Understanding YouTube Shorts and Why You Might Want to Turn Them Off
YouTube Shorts are short-form videos that typically last 15 to 60 seconds. They appeared on YouTube starting in 2021 as the platform's response to TikTok and Instagram Reels. If you use YouTube on your phone, tablet, or computer, you've likely seen Shorts displayed in a dedicated section or mixed into your regular video feed.
How to Replace a Sill Plate Guide for Homeowners →
Many people find Shorts useful for discovering quick content during breaks or while waiting. However, others find them distracting or simply prefer watching longer videos. Some users report that Shorts consume data on mobile devices, interrupt their viewing experience, or clutter their recommendations with content they don't want to see. Parents sometimes want to restrict access to Shorts for younger viewers. Understanding what Shorts are and why they exist helps explain why YouTube includes them so prominently in the platform.
YouTube does not offer a single "turn off Shorts" button that removes them entirely from the platform. Instead, YouTube provides several methods to reduce how often you see Shorts or to limit their prominence in your feed. The specific options available depend on what device you're using and what version of the YouTube app or website you have installed.
Practical takeaway: Shorts cannot be completely disabled on YouTube, but you can significantly reduce their visibility through settings on your specific device.
Disabling Shorts on the YouTube Mobile App for iPhone and iPad
The YouTube app for iOS devices (iPhone and iPad) does not have a dedicated setting to turn off Shorts completely. However, you can reduce how prominently they appear and manage your viewing experience. The most effective method involves adjusting your YouTube home feed preferences and notification settings.
Free Guide to Low-Income Senior Housing in California →
To begin, open the YouTube app on your iPhone or iPad and tap the profile icon in the bottom right corner. From there, select "Settings." Look for the section labeled "Notifications" and review which alerts you receive. You can disable notifications for new Shorts from channels you follow, which reduces the encouragement to watch them. Additionally, in the main Settings menu, you'll find options related to "General" settings and "Playback" settings. While these don't specifically hide Shorts, they let you control autoplay behavior, which affects how automatically videos—including Shorts—begin playing.
Another approach involves managing your YouTube homepage. When you open the YouTube app on iOS, you land on the Home tab. Unlike Android, iOS does not offer a toggle to hide the Shorts shelf from the Home feed. However, you can minimize engagement with Shorts by swiping past the Shorts section quickly and instead clicking on longer videos. You can also tap the "Not interested" option when a Short appears in your feed, which trains YouTube's algorithm to show you fewer similar videos.
If you want a more restrictive experience, consider using Restricted Mode in YouTube settings. This mode is designed for parental controls and limits access to certain types of content. Tap your profile icon, go to Settings, and select "Restricted Mode." Toggle it on. This may limit some Shorts content from appearing, though it's not a complete solution.
Practical takeaway: iPhone and iPad users should adjust notification settings, use the "Not interested" feature on unwanted Shorts, and consider enabling Restricted Mode for stronger content filtering.
Disabling Shorts on the YouTube Mobile App for Android
Android users have more control over Shorts visibility compared to iOS users. The YouTube app on Android devices offers a setting that lets you hide the Shorts shelf from your Home feed, though this doesn't prevent Shorts from appearing elsewhere in the app.
Learn About Your DMV Points and Driving Record →
To hide Shorts on Android, open the YouTube app and tap your profile icon at the top right. Select "Settings." Then tap "General." Look for an option labeled "Show Shorts on Home" or similar wording (exact language varies depending on your app version). Toggle this setting off. This action removes the dedicated Shorts shelf that normally appears on your YouTube home screen, making Shorts less visible when you first open the app.
Keep in mind that this setting only affects the Home feed. Shorts may still appear in your search results, in the Explore tab, or within Subscriptions. If you want additional control, navigate to "Notifications" in Settings and disable notifications related to Shorts content. This stops YouTube from sending you alerts about new Shorts from channels you follow.
Android users can also manage their watch history and search history to influence what YouTube recommends. Go to Settings, then select "Manage all activity." This opens your Google Account activity page. From here, you can delete specific videos from your watch history or delete all history from a certain time period. Removing Shorts from your watch history helps YouTube understand you're not interested in this content type.
Additionally, whenever a Short appears in your feed, you can tap the three-dot menu icon and select "Not interested" or "Don't recommend channel." This feedback directly tells YouTube's algorithm to show you fewer similar videos. Over time, consistently selecting "Not interested" on Shorts shapes your personalized feed.
Practical takeaway: Android users should toggle off "Show Shorts on Home" in Settings, manage notifications, and regularly use the "Not interested" feature to reduce Shorts in their feed.
Reducing Shorts on YouTube Through a Web Browser
YouTube's website version, accessed through a web browser on a computer or mobile browser, does not feature Shorts as prominently as the mobile app. However, you may still see Shorts-style content in your recommendations or search results. Managing your experience through the browser involves using YouTube settings and account preferences.
Learn How Avant Bill Pay Works and Costs →
Visit YouTube.com in your web browser and sign into your account. Click your profile icon in the top right corner and select "Settings." From there, go to "Notifications" to adjust what types of content trigger alerts. You can disable notifications for Shorts specifically if that option appears in your notification preferences.
Another useful setting is "Privacy" in the Settings menu. Here you can control how YouTube uses your watch history and search history to personalize recommendations. You can also pause your watch history temporarily or delete specific videos from it. Reducing Shorts in your watch history tells the YouTube algorithm you're less interested in short-form content.
When browsing YouTube through a web browser, you'll notice the Explore section sometimes contains Shorts. If you want to avoid these, simply stay on the Home or Subscriptions tabs instead. The Home tab on the website typically shows longer videos from channels you follow. On the Subscriptions tab, you see primarily longer videos from channels you've subscribed to, as Shorts from subscribers are less likely to dominate this view.
If you use YouTube on a shared computer, you might want to sign out after each session. YouTube personalizes content based on your account history, so logging out prevents your Shorts viewing—or someone else's—from affecting what you see next time. For a family computer, this provides an additional layer of control.
Practical takeaway: Browser users should adjust notification settings, manage watch history through Settings, and focus on the Subscriptions tab to minimize Shorts exposure.
Using Parental Controls and YouTube Restricted Mode
If you're concerned about Shorts for a younger person or want to set family viewing policies, YouTube offers Restricted Mode and parental control features. Restricted Mode is a filtering tool that limits access to certain content, including some Shorts videos. While it doesn't block all Shorts, it removes content flagged as potentially inappropriate for younger viewers.
Learn About Paying Your Water and Sewer Bill →
To enable Restricted Mode, sign into your YouTube account (either on the app or website), click your profile icon, and select "Restricted Mode." Toggle the setting on. Note that Restricted Mode is tied to your account, so it follows you across devices when you're signed in. Some parents use a separate account with Restricted Mode enabled for family devices to provide consistent filtering.
For families with young children, YouTube also offers YouTube Kids, a separate app designed specifically for children ages 13 and under. YouTube Kids does not feature Shorts; instead, it shows age-appropriate longer videos selected by parents and YouTube's content team. YouTube Kids allows parents to set screen time limits, approve specific channels, and control what content their children see. This app represents the strongest option if you want to completely avoid Shorts for younger viewers.
On Android devices, you can set up a restricted profile or guest account that has limited app access. Create a separate Google Account for a child or young person, configure it with parental controls through Google Family Link, and restrict which apps can be used, including YouTube. This method provides device-level control beyond YouTube's built-in features.