YouTube's 'like' button recedes from view on web interface: Know reason

YouTube has acknowledged the issue and assured that it is looking into the issue, which is reportedly caused due to a bug on the web interface

Google’s video streaming platform YouTube offers various options at the bottom of the video for users to react with and allow sharing the video or to watch later. The number of likes increase when a user taps on the thumbs up icon, but for many users the like button has been vanishing from sight. In what is reportedly a bug, the thumbs up icon under the videos has been disappearing. Although likes on the videos available on the platform still get registered, the icon is no longer visible after tapping, leaving an empty space.

This problem has been faced by many and on various browsers. The video sharing platform has clarified about the issue in a support page that was published on Tuesday that the issue is being faced only on videos on the web and not on mobile. It has assured that it is looking into the issue as the like button “isn’t working as intended”.

Here is what you may be experiencing

Thumbs up icon not showing on the like button

Thumbs up icon disappearing after liking a video

The button still works to register a like on the video, but may show you a blank space once you tap on it. “Rest assured, whether or not the icon is showing, the video is still receiving the like!,” confirmed YouTube.  

It is not clear when the issue will be resolved but YouTube has said that they follow up on the support page when they have an update. Reddit users faced a similar issue a few months ago and have been sharing about it.

Dislike button, on the other hand, has been working as before, although the number of dislikes were hidden by YouTube a few years ago.