YouTube has started displaying the View count on its videos using the Indian numbering format that includes units such as ‘lakhs’ and ‘crores’ rather than millions and billions. With the new format, videos with 15,00,000 views will now be displayed as 15 lakh views instead of 1.5M (million), while videos with 500,000 views will be displayed as 5 lakh views instead of 500K.
The feature is very likely still in an experimental stage, given that it doesn’t seem to be available very widely. It’s not available for me either on the website or on the Android app, although, some of my colleagues seemed to have got it on their devices. As you’d imagine, the new format will not be applicable globally, but only in India, and possibly in other South Asian countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh that also use the same system.
For the uninitiated, in the South Asian numbering system, a ‘lakh’ (or lac) refers to 100,000, while a ‘crore’ refers to 10 million. That means a million is referred to as ’10 lakh’ in the region, while a billion would translate to ‘100 crore’. The system is used across the board in the subcontinent to count money, people or anything else.
Meanwhile, some users who are already seeing the new format are up in arms about the change, and are complaining on YouTube’s support forums. Many of them, however, seem to be claiming that changing the location to UK or the language to English (UK) is reverting the format to ‘millions and ‘billions’. Either way, if the new system available for you, do let us know if you like it or if you prefer the older format.
I prefer the old one tbh
I prefer the old format,because we are used to it.
I prefer the old format
I don’t like it one bit. If you know how to revert this to its original state please let us know, I will forever be grateful!
Any Idea How I can Change it so it can show Millions again rather than Lakhs and crore.
Hi Kushagra, as mentioned in the article, some users are reporting that changing the language from English (India) to English (UK) is doing the trick for them.
I hate this change alot, want the old system back.
I am an Indian and I personally don’t like it. I have been watching YouTube videos for 4 years now and I am used to the international system. Atleast YouTube should give us a option to turn it on or off according to our preference. I want to see Pewdiepie’s channel page to display he has 104 Million subscribers, not 10.4crore. Technically it’s the same but not visually. In the international system view count would be shown like 1k->10k->100k. Now it’s like
1k->10k->1lakh. I don’t want this and I didn’t sign up for this
I got the update and I really like this format. Seeing things in millions and billions and converting them to lakhs and crores in my mind is a hectic process. From now on I can estimate things correctly
Changing the language from English (India) to English (United States) will solve this view count format issue
Used only English US language
It’s very irritating, i need the millions back.
Definately the old format. This one sucks. We are used to the older format and its convienient. Even though I’m India views and likes when used for comparison makes more sense in the older format. Now I have calculate back to k and m. It’s pretty dumb
This is showing into my account as well. my account is based from india but i am located in Malaysia. looks like they are showing based in country selected in account.
Older version for sure.
The new numbering system really irritates me. Please bring back the international ones.
Hell yeah, I like the older format.
I absolutely HATE the new Indian numbering system format. Atleast give us an option to choose, YouTube! For now I’m just switching my phone language to English UK and the millions, billion format is back for me.