Google released an official YouTube app for Apple Vision Pro on February 12, 2026, giving visionOS users a native way to watch YouTube content. The new app brings signed-in features such as subscriptions, playlists and watch history to the headset and supports Shorts alongside traditional rectangular videos. It also adds native playback for spatial formats — 3D, 360-degree and VR180 — and enables 8K video on Vision Pro units equipped with Apple’s M5 chip. The rollout replaces prior workarounds (Safari and third-party builds) with an App Store version from Google.
Key Takeaways
- Release date: The YouTube app for Apple Vision Pro began rolling out on February 12, 2026, via the App Store.
- Signed-in experience: The app supports subscriptions, watch history, playlists and account sign-in for personalized recommendations and saved content.
- Spatial formats: Native playback covers 3D, 360-degree and VR180 video formats, enabling immersive viewing in visionOS environments.
- Shorts and standard video: YouTube Shorts and rectangular videos are available alongside spatial formats in the same app interface.
- 8K support: The app advertises 8K playback, limited to Apple Vision Pro models with the M5 chip.
- Third-party cleanup: Several third-party Vision Pro YouTube viewers were removed from the App Store after Google flagged guideline violations.
Background
Apple launched the Vision Pro in February 2024 as its first spatial computing headset, positioning it as a new platform for immersive video, apps and productivity. At device debut, some major streaming platforms provided native visionOS apps, but YouTube did not; Google initially advised users to access the site through Safari. That gap left a demand for alternative viewers, prompting independent developers to publish Vision Pro-specific YouTube clients on the App Store.
Those third-party apps attracted attention but also regulatory friction: Google raised complaints to Apple about guideline and policy breaches, and several were removed. The absence of an official app was notable because YouTube hosts large volumes of spatial-formatted content (3D, 360-degree, VR180) that benefit from native headset playback. For creators and users focused on extended-reality experiences, a first-party app has been a frequent request since the headset’s launch.
Main Event
On February 12, 2026, Google made a Vision Pro-native YouTube app available on the App Store. The application offers a full signed-in YouTube experience — subscriptions, watch history and playlists — rather than a limited web wrapper. Users can browse channels, follow their subscriptions, and view Shorts in the same environment that supports immersive formats.
Crucially, the app provides native support for 3D, 360-degree and VR180 videos, letting viewers occupy the center of spherical and stereo video spaces within visionOS’s spatial environments. Standard rectangular videos remain front-and-center for a lean-back viewing mode while spatial clips can occupy the surrounding virtual environment. Google notes playback optimizations for high-resolution content, with 8K available on Vision Pro models equipped with Apple’s M5 chip.
The launch also formalizes the viewing experience that earlier third-party developers attempted to replicate. Those alternatives were removed after Google reported guideline breaches to Apple, creating a transition from ad-hoc clients and Safari viewing to an approved native app. The App Store rollout is regional and staged, so availability may vary by country and Apple account settings.
Analysis & Implications
For Apple, a native YouTube app removes a major friction point in the Vision Pro ecosystem: access to the world’s largest video platform. That should improve out-of-box value for consumers who rely on YouTube for entertainment, education and VR-native content. Greater native support may also encourage creators to publish more spatial content, knowing a first-party client exists on a high-end headset.
For Google, shipping a visionOS app is a strategic step in maintaining control over playback, ad delivery and content policies on a platform where third-party clients previously operated outside Google’s controls. Native apps let Google govern ad insertion, metrics and feature parity (subscriptions, playlists), which are harder to guarantee through web viewers or independent clients.
The hardware tie to M5-based 8K playback highlights how headset performance influences content experience. Only users with the higher-end Vision Pro configuration will see the promised 8K streams, reinforcing the practical divide between base and premium hardware in XR. That split could shape developer and creator expectations about what quality levels they can target in spatial video production.
Comparison & Data
| Feature | YouTube native app (visionOS) | Safari / web view | Third-party apps (prior) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signed-in features | Yes (subscriptions, playlists, history) | Partial (web sign-in limits) | Varied, often limited |
| Spatial formats | 3D / 360 / VR180 native | Playable but limited UX | Often supported, inconsistent |
| 8K playback | Yes (M5 models only) | Dependent on browser/hardware | Generally no |
| App Store compliance | Official, compliant | N/A | Removed after complaints |
The table shows the practical differences users encountered: native app delivery unifies features and platform compliance in ways Safari and removed third-party clients could not. Even when web playback functionally works, native apps can provide tighter performance, consistent sign-in and direct access to platform-specific display features.
Reactions & Quotes
Industry watchers highlighted the significance of native playback for spatial content discovery and monetization. Observers say an official client reduces friction for both creators and consumers and restores Google’s ability to apply platform policies consistently.
“A native app reduces fragmentation and ensures creators’ immersive content appears as intended on headsets,”
Independent XR researcher
Developers who built early Vision Pro YouTube viewers saw the removal of those apps as a predictable outcome once Google prioritized an official client. Some argued the interim period accelerated innovation, while others noted the commercial risks of operating outside platform rules.
“Third-party viewers filled a real user need, but platform rules were always going to shape which solutions survive,”
App developer community representative
Google’s product notes emphasize the spatial watch experience and feature parity with regular YouTube accounts, framing the release as both user-focused and platform-consistent.
“The app brings channels, creators and spatial formats into an extended-reality watch experience,”
Google (product announcement)
Unconfirmed
- Global rollout schedule: It is not confirmed which App Store regions will see the app immediately and which will wait for later waves.
- Advertising behavior in spatial mode: Details on how ads will be formatted or targeted in immersive playback are not fully documented by Google yet.
- Long-term third-party policy: Whether some third-party viewers will be permitted again under revised guidelines remains unclear.
Bottom Line
The arrival of an official YouTube app for Apple Vision Pro is a material improvement for users who wanted an integrated, signed-in experience on visionOS. Native support for 3D, 360 and VR180 formats should make immersive content more discoverable and consistent across headsets, while 8K support on M5 models highlights how hardware tiers affect the highest-quality playback.
For Google and Apple, the release balances user experience with platform governance: Google regains control over content delivery and monetization, while Apple benefits from a stronger app lineup for Vision Pro. Watch for regional rollout details, ad-format guidance and creator responses in the coming weeks as the ecosystem adjusts to the official client.
Sources
- 9to5Mac — technology news report summarizing the release.
- Apple — official product information for Apple Vision Pro (official).
- YouTube on the App Store — official app listing (Apple App Store).