broken.
- Hard refresh the page with Ctrl+F5 on Windows or Cmd+Shift+R on a Mac.
- Reset the zoom with Ctrl+0 or Cmd+0. Very high zoom levels can squeeze the controls under the player.
- Widen the window. When the window is narrow, YouTube reflows the area under the video and tucks some actions into the three-dot More menu, so check there too.
- Sign out and back in, which refreshes your session.
- Clear YouTube’s site data in your browser’s privacy settings if nothing else works.
If you use a screen reader, the button’s label in YouTube’s page data is “Dislike this video,” which can help you confirm whether it’s present even when it’s hard to spot visually.
Cause 8: You’re on a different YouTube product
Not every YouTube surface works like the main site and app.
- YouTube Music uses its own thumbs-up and thumbs-down for songs, and YouTube’s Help Center says likes and dislikes on YouTube Music aren’t available on content set as made for kids.
- YouTube Kids is a separate app with its own simplified interface, so don’t expect the main app’s controls there.
- TV and console apps place actions differently. Select the video’s title to open its details and controls.
On the main YouTube site and app, being made for kids doesn’t remove the dislike button. YouTube’s made-for-kids restrictions list likes and dislikes only for YouTube Music.
Quick fixes by device
If you’d rather jump straight to your setup, start here.
| Device | Most likely cause | First fix to try |
|---|---|---|
| Windows or Mac browser | Extension, full screen or a stale page | Try a private window, exit full screen, then hard refresh |
| Android app | Old app version, full screen or a Short | Update the app, rotate to portrait, check it isn’t a Short |
| iPhone or iPad app | Old app version, full screen or a Short | Update the app, exit full screen, check it isn’t a Short |
| Phone browser (m.youtube.com) | Signed out or a Short | Sign in, open the video’s own page rather than the Shorts feed |
| Smart TV or console | Different layout | Select the video title to open its details |
| Another website’s player | Embedded player | Open the video on YouTube |
What not to confuse with Return YouTube Dislike problems
Because the RYD extension works in the same spot as YouTube’s button, it’s easy to mix the two up.
| Symptom | Native button issue? | RYD extension issue? |
|---|---|---|
| No thumbs-down on a long-form video | Yes | Possibly, if an extension hides it |
| Thumbs-down present, no number | No, public counts are hidden | Yes, if you expected RYD’s number |
| Number shows 0 or a dash | No | Yes, usually thin data or an outage |
| No thumbs-down on a Short | No, it was retired | RYD 4.0.5 adds its own Shorts button on desktop |
| Button works in a private window but not normally | No | Likely an extension conflict |
For anything in the RYD column, follow Return YouTube Dislike not working. If all you want is a video’s estimated dislike count while you sort things out, you can paste the link into the YouTube Dislike Viewer instead.
If none of this works
If you’re on a regular watch page, signed in, with extensions off and an updated app, and there’s still no thumbs-down on a long-form video or live stream, report it to YouTube.
- In the YouTube app, tap your profile picture, then Help & feedback, then Send feedback.
- On a computer, open your profile menu and choose Send feedback.
- Describe the video type, device, app version and what’s missing.
You can also check TeamYouTube’s Known Issues threads in the YouTube Help Community to see whether others are reporting the same thing.
Once the button is back, you can remove a dislike the same way you add one. The steps are in how to undo a dislike on YouTube.
Frequently asked questions
Why is there no dislike button on YouTube Shorts?
YouTube retired the dislike button on Shorts on June 25, 2026, and replaced the thumbs-up with a heart. To give negative feedback on a Short, use Not interested or Don’t recommend this channel in the three-dot menu.
Can I dislike a YouTube live stream?
Yes. YouTube’s Help Center says to use the thumbs-down to dislike a long-form video or livestream. If you can’t see it, exit full screen and close or collapse the live chat.
Why don’t embedded YouTube videos have a dislike button?
The embedded player used on other websites doesn’t include like and dislike buttons. Click the video title or YouTube logo to open it on YouTube, where the buttons are under the player.
Did YouTube remove the dislike button from regular videos?
No. As of September 11, 2026, YouTube has only retired the dislike button on Shorts. Long-form videos and live streams keep it, and YouTube says those dislikes continue to be reported as usual.
Why can I see the dislike button but not the number?
YouTube made dislike counts private in November 2021. The button still works, but only the creator sees the total, in YouTube Studio. Third-party tools can show an estimate.
Checked against YouTube Help, the YouTube experiments page and live YouTube page data on September 11, 2026. Layouts vary by app version and device.