As 2025 comes to a close, YouTube has released its final update video of the year. The “This Week at YouTube” newsflash highlights a mix of feature expansions, new creative tools, and workflow improvements designed to set creators up for success in 2026.

Voice Replies Expansion After initial testing, Voice Replies are now rolling out to millions of creators. This feature allows you to record up to 30 seconds of audio in response to a viewer’s comment. It is accessible via the YouTube app or Studio Mobile, offering a more personal way to engage with your community.

Nano Banana Pro and Creative Tools A major addition is the integration of Nano Banana Pro, Google’s image editing model. This tool allows creators to edit image posts directly within YouTube. Using simple text prompts, you can:

• Change backgrounds or remove distracting objects.
• “Time travel” to different decades or swap outfits.
• Adjust the overall aesthetic of an image.

Note: This feature is currently launching for creators over 18 in the US, Canada, New Zealand, and India.

YouTube Create on iPhone For mobile-first creators, the YouTube Create editing app is now available on iPhone, bringing its suite of editing tools to iOS users.

Additional Updates

• Super Chat Goals: Now available on vertical live streams, allowing creators to set financial targets visible to viewers during the stream.
• Shorts Feed Experiments: YouTube is testing the display of image posts (carousels of up to 10 photos) directly within the Shorts feed.
• Studio Enhancements: New AI features include suggested clips for podcast playlists and comment section summaries to help creators quickly gauge audience sentiment.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=362YARqMk84