It's been months, but a bug in the YouTube Android app is still causing issues when watching videos in full-screen.
The issue first appeared in late April, when people started reporting that the "Watch next" suggestions row renders over the bottom player area in landscape mode. This hides the progress bar and video timer behind the recommendations, making it impossible to drag the progress bar.
Google hasn't done anything to resolve—or even publicly acknowledge—this bug. It's particularly frustrating for long videos because viewers can't jump to specific sections or check elapsed time. Some viewers also say the overlay covers part of the video content itself, not just the controls, per Android Headlines.
Some users mention workarounds like updating the app, fully closing it, then reopening YouTube. Others toggle orientation from landscape to portrait and back while a video plays. Another trick is to tap a suggested thumbnail, then use the back arrow to return to the original video, which often resets the overlay so the controls reappear correctly.
Until Google formally addresses the bug, these steps—none of which are foolproof—might be the only way to continue watching YouTube videos on Android.