Published: September 28, 2024
If you’re wondering how to turn off YouTube Shorts, you’re not alone.
Many YouTube users find the short video format distracting or not suited to their tastes.
While the feature is designed to be quick and fun, some prefer to stick with regular short-form videos.
Here are some tips, facts, and steps on how to manage YouTube Shorts and turn them off if that’s what you want.
YouTube Shorts are short, vertical short-form videos designed to be under 60 seconds long. Think of them as the YouTube app version of TikTok or Instagram Reels.
The format is intended to capture quick, attention-grabbing content, often set to music or trendy audio clips.
Even though YouTube Shorts are wildly popular, not everyone is a fan. Some users feel the Shorts format disrupts their experience of longer, more in-depth videos.
If you’re one of those people, you might be looking for ways to turn off or hide YouTube Shorts to improve your experience on the platform to disable Shorts.
No, there’s no official option to turn off YouTube Shorts right now.
The YouTube app version has not yet added a setting to disable YouTube Shorts from the capp or website completely.
However, there are some workarounds and settings you can try to reduce how often Shorts appear in your YouTube feed.
Let’s dive into these options to disable Shorts.
If you use the YouTube app on your computer, it’s easier to manage your viewing experience.
Here are a few ways to limit how often Shorts show up and to disable Shorts:
Here’s a quick comparison table between YouTube Shorts and traditional videos:
Feature | YouTube Shorts | Traditional YouTube Videos |
Duration | Up to 60 seconds | Up to 12 hours |
Orientation | Vertical (9:16 aspect) | Horizontal (16:9 aspect) |
Monetization | Limited | Full monetization options |
Content Style | Quick, viral, trendy | In-depth, varied |
Visibility | Promoted on YouTube mobile app | Searchable and shared |
The table shows how Shorts are designed for quick, snackable content, while traditional videos offer a deeper viewing experience.
If you prefer in-depth videos, the rise of Shorts can be a bit annoying, but there are ways to improve your feed.
Watching YouTube on a Smart TV or gaming console is often a completely different experience.
The good news is, YouTube Shorts don’t have the same level of prominence on these devices. Most TV and console apps will still favor full-length videos over Shorts.
If you’re managing what kids watch on the YouTube app, the YouTube Kids app can be an excellent alternative.
YouTube Kids focuses more on long-form, educational videos and does not have the same volume of Shorts.
Tip: Adjust the YouTube settings on YouTube Kids to filter content by age and preference, which helps keep things like Shorts out of your kid’s recommendations and you can disable Shorts.
Yes, here are some more strategies to help reduce or avoid the version of the YouTube Shorts:
YouTube is putting a lot of effort into promoting Shorts because of the popularity of short-form content worldwide.
Platforms like TikTok have seen massive growth, with over 1 billion monthly active users as of 2021 (Statista), and YouTube wants to compete in that space.
This is why it’s hard to completely turn off YouTube Shorts; it’s part of their strategy to keep users engaged and coming back for more without the need to disable YouTube shorts.
Even if you can’t officially turn off version of the YouTube Shorts, you can still take some steps to enjoy the platform without these short clips:
So, how to turn off YouTube Shorts entirely?
The truth is, while there’s no direct way to fully disable YouTube Shorts permanently, you can take steps to limit their appearance in your feed.
It requires some effort, like marking Shorts as “Not Interested,” sticking to your subscriptions, and even using browser extensions if needed.
While some find Shorts fun and entertaining, others might prefer the traditional longer videos.
It all comes down to your personal preferences and how you want to use the version of the YouTube Shorts.
By following some of the tips mentioned above, you can make your YouTube experience a lot closer to what you want.
Remember, YouTube is a platform designed to give you control over your viewing experience; make the most of it!
Currently, there’s no official way to completely disable YouTube Shorts. YouTube hasn’t provided a feature to turn them off in the YouTube app settings.
However, you can reduce how often they show up in your feed by marking them as “Not Interested” or avoiding interaction with Shorts content.
As of 2024, you can’t technically “disable” YouTube Shorts, but you can take some steps to see less of them. Here’s what you can do to disable YouTube shorts:
While you can’t completely turn off YouTube Shorts on an iPhone, you can reduce their visibility to disable YouTube shorts:
If you’re concerned about your child watching YouTube Shorts, here are a few things you can do to disable YouTube shorts:
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