How to Turn Off YouTube Shorts in 2026

You open YouTube to watch one tutorial. Then a Short catches your eye. You tap it, swipe once, and before long, ten minutes are gone.

That’s why so many people want to turn off YouTube Shorts without giving up regular videos, music, podcasts, reviews, or educational content.

For years, YouTube gave users a few ways to reduce Shorts recommendations, but there wasn’t a proper off switch. That changed in 2026. The YouTube mobile app now lets you set the daily Shorts feed limit to zero minutes.

That sounds like a complete block, but it isn’t quite that simple.

The setting stops normal access to the endless Shorts feed. However, individual Shorts may still appear in subscriptions, search results, creator pages, notifications, playlists, or shared links.

This guide explains what the setting really does, how to turn it on, what to do if you can’t find it, and how to make YouTube feel much less cluttered.

Can You Turn Off YouTube Shorts Completely?

YouTube now offers an official zero-minute Shorts limit.

You’ll find it here:

YouTube app > You > Settings > Time management > Shorts feed limit > 0 minutes

Once you select zero minutes, YouTube should block normal access to the scrolling Shorts feed and show a limit notice instead.

Still, it doesn’t remove Shorts from every corner of the platform.

You may continue to see individual Shorts in your subscriptions, search results, channel pages, notifications, or direct links.

Question	Answer
Does YouTube offer an official Shorts control?	Yes
Can you set the limit to zero minutes?	Yes
Does it stop normal Shorts scrolling?	Yes
Does it remove every Short from YouTube?	No
Can Shorts still appear in subscriptions?	Yes
Is the setting available in the mobile app?	Yes
Is there a matching desktop setting?	Not officially documented
Does YouTube Premium remove Shorts?	No

The best way to describe it is simple:

Zero minutes turns off the Shorts feed, but it doesn’t erase the Shorts format from YouTube.

How to Turn Off YouTube Shorts on Android

The official control sits inside the YouTube app.

Set the Shorts Feed Limit to Zero

1. Open the YouTube app.
2. Sign in to your Google Account.
3. Tap the You tab.
4. Tap the Settings icon.
5. Select Time management.
6. Tap Shorts feed limit.
7. Choose 0 minutes.
8. Return to the Home screen.
9. Close and reopen the app if nothing changes right away.

Step	What to Tap	What It Does
1	You	Opens your account area
2	Settings	Opens YouTube preferences
3	Time management	Shows viewing controls
4	Shorts feed limit	Displays limit options
5	0 minutes	Stops normal Shorts scrolling
6	Reopen the app	Refreshes the feed

After you select zero minutes, opening the Shorts tab should bring up a message saying you’ve reached your limit.

On a standard adult account, YouTube may still let you ignore that message. So the feature adds a strong barrier, but it isn’t always an unbreakable lock.

Set It on Every Account You Use

The setting applies to the account you’re signed into.

If you switch between personal, work, brand, or family accounts, you’ll need to set the limit on each one.

The same applies if you watch YouTube while signed out. Your account settings may not carry over to a signed-out session.

How to Turn Off YouTube Shorts on iPhone and iPad

The steps on iPhone are almost the same.

1. Open YouTube.
2. Tap the You tab.
3. Open Settings.
4. Select Time management.
5. Tap Shorts feed limit.
6. Choose 0 minutes.
7. Close and reopen the app.

Device	Best Method	Main Limitation
Android phone	Set the Shorts limit to zero	The warning may be bypassed
iPhone	Set the Shorts limit to zero	Shorts may still appear elsewhere
Android tablet	Check the same mobile menu	The layout may look different
iPad	Check Time management	Availability may vary
Desktop browser	Use recommendation or browser tools	No official zero-minute control
Smart TV	Check account behavior manually	No matching menu is documented

If you can’t see the option on an iPad or Android tablet, check the same account on a phone. YouTube doesn’t always roll out the same menus to every device at once.

What the Zero-Minute Setting Actually Changes

The zero-minute limit targets the scrolling Shorts feed.

That’s different from removing every video YouTube labels as a Short.

A Short can still appear in several places. A creator you follow may upload one, for example, and it may show up in your Subscriptions feed even after you’ve set the limit to zero.

YouTube Area	What Usually Happens
Shorts tab	Shows a limit notice
Shorts shelf on Home	May disappear
Subscriptions feed	Shorts may remain
Creator channel pages	Shorts tabs may remain
Search results	Shorts may still appear
Shared links	Individual Shorts may still open
Notifications	Shorts alerts may still arrive
Playlists	Saved Shorts remain
YouTube Studio	Creator tools stay the same
Embedded videos	Shorts may still play

The setting also doesn’t:

• Delete Shorts from your history
• Remove every Shorts button
• Unsubscribe you from creators
• Hide all vertical videos
• Delete Shorts you uploaded
• Remove saved Shorts from playlists
• Apply to every account automatically
• Guarantee that an adult user can’t bypass the warning

That last point matters. The feature works best as a speed bump. It makes mindless scrolling less convenient, but it doesn’t always make it impossible.

