Many users find the continuous stream of YouTube Shorts disruptive when they seek in-depth tutorials, long-form reviews, or quiet background music. The platform’s aggressive promotion of these vertical videos can clutter feeds and consume data, leading to a frustrating user experience. This guide provides a clear, step-by-step method to disable YouTube Shorts, ensuring your home page and subscription feed reflect your preference for traditional, longer content.
Understanding YouTube Shorts and the Disable Option
YouTube Shorts are short-form videos, typically under 60 seconds, designed to compete with platforms like TikTok. While popular for creators, not every viewer wants them dominating their primary viewing space. It is important to note that YouTube does not offer a global setting to permanently delete all Shorts from the platform. However, a specific feed setting allows you to hide the "Shorts" shelf from your homepage and subscription tab, effectively removing the curated collection of these videos from your main view.
How to Disable Shorts on the YouTube Homepage
The most direct way to reduce Shorts visibility is to remove the dedicated Shorts shelf from your main landing page. This action hides the row of videos labeled "Shorts" that appears between regular video uploads and trending content. Follow these steps to reclaim your homepage real estate for longer videos.
Step-by-Step Guide for Mobile and Tablet
Performing this action on an iOS or Android device involves a long press gesture to access hidden feed controls. This intuitive method puts you in charge of your browsing environment without navigating complex menus.
Open the YouTube app and ensure you are on the Home tab.
Locate the section labeled "Shorts" just below the search bar.
Press and hold your finger on the word "Shorts" for a few seconds.
A menu will pop up with the option "Don't show shorts feed." Tap this option.
Confirm the change by tapping "Done" to finalize the adjustment.
Step-by-Step Guide for Desktop Browser
The desktop interface relies on a simple click-based interface rather than touch gestures, making the process quick and straightforward for PC and Mac users.
Navigate to the YouTube homepage while logged into your account.
Find the gray bar that says "Shorts" below the search bar.
Click the three vertical dots (⋮) located at the right end of the Shorts bar.
Select "Don't show shorts feed" from the dropdown menu.
The Shorts shelf will immediately disappear from your feed.
Managing Shorts on Your Subscription Feed
Even after hiding the main Shorts shelf, new videos from channels you subscribe to can still appear in the "Videos" tab of your subscription feed. If you prefer a completely uninterrupted subscription experience, you can disable the display of Shorts specifically within this section. This ensures that when you check for new uploads from creators you follow, you only see standard-length videos. The Impact on Recommendations and Data Usage Disabling Shorts not only organizes your interface but can also positively influence your recommendation algorithm. By signaling a lack of interest through these settings, you may notice a reduction in Shorts suggestions appearing elsewhere, such as the "Up Next" sidebar. Furthermore, since Shorts are often high-resolution by default, removing the feed can lead to reduced mobile data consumption, which is beneficial for users with limited plans.
