In a recent update, YouTube introduced a feature that lets users effectively turn off Shorts by setting their daily Shorts limit to zero minutes. When activated, the change removes Shorts from the Home feed and significantly reduces how often they appear in recommendations across the app.
This expands on earlier time-management tools that previously allowed users to only limit Shorts usage, with 15 minutes being the lowest option. The new setting pushes that further by offering a more complete opt-out style experience for users who prefer not to see short-form content while scrolling.
How the feature works
The option is available within YouTube’s settings under the Time Management section, where users can adjust how much Shorts content they want to encounter each day. By selecting the zero-minute limit, the system stops recommending Shorts in the Home feed and reduces their presence in algorithm-driven suggestions.
As a result, the Shorts shelf is hidden from the main browsing experience, and users are less likely to come across vertical videos unless they actively seek them out.
The feature is currently rolling out on mobile devices, including both Android and iOS, although availability may vary depending on the account. It is also not yet accessible to all users globally, as YouTube appears to be releasing it gradually in phases. Even when enabled, Shorts are not fully removed from the platform and may still appear through search results, direct links or within channel pages depending on how content is accessed.
Wider set of Shorts controls
This update is not happening in isolation. Over the past year, YouTube has gradually introduced more ways for users to control Shorts visibility, including options to reduce them in search results and limit their appearance in recommendations.
More recently, the platform expanded these controls beyond parental restrictions, making them available to general users.
Taken together, these changes suggest a steady move toward more personalized content feeds, rather than a uniform layout for all users.