Turn Off YouTube Shorts Without Losing Good Recommendations

You may still want YouTube to recommend useful long-form content.

In that case, don’t clear your entire watch history right away. Start with the narrower controls first.

A better setup is:

1. Set the Shorts feed limit to zero.
2. Choose Show fewer Shorts.
3. Remove accidental Shorts from your watch history.
4. Mark irrelevant clips Not interested.
5. Keep watching the longer videos you genuinely enjoy.
6. Leave watch history on unless you want a much less personalized Home page.

Action	Effect on Shorts	Effect on Regular Recommendations
Set feed limit to zero	Strong	Low
Show fewer Shorts	Moderate	Low
Delete selected Shorts from history	Moderate	Low
Use Not interested	Moderate	Low
Pause all watch history	Broad	High
Clear all watch history	Broad	High

This approach works well if you still want recommendations for tutorials, documentaries, interviews, reviews, or podcasts.

Use “Show Fewer Shorts” on the Home Page

YouTube also offers a separate control called Show fewer Shorts.

This doesn’t block the feed. It simply tells YouTube to recommend fewer Shorts on Home and in other recommendation areas.

How to Use It

1. Open the YouTube mobile app.
2. Go to the Home feed.
3. Scroll until you see a Shorts shelf.
4. Tap More at the top of the shelf.
5. Select Show fewer Shorts.

Control	What It Does	What It Doesn’t Do
Shorts feed limit	Restricts Shorts scrolling	Doesn’t erase all Shorts
Show fewer Shorts	Reduces Shorts recommendations	Doesn’t create a permanent ban
Not interested	Rejects one recommendation	Doesn’t remove the whole format
Don’t recommend channel	Reduces suggestions from one channel	Doesn’t unsubscribe you
Remove from watch history	Deletes a viewing signal	Doesn’t hide Shorts immediately

The wording matters here. YouTube says “fewer,” not “none.”

The Shorts shelf can return later as your viewing habits change. That’s why this setting works best alongside the zero-minute limit.

Mark Unwanted Shorts as “Not Interested”

When an unwanted Short appears:

1. Tap the three-dot menu.
2. Choose Not interested.
3. Pick a reason if YouTube asks.

You may also see Don’t recommend channel.

Use that option carefully. A creator might post useful long videos as well as Shorts. Blocking the whole channel could hide content you actually want.

Option	Best Used For
Not interested	One irrelevant video
Don’t recommend channel	An unwanted creator
Dislike	A negative response to the video
Remove from watch history	An accidental viewing signal
Show fewer Shorts	Reducing the format overall

The key is to be selective.

You don’t need to dislike every Short you see. In fact, repeatedly opening clips just to reject them can still send a signal that you engage with that content.

Read Also:  DHow to Recovereleted YouTube Videos

Remove Shorts From Your Watch History

Watch history plays a big role in YouTube recommendations.

If you watch several Shorts, even by accident, YouTube may assume you want more. Removing those videos can help clean up your feed without wiping out your useful history.

Delete One Short

1. Open YouTube.
2. Tap You.
3. Open History.
4. Find the Short.
5. Tap the three-dot menu.
6. Select Remove from watch history.

Remove More Activity

You can also open Manage all history through YouTube or your Google Account.

From there, you can:

• Delete individual videos
• Delete activity from a chosen date
• Clear all watch history
• Pause history
• Set an auto-delete period

History Action	Best Use	Trade-Off
Delete one Short	Correct one accidental view	Takes manual effort
Delete several Shorts	Clean up a scrolling session	Can take time
Delete a date range	Remove a larger block of activity	May remove regular video history too
Clear all watch history	Reset recommendations	Removes useful signals
Pause watch history	Stop new activity from being saved	Weakens personalization

Start small.

Deleting a few unwanted Shorts is usually enough. Clearing everything should be the last step, not the first.

Pause Watch History for a Simpler Home Page

Pausing watch history is a broader move.

It can reduce personalized recommendations, but it also affects long-form videos.

A common path is:

1. Open YouTube.
2. Tap You or your profile picture.
3. Open Settings.
4. Select Manage all history or History and privacy.
5. Pause watch history.

Benefit	Drawback
Stops new views shaping recommendations	Regular recommendations become less useful
Reduces the impact of accidental Shorts	Recently watched videos are harder to find
Can make Home feel simpler	Music and tutorial discovery may drop
Works well for search-first viewing	Less useful for people who enjoy discovery

This setup works best if you usually search for a specific video, open saved playlists, or go straight to channels you follow.

