The YouTube platform has announced a new update that gives users greater control over their content consumption by allowing them to disable short-form videos (Shorts), in a move aimed at reducing excessive scrolling.
The update comes within the “Time Management” settings, where users can now set their Shorts viewing time to “zero minutes,” effectively hiding them from the app on both Android and iOS.
This step builds on the platform’s earlier screen-time feature, which previously had a minimum limit of 15 minutes. YouTube has gradually expanded these options to now allow users to completely stop Shorts from appearing.
How does the Shorts disabling feature work?
When the time limit is activated, Shorts stop appearing in their dedicated tab once the set limit is reached, and a notification informs the user that they have hit their viewing cap.
User tests have also shown that setting the limit to “zero minutes” removes Shorts from the home feed as well, reducing the chances of encountering them randomly.
How to prevent Shorts from appearing on YouTube
This feature does not remove Shorts entirely from the app—they can still be accessed through the subscriptions tab or via direct links—but it creates a kind of “behavioral barrier” that helps reduce unintended consumption.
To enable it, go to the app settings, select “Time Management,” and set the Shorts viewing time limit to “zero minutes” as a daily cap.
This update is part of a broader effort by YouTube to help users better manage their time and reduce overconsumption of short-form content, which has become a major driver of prolonged screen time on digital platforms.
