Enhanced Accessibility: YouTube Music’s ‘Hum to Search’ Feature Debuted on Android in October 2023
Reports are emerging about a potentially game-changing feature coming to YouTube Music, aimed at revolutionizing song searches for users. Some users have reported spotting a dedicated Song search button within the app, signaling the arrival of this functionality. Interestingly, this feature isn’t entirely new; it made its debut on the Android version of the YouTube app back in October 2023. Now, it seems the platform is extending this capability to its dedicated music app, YouTube Music, expanding its accessibility to a wider audience.
According to insights from 9to5Google, the Song search feature from YouTube’s Android app is making its transition to YouTube Music. This development has also caught the attention of keen-eyed Reddit users, with some confirming sightings on iOS devices. This indicates a simultaneous rollout across both Android and iOS platforms. However, given that not all users have reported access to the feature yet, it’s likely that the rollout is either in its early stages or being executed gradually, with availability expected to expand in the coming days.
The mechanics of this feature are elegantly simple. Android users navigating the YouTube app can simply navigate to the search bar and tap the microphone icon to unveil a new screen housing Voice and Song tabs. While the Voice tab caters to verbal searches, the Song tab opens up an exciting realm of possibilities. Here, users can hum melodies, play a song on another device, or even sing a few lines, allowing advanced AI algorithms to match their rendition with the original track, streamlining the search process like never before.
YouTube Music is reportedly getting a feature that would make searching for songs easier than before. Some users have reported seeing a dedicated Song search button on the app, that allows this functionality. The feature was first added to the Android app of YouTube in October 2023, and it appears that it is now being expanded to the company’s dedicated music app. The feature allows users to play a song, hum its tune, or sing to find the desired result.
According to a report by 9to5Google, the Song search feature from YouTube’s Android app is now making its way to YouTube Music. The feature has also been spotted by several Reddit users, including one who confirmed seeing it on iOS. This means the feature is being rolled out to both Android and iOS apps in parallel. However, since many users have not received the feature so far, it is believed that a wider roll out has either not started, or it is being rolled out in batches and will take a few days before everyone has access to it.
The way the feature works is simple. Android users on the YouTube app can simply go to the search bar of the app and click the microphone icon to open a new screen that shows Voice and Song tabs. The voice tab allows users to run verbal searches, whereas the song tab allows them to hum a song, play it on another device, or sing it to let an AI match it with the original song.
On YouTube Music, it reportedly works the same way. But as a plus, instead of going through the voice search and then finding the Song icon that looks like a waveform, users will find a dedicated icon next to the voice button. For reference, the functionality is also offered by Google Assistant and Google Search. Pixel phone users also have an option to identify a song using the Now playing feature. Long time Android users would remember that Google Play Music used to offer a similar feature in its hayday.