It’s less helpful if you rely on YouTube to find new content for you.

Turn Off Moving Video Previews

Sometimes Shorts feel distracting even when you don’t open them.

Moving previews on the Home page can pull your attention in the same way. Turning them off makes the app feel calmer.

Look for Playback in feeds in YouTube’s settings and switch it off.

The option may appear under General or another playback-related menu, depending on your device.

Setting	What It Controls	Does It Disable Shorts?
Shorts feed limit	Daily Shorts scrolling	Partly
Playback in feeds	Moving previews while browsing	No
Autoplay	What plays after a regular video	No
Take a Break	Viewing reminders	No
Bedtime reminder	Nighttime prompts	No
Device app timer	Total time in YouTube	No, but limits the whole app

Don’t confuse Playback in feeds with Autoplay.

Autoplay controls what happens after a regular video ends. It doesn’t stop the vertical Shorts feed.

Use Take-a-Break and Bedtime Controls

The zero-minute limit deals with Shorts. YouTube also offers tools for cutting down your total viewing time.

Take-a-Break Reminder

This setting shows a reminder after a chosen amount of viewing time.

You can dismiss it, but it creates a useful pause.

Bedtime Reminder

This setting shows a prompt during a time window you choose.

It can help if you tend to watch Shorts late at night.

Tool	Best Use
Zero-minute Shorts limit	Avoiding the Shorts feed
Custom Shorts limit	Allowing controlled Shorts use
Take-a-Break reminder	Interrupting long sessions
Bedtime reminder	Reducing late-night viewing
Phone app timer	Limiting all YouTube use
Family controls	Managing a supervised account

These reminders aren’t a replacement for the Shorts limit, but they can make the overall setup stronger.

How to Hide YouTube Shorts on Desktop

The official zero-minute control is documented for the YouTube mobile app.

YouTube doesn’t currently provide the same setting on desktop, so browser users need another approach.

Start Somewhere Other Than Home

Bookmark a page that leads to intentional viewing:

• Subscriptions
• Watch Later
• A personal playlist
• A trusted channel
• YouTube History
• A saved search

This won’t remove Shorts, but it helps you avoid the recommendation-heavy Home page.

Use Built-In Feedback

On desktop, use the options YouTube already gives you:

• Select Not interested
• Select Don’t recommend channel
• Remove Shorts from your watch history
• Use Show fewer Shorts in the mobile app on the same account

Use a Browser Extension Carefully

Some browser extensions can hide:

• The Shorts sidebar button
• Shorts shelves
• Shorts tabs on channel pages
• Shorts in search results
• Shorts in subscription feeds

Desktop Method	Effectiveness	Privacy Risk
Bookmark Subscriptions	Moderate	Low
Use Not interested	Low to moderate	Low
Clean watch history	Moderate	Low
Use custom content-blocker rules	High	Medium
Install a Shorts-hiding extension	High	Medium to high
Use a modified YouTube client	Varies	High

Before you install an extension, check:

• Who made it
• What permissions it wants
• Whether it has a privacy policy
• How recent the reviews are
• When it was last updated
• Whether the source code is public
• Whether it only needs access to YouTube

Avoid any extension that asks you to type your Google password into a separate form.

Also keep in mind that YouTube changes its layout often. A filter that works today may stop working after an update.

Turn Off YouTube Shorts for a Child or Teen

YouTube’s Family Center lets parents set Shorts limits on supervised child and teen accounts.

Use Family Center

1. Open YouTube with the parent account.
2. Go to Family Center.
3. Select the child or teen’s account.
4. Choose Time management.
5. Find the daily Shorts feed limit.
6. Set it to 0 minutes.

Parent Control	Purpose
Zero-minute Shorts limit	Stops normal Shorts scrolling
Custom daily limit	Allows a fixed amount of Shorts use
Bedtime reminder	Adds nighttime boundaries
Take-a-Break reminder	Adds viewing pauses
Content settings	Adjusts age-based access
Channel or video blocking	Restricts selected content

A supervised setting is stronger than asking a child to turn on a reminder themselves.

Even so, no control covers every possible route.

A child may still open YouTube through:

• Another account
• A signed-out browser
• A shared device
• A smart TV
• An embedded video
• A link inside another app

Clear family rules still matter. The setting works best when children understand when YouTube is allowed and what they should do when something inappropriate appears.

Why the Zero-Minute Option May Be Missing

You may not see the setting right away.

