You can now turn off YouTube shorts entirely
Source: Mashable Tech
New Shorts Time Limit Setting
The platform has begun rolling out a new setting in its iOS and Android apps that allows users to set a very strict daily limit for scrolling through the Shorts feed, per The Verge.
- You can now set the limit to zero minutes, effectively removing the Shorts feed from the main navigation.
- Individual Shorts will still appear on a creator’s channel page, but tapping the Shorts tab at the bottom of the screen will display a message indicating that you’ve reached your daily limit, preventing further Shorts viewing for the day.
There it is. – Screenshot: YouTube
How It Works
- Open the YouTube app on iOS or Android.
- Navigate to Settings → General → Shorts feed limit.
- Choose 0 minutes to disable the feed entirely, or select a higher limit (e.g., 15 minutes) if you prefer a softer restriction.
- Once the limit is reached, the Shorts tab will show a message that you’ve hit your daily cap.
Previous Limits
YouTube initially introduced a Shorts feed time limit a few months ago, with the shortest available setting being 15 minutes. After reaching the set limit, the app would block further Shorts viewing for the remainder of the day. This option remains available for both adult users and parental controls, now alongside the new zero‑minute option.
Why It Matters
Shorts have become a major part of YouTube’s strategy, serving as a TikTok competitor and a hub for videos that often originate on TikTok. However, the feed has also been criticized for encouraging endless scrolling of low‑quality or “brain‑rot” content, as discussed in a recent study on AI‑generated videos. Giving users the ability to completely disable the Shorts feed provides a way to curb unwanted consumption and regain control over their viewing habits.