How to disable youtube shorts

Overview

YouTube Shorts is a short-form video experience introduced by YouTube as a competitor to platforms like TikTok. These videos are typically vertical and under 60 seconds long. While popular with many users, some prefer to avoid them to focus on longer-form content or simply because they find them distracting. Unfortunately, YouTube does not offer a straightforward, built-in setting to permanently disable or hide YouTube Shorts across all devices.

Why Can't I Just Turn Off Shorts?

YouTube's platform is designed to offer a variety of content formats to cater to a wide audience. Shorts are a significant feature that YouTube is actively promoting. Therefore, they have not implemented a direct toggle to remove them entirely from the user experience. The platform aims to encourage engagement with all its features, and Shorts are a key part of their strategy to keep users on the app.

Strategies to Minimize YouTube Shorts

On Mobile Devices (Android & iOS)

While you can't disable them, you can influence how often they appear:

• Don't Engage: When a Short appears in your feed, simply scroll past it without watching or interacting. The algorithm learns from your behavior, and consistent disengagement might lead to fewer Shorts being recommended over time.
• Close Shorts: If a Short starts playing, you can tap the 'X' or 'back' button to close it. This signals to YouTube that you are not interested in that specific Short.
• Clear Watch History: Regularly clearing your YouTube watch history can help reset the algorithm's understanding of your preferences. Go to your YouTube account settings, find 'History,' and select 'Clear watch history.' This is a more drastic step that will affect recommendations for all videos, not just Shorts.
• Sign Out: Signing out of your YouTube account will provide a less personalized feed, potentially reducing the prominence of Shorts. However, you will also lose your subscriptions and watch history.

On Desktop (Web Browser)

Desktop users have more powerful options, primarily through browser extensions:

• Browser Extensions: Several third-party browser extensions are available for Chrome, Firefox, and other browsers that can effectively hide the Shorts shelf or even the Shorts player. Search your browser's extension store for terms like 'hide YouTube Shorts' or 'disable YouTube Shorts.' Popular options often include features to block the Shorts shelf from appearing on the homepage and search results. Ensure you download extensions from reputable sources and check reviews. Examples include 'BlockTube,' 'Ad Skipper,' or specific 'YouTube Shorts Block' extensions. These extensions work by modifying how the YouTube page is rendered in your browser, preventing the Shorts elements from loading.
• Bookmark Specific Channels: If you primarily want to watch content from specific creators, bookmark their channels directly. This allows you to navigate straight to their content without browsing the main YouTube feed where Shorts are often featured.

Important Considerations

It's important to understand that these methods are workarounds and not official solutions. YouTube may update its platform, and these workarounds, especially browser extensions, might stop functioning if the website's code changes significantly. Furthermore, clearing your watch history will impact recommendations for all types of YouTube content, not just Shorts.

The effectiveness of algorithmic adjustments (like not engaging or clearing history) can vary greatly from user to user, as the algorithm is complex and takes many factors into account. Browser extensions remain the most reliable method for desktop users seeking to completely remove Shorts from their viewing experience.