X Continues To Bet On Vertical Video With Its Latest Update

What Is the X Vertical Video Update and Why Does It Matter?

What is X's new video player update? The X vertical video update, rolling out to iOS in February 2026, introduces an immersive full-screen mode with swipe-up navigation. This refresh aims to make watching videos on X more engaging and mobile-friendly. But not everyone is convinced—some users worry the change sacrifices video quality for format consistency. Here's what you need to know about the redesign, how it works, and why it matters for how you consume content on the platform.

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What's New in X's Immersive Video Player Experience

X's head of product, Nikita Bier, confirmed the immersive player arrives after internal acknowledgment that the prior video interface "badly needed a refresh." The update prioritizes mobile-first viewing, letting users tap any video to expand it instantly to full screen. Once expanded, a simple upward swipe loads the next video in your feed, creating a seamless, continuous playback loop. This design shift reflects broader industry movement toward lean-back, scrollable video consumption. The interface minimizes on-screen controls to keep focus on the content itself. Early testers note smoother transitions and reduced accidental exits during viewing sessions.

How the Swipe-Up Navigation Changes Mobile Viewing

The new swipe-up mechanic transforms passive watching into an active, fluid experience tailored for thumb-friendly navigation. Instead of returning to the feed to select another clip, viewers stay immersed with a gesture already familiar to millions of short-form video users. This reduces friction for discovering new creators and trending topics within X's ecosystem. However, the gesture only activates in full-screen mode, preserving standard scrolling for text and image posts. Users can still exit full-screen with a downward swipe or tap, maintaining control over their browsing flow. The feature currently supports both muted autoplay and sound-on playback based on user settings.

Why Some Users Push Back on the Full-Screen Format

Despite the usability upgrades, a vocal segment of the community expresses frustration over the update's handling of aspect ratios. Videos not originally shot vertically now appear cropped or letterboxed when forced into the immersive view. "This UI sucks so bad. Let me just watch full-scale videos," one user posted, echoing concerns about lost visual context. Landscape clips, horizontal tutorials, and cinematic content can lose impactful framing under the new default. X has not yet added a toggle to disable full-screen expansion or preserve original dimensions. This tension highlights a recurring challenge: balancing format consistency with creator intent and viewer preference.

Why X Is Doubling Down on Vertical Video Strategy

This player refresh isn't an isolated tweak—it signals X's continued investment in video as a core engagement driver. Vertical video aligns with how people naturally hold phones, reducing hand repositioning during extended sessions. Data from internal testing reportedly showed higher completion rates and longer session times with the immersive format. The move also positions X more competitively in the attention economy, where seamless video experiences drive retention. By streamlining playback, X encourages more uploads, shares, and replies tied to video content. This strategic pivot supports broader goals around creator monetization and ad integration within video feeds.

What Content Creators Should Know About the Change

For creators, the X vertical video update rewards content optimized for mobile-first, vertical framing. Videos shot in 9:16 aspect ratio will fill the screen without cropping, delivering maximum visual impact. Those repurposing horizontal content may need to reframe key elements or add safe zones to avoid important details being cut off. Engagement metrics could shift as the swipe-up flow encourages rapid content sampling—making strong opening seconds even more critical. Creators are advised to test how their existing library displays in the new player and adjust future shoots accordingly. X has hinted at creator tools updates later this year to support vertical production workflows.

When Android Users Can Expect the Immersive Player

iOS users are receiving the update first, a common rollout pattern for X's major interface changes. Android availability is expected "in the coming weeks," per product team communications, though no hard date has been published. The delay allows engineering teams to address platform-specific performance and gesture-recognition nuances. Users on both platforms should ensure their app is updated to the latest version via their device's app store to access the feature. X typically enables new features server-side, so even with the update installed, the immersive player may appear gradually across accounts. Keeping notifications enabled for X announcements can help users spot the rollout in real time.

The Bigger Picture for X's Video Ambitions

This player refresh represents more than a UI polish—it's a statement about where X wants to go next. By embracing vertical, swipeable video, the platform signals alignment with evolving user expectations for effortless, immersive media. The gamble carries risk: alienating users who prefer traditional viewing or creator workflows built around horizontal formats. Yet the potential reward is significant—higher engagement, stronger creator retention, and new ad formats designed for full-screen attention. As the update expands globally, watch for iterative tweaks based on feedback. X's willingness to refresh core experiences suggests more video-focused innovations could be on the horizon. For now, the immersive player invites users to experience stories, news, and entertainment in a format built for the way we hold our phones today.

The conversation around this update underscores a larger truth in digital product design: every enhancement involves trade-offs. X is betting that the benefits of a unified, mobile-optimized video experience will outweigh the friction of transition. Only time—and user behavior data—will reveal if that bet pays off. Until then, viewers and creators alike have a front-row seat to observe how one of the world's most watched platforms continues to evolve its visual language.