If you’ve grown tired of the constant stream of short-form vertical videos on YouTube and want a cleaner, more focused experience, you’re not alone. Many users find the “Shorts” section distracting, time-consuming or simply irrelevant.
The big question: Can you actually disable YouTube Shorts entirely? In this article you’ll learn what your options are, what you can and can’t do, how to reduce or remove them from your feed and tips for getting a more distraction-free YouTube experience in the U.S.
What Are YouTube Shorts and Why They Might Bother You
YouTube Shorts is a vertical, usually under-60-seconds video format that YouTube introduced to compete with TikTok and Instagram Reels. It’s designed to boost engagement and keep users on the platform quickly. While many creators and viewers enjoy it, there are valid reasons you might want to avoid them: they demand less attention span, interrupt your long-form viewing flow and can push content you don’t enjoy.
Since Shorts are built into the YouTube ecosystem, do note: YouTube does not currently offer a native toggle to fully disable Shorts in the app or website. The platform maintains that this feed is essential to how YouTube engages users.
Why You Can’t Easily Switch Shorts Off
Because Shorts aim to maximize user engagement and ad-views, YouTube places them by default in the Home feed, search results, and even the Shorts tab. Official help documentation confirms you can’t completely get rid of them via YouTube’s own settings. In short: elimination isn’t supported.
That means you’re left with workarounds: training the algorithm, minimizing their exposure or using browser/app extensions.
What You Can Do: Official Built-In Steps
Even though you can’t flip a single “disable” switch, you have some control:
1. Mark Shorts as “Not Interested”
When you see a Short in your feed, tap the three-dot menu and choose “Not interested” or “Show fewer Shorts”. Over time, this teaches YouTube you prefer long-form content.
2. On Desktop: Hide the Shorts Shelf
If you use YouTube on a browser, scroll your Home page to the Shorts row, click the “X” in the top right of the shelf. That will hide the section temporarily (usually 30 days).
3. Disable Watch History
Some users report that turning off your watch history removes algorithm-driven feeds such as Shorts and leaves you principally with your Subscriptions feed. It’s extreme, but effective if you only watch subscribed channels.
Workaround Methods: Extensions & Alternative Apps
To get closer to disabling Shorts entirely, you’ll need third-party tools. These are not officially supported by YouTube, so you use them at your own risk (they often work only on desktop or via modified apps).
- Browser extensions (Chrome, Firefox) such as “Remove YouTube Shorts”, “Shorts Blocker”, or “YouTube Shorts Block” hide the Shorts tab, block the shelf and filter Shorts from results.
- On Android, modified YouTube apps like “ReVanced” (unofficial) or accompanying tools allow turning off the Shorts tab.
- On iPhone/iPad: If you use Safari instead of the YouTube app, you can apply browser blockers that hide “youtube.com/shorts” URLs and remove the short-video elements.
- Use the website version of YouTube in desktop mode on a mobile browser to limit exposure to Shorts features.
Step-By-Step: How to Hide Shorts on Desktop and Mobile
Desktop (Windows/Mac browser)
- Visit youtube.com.
- Scroll the Home feed until you spot the Shorts shelf.
- Click the “X” in the top right of the shelf.
- If using an extension, install it and enable “Hide Shorts”; refresh.
Mobile App (iOS/Android)
- Open the YouTube app.
- When a Short appears, tap the three-dots on the video thumbnail.
- Select “Not interested”. Repeat for several Shorts.
- Optional: In account settings → Your Data → Disable watch history. This may reduce algorithmic Shorts suggestions.
- Alternative: Uninstall updates, use a browser version or install a modified app with Shorts hidden.
Limitations to Understand
- The desktop “X” trick only hides Shorts for about 30 days — they may reappear.
- Not all Shorts are hidden from search results; you might still see them when searching.
- Extensions may stop working after YouTube updates its layout.
- Using unofficial apps or APKs may compromise security or violate terms of service.
- Turning off watch history reduces personalized recommendations, but also affects suggestions for long-form videos.
- On iOS, the app version doesn’t support disabling Shorts; you’re limited to browser solutions or external tools.
Why Many People Want to Disable Shorts
- Distraction & time loss: Many users report spending large blocks of time in the Shorts feed instead of productive viewing or longer videos.
- Data usage: Brief videos can load quickly and tempt you to keep watching, consuming more data on mobile.
- Clutter: If you subscribe to channels and want long-form content only, the Shorts tab and shelf can interfere with your preferred content flow.
- Quality concerns: Some viewers feel the production value of Shorts is low or the creativity is repetitive, so they prefer traditional videos.
- Focus & attention span: Research and anecdotal reports suggest that short-form content encourages rapid switching and may reduce attention span over time.
Should You Disable Shorts? Is It Right for You?
Yes, if you find yourself getting pulled into the Shorts feed against your will; you value long-form content; you want to maintain focus and avoid time-wasting loops. No, if you enjoy the faster pace, viral content and algorithmic discovery that Shorts provide.
Consider these questions:
- How often do you find yourself mindlessly scrolling through Shorts instead of watching what you came to YouTube for?
- Does the presence of Shorts interrupt your workflow, learning, or entertainment flow?
- Would you be okay using the browser version or limiting your app usage to avoid Shorts?
If you answered “yes” to the first two, a limited fix or full workaround is likely worth it.
Best Practical Strategy for U.S. Users
- On mobile, train the algorithm: mark “Not interested” on Shorts consistently.
- On desktop, use the “X” on the Shorts shelf to hide it.
- Consider installing a browser extension if you regularly use YouTube on PC/Mac.
- For mobile, if comfortable, switch to using YouTube in browser mode or explore a modified app.
- In your YouTube account settings: disable watch history, pause recommendations you don’t want, and focus on your Subscriptions tab.
- Use screen-time or digital wellbeing tools to limit your overall YouTube usage if Shorts pull you in too much.
- Periodically review: Are you seeing fewer Shorts? Are your long-form preferred videos taking priority? Adjust as needed.
What the Future Might Bring
YouTube has no confirmed plan to offer a native “disable Shorts” toggle. Given the platform’s business model leveraging engagement, a permanent opt-out is unlikely in the near term. That means users who truly wish to avoid Shorts should rely on the workarounds listed above.
Additionally, watch out for updates: YouTube may shift layouts, introduce new tab placements or alter how Shorts are surfaced, which may require re-applying extensions or changing your setup.
Conclusion:
YouTube Shorts are here to stay. Unfortunately, you cannot disable them entirely using standard YouTube settings. But you do have a variety of effective steps to reduce their visibility, train YouTube to show fewer of them or, with the help of extensions and alternate viewing methods, nearly hide them altogether.
If you value focus, long-form video, and a cleaner YouTube experience, take control of your settings, empower your algorithm and reclaim your feed. It may take a little setup, but the payoff can be large.