More YouTube Music users spotting playlist search feature - do you have it yet? [U: Wider release]

Update 13/02/26 – 06:08 pm (IST): YouTube Music support has officially confirmed the “Find in playlist” feature is moving out of its testing phase and rolling out more widely as of February 2026. Screenshots of the conversation with YouTube support were shared on Reddit:

The staged, server-side rollout means users may need to wait for Google to enable it on their accounts, with Premium subscribers reportedly being prioritized for the latest search and library features.

After checking my device following these reports, I can now confirm the feature has appeared on my end as well, suggesting the wider release is indeed underway.

Original article published on November 28, 2025, follows:

Remember when only one person seemed to have YouTube Music’s long-awaited playlist search feature? That lonely sighting happened earlier this month, sparking hope that Google was finally addressing one of the app’s most annoying limitations. Now, things are getting interesting.

A few fresh reports suggest the “Find in playlist” button is reaching more users, though the rollout remains frustratingly inconsistent. A Pixel 6 owner running Android 16 beta confirmed they got the feature, posting proof on Reddit that sparked a flurry of responses. The thread quickly filled with a mix of excited confirmations and disappointed users still waiting for their turn.

Some folks checked both their Android phones and iPhones only to find nothing. The pattern suggests Google is doing one of those classic server-side experiments where availability has nothing to do with which app version you’re running.

For what it’s worth, I’m still left out in the cold. My iPhone 16, Pixel 8, and Pixel 7a are all updated to the latest app version, yet none of them show the search button. Apparently, being a tech journalist doesn’t grant early access to features.

The feature itself sits in the three-dot menu when you open a playlist, appearing right below the shuffle play option. Tap it and you get a simple search box where you can type song names, artists, or albums. The app filters your playlist instantly, saving you from endless scrolling through massive collections. Users who have it say it works smoothly on custom playlists, though saved radio stations still don’t support searching.

This gradual expansion from one Reddit report to several is typical of how Google tests new YouTube Music features. In fact, this is just one of several features being tested. Yesterday, we highlighted an ongoing test with Spotify-like mood/genre filters for playlists. More on that here. These features could take days, weeks or even months to show up for everyone. The only thing to do is hang in there and hope it arrives sooner rather than later.

So here’s the question: have you spotted the playlist search feature on your YouTube Music app yet? If so, which device are you using, and what app version shows up in your settings? Drop your vote in the poll and feel free to share your experience in the comments. Let’s figure out how wide this rollout actually is.

 Loading ...

We stand out from the tech-media crowd because we break news stories; we mainly bring you stuff that you won’t find anywhere in the mainstream tech media. Our stories have been picked up by some of the world’s most popular websites and media outlets—more info is available here.