Common reasons include:

• An outdated YouTube app
• A staged account rollout
• A device-specific layout
• A different signed-in account
• A school or work-managed device
• Cached app data
• A temporary app bug
• A tablet or TV interface with fewer controls

Problem	Best Fix
Time management is missing	Update YouTube
Zero minutes is missing	Restart the app and check again
One account has it, another doesn’t	Set each account separately
Shorts still appear on Home	Refresh and use Show fewer Shorts
Android menu looks outdated	Clear the app cache
iPhone menu won’t update	Offload or reinstall YouTube
A managed device blocks changes	Contact the administrator
Desktop has no setting	Use browser or recommendation tools

Update YouTube

On Android:

1. Open Google Play.
2. Search for YouTube.
3. Tap Update.
4. Restart the app.

On iPhone:

1. Open the App Store.
2. Tap your profile picture.
3. Find YouTube.
4. Tap Update.
5. Reopen the app.

Clear YouTube’s Cache on Android

1. Open Android Settings.
2. Select Apps.
3. Choose YouTube.
4. Tap Storage and cache.
5. Select Clear cache.

Avoid tapping Clear storage unless you need to. It may reset the app and sign you out.

Offload or Reinstall YouTube on iPhone

1. Open iPhone Settings.
2. Go to General > iPhone Storage.
3. Select YouTube.
4. Tap Offload App.
5. Reinstall it.
6. Check Time management again.

Methods That Don’t Turn Off YouTube Shorts

A lot of common tips sound useful but don’t actually disable Shorts.

Method	What It Really Does
Turn off Autoplay	Stops another regular video from starting
Buy YouTube Premium	Removes most ads
Enable Restricted Mode	Filters some mature content
Dislike one Short	Sends feedback about one video
Clear the cache	Refreshes app files
Mute the phone	Removes sound
Use Incognito	Separates that session from normal history
Unsubscribe from a creator	Removes that channel from subscriptions
Disable notifications	Stops alerts
Hide a menu button	Hides an interface element only

YouTube Premium Doesn’t Remove Shorts

Premium removes most ads and adds features such as background play and offline downloads.

It doesn’t create a Shorts-free version of YouTube.

Restricted Mode Isn’t a Shorts Filter

Restricted Mode screens out some mature content.

It doesn’t remove an entire video format, so suitable Shorts can still appear.

Autoplay Doesn’t Control Shorts

Autoplay decides whether another regular video starts after the current one.

It doesn’t control the endless vertical feed.

The Best “No Shorts” Setup

For the cleanest practical setup, combine several controls:

1. Set the Shorts feed limit to 0 minutes.
2. Choose Show fewer Shorts.
3. Delete accidental Shorts from watch history.
4. Mark unwanted recommendations Not interested.
5. Turn off Playback in feeds.
6. Open YouTube through Subscriptions or Watch Later.
7. Reduce unwanted channel notifications.
8. Repeat the setup on every account.
9. Use a trusted desktop filter only if needed.
10. Use Family Center for supervised children and teens.

User Type	Best Setup
Casual viewer	Zero minutes + Show fewer Shorts
Student	Zero minutes + playback previews off
Long-form viewer	Zero minutes + selective history cleanup
Parent	Family Center + supervised limit
Desktop user	Subscription bookmark + browser filtering
Search-first viewer	Pause history only if needed
Creator	Keep viewing controls separate from publishing tools

Final Thoughts

The easiest official way to turn off YouTube Shorts in 2026 is:

YouTube app > You > Settings > Time management > Shorts feed limit > 0 minutes

That setting gives you the strongest built-in control YouTube currently offers.

It can stop the endless Shorts feed and may remove Shorts from the Home page. Still, it won’t erase every Short from subscriptions, search, channel pages, direct links, notifications, or playlists.

For the best result, pair zero minutes with Show fewer Shorts, selective history cleanup, Not interested feedback, disabled feed previews, and a direct shortcut to Subscriptions or Watch Later.

YouTube may never feel completely Shorts-free, but this setup gets you much closer without giving up the parts of the platform you actually use.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Zero-Minute Setting a Permanent Block?

Not always.

It stops normal access to the Shorts feed, but a standard adult account may still allow you to ignore the warning.

Why Can I Still See Shorts After Setting Zero Minutes?

The setting mainly controls the scrolling feed.

Shorts may still appear in subscriptions, search, channel pages, direct links, notifications, or playlists.

Does Zero Minutes Remove Shorts From Home?

It may remove the Shorts shelf from Home, but behavior can vary by account, device, or app version.

Can I Use the Setting Without Signing In?

The official setting works through a signed-in YouTube account.

A signed-out session may not follow the same limit.

Can I Keep Long-Form Recommendations?

Yes.

Leave watch history on and use the Shorts-specific limit, Show fewer Shorts, and selective history cleanup.