{"id":18111,"date":"2025-04-24T12:27:35","date_gmt":"2025-04-24T12:27:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kwebby.com\/blog\/?p=18111"},"modified":"2026-10-04T13:16:30","modified_gmt":"2026-10-04T13:16:30","slug":"how-to-disable-youtube-shorts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kwebby.com\/blog\/how-to-disable-youtube-shorts\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Disable YouTube Shorts on Android, iPhone and Desktop"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>YouTube now documents a zero-minute limit for the Shorts feed in its mobile app. It\u2019s a useful place to start, but an ordinary account can dismiss or ignore the limit. It doesn\u2019t give you permanent, universal removal of every Short.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019d choose a method based on where Shorts interrupt you: scrolling on your phone, recommendations on Home, or results in a search. Below, I\u2019ll walk you through those choices and the separate controls for supervised accounts.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Jump to:<\/strong> <a href=\"#set-the-shorts-feed-limit-on-android-or-iphone\">Phone setting<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"#android-check-the-app-and-account-first\">Android<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"#iphone-and-ipad-start-inside-youtube\">iPhone and iPad<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"#keep-shorts-out-of-a-specific-youtube-search\">Search<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"#hide-shorts-in-a-desktop-browser\">Desktop browser<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"#set-shorts-boundaries-for-a-child-or-teen\">Parents<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Source check:<\/strong> Official guidance reviewed on 4 October 2026. This guide distinguishes documented features from device behaviour that hasn\u2019t been independently tested here.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"key-takeaways\">Key takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Start with the built-in mobile feed control<\/li>\n<li>Use Show fewer Shorts to influence Home recommendations<\/li>\n<li>Choose the Video search filter when you\u2019re looking for regular videos<\/li>\n<li>Check an extension\u2019s browser support and permissions before considering it<\/li>\n<li>Use the appropriate supervised-account settings for a child or teen<\/li>\n<li>Keep your app current and security protections enabled<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kwebby.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/kwebby-youtube-shorts-control-map.webp\" alt=\"Diagram matching three YouTube Shorts goals to a phone feed limit, Home recommendation feedback and the Video search filter\" class=\"wp-image-24610\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1024\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kwebby.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/kwebby-youtube-shorts-control-map.webp 1536w, https:\/\/kwebby.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/kwebby-youtube-shorts-control-map-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/kwebby.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/kwebby-youtube-shorts-control-map-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/kwebby.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/kwebby-youtube-shorts-control-map-768x512.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" \/><figcaption>AI-generated explainer: choose the control for the part of YouTube you want to change. An ordinary account can override its self-set feed limit.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"which-method-fits-your-device-and-goal\">Which method fits your device and goal?<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cDisable Shorts\u201d can mean several different things. Hiding a navigation button, changing recommendations and interrupting the scrolling feed each affect a different part of YouTube.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"col\">Your goal<\/th>\n<th scope=\"col\">Start here<\/th>\n<th scope=\"col\">Main limitation<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Interrupt Shorts scrolling in the phone app<\/td>\n<td>Zero-minute feed limit<\/td>\n<td>An ordinary user can override it<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>See fewer suggested Shorts<\/td>\n<td>Show fewer Shorts<\/td>\n<td>Recommendation feedback isn\u2019t a universal block<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Find regular videos in one search<\/td>\n<td>Video content-type filter<\/td>\n<td>Changes that search\u2019s results<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Hide browser navigation or page elements<\/td>\n<td>A browser extension\u2019s documented controls<\/td>\n<td>Browser-specific, with permissions to review<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Set boundaries for a child or teen<\/td>\n<td>Appropriate supervised-account controls<\/td>\n<td>Requires the correct linked account and setup<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Start with one change. Then look at the screen that bothered you. That makes it easier to tell whether the method meets your goal without changing unrelated settings.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"set-the-shorts-feed-limit-on-android-or-iphone\">Set the Shorts feed limit on Android or iPhone<\/h2>\n<p>Use the signed-in YouTube app:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Open the <strong>You<\/strong> tab<\/li>\n<li>Tap <strong>Settings<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Select <strong>Time management<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Open <strong>Shorts feed limit<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Choose <strong>zero<\/strong> from the available limits<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/youtube\/answer\/16671528?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\">YouTube\u2019s official instructions<\/a> explicitly include \u201cthe option to set your Shorts feed limit to zero.\u201d The same page explains that a reached-limit message offers an ordinary user the option to dismiss or ignore it.<\/p>\n<p>That makes this a self-management setting. Parents should use the <a href=\"#set-shorts-boundaries-for-a-child-or-teen\">supervised-account section<\/a> rather than rely on a self-set reminder.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"android-check-the-app-and-account-first\">Android: check the app and account first<\/h3>\n<p>Follow the phone path above in the official YouTube app. If you switch between accounts, confirm which account you\u2019re using before changing its settings.<\/p>\n<p>If your menu doesn\u2019t match, check for an app update through Google Play, then compare your screen with the official Help page. A particular missing option doesn\u2019t establish that you need an old APK, a different country setting or a modified app.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"iphone-and-ipad-start-inside-youtube\">iPhone and iPad: start inside YouTube<\/h3>\n<p>Use YouTube\u2019s settings for the feed control. Apple\u2019s general device settings are a different place, and a browser extension won\u2019t automatically change the native YouTube app.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re following a screenshot from another device, focus on the menu labels rather than expecting every button to sit in the same position. Compare a different-looking menu with official Help before assuming the setting is unavailable.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"check-the-part-of-youtube-you-actually-use\">Check the part of YouTube you actually use<\/h3>\n<p>After making a change, inspect:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The scrolling Shorts feed<\/li>\n<li>Shorts recommendations on Home<\/li>\n<li>The navigation tab<\/li>\n<li>Search results and subscriptions<\/li>\n<li>A Short opened from a channel page or direct link<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These are separate places. The native setting\u2019s documentation does not establish that every one of them disappears. Seeing a thumbnail or navigation label alone doesn\u2019t tell you whether the feed limit is doing its documented job.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"tell-youtube-to-show-fewer-shorts\">Tell YouTube to show fewer Shorts<\/h2>\n<p>If your goal is a less crowded Home feed, recommendation feedback may be enough.<\/p>\n<p>For the Shorts grid in the mobile app:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Go to <strong>Home<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Scroll to a grid of Shorts<\/li>\n<li>Tap <strong>More<\/strong> at the top of that grid<\/li>\n<li>Choose <strong>Show fewer Shorts<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>For an individual recommendation, open its <strong>More<\/strong> menu and use <strong>Not interested<\/strong> where that option is offered. The grid-level choice and the individual-video choice serve different purposes.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kwebby.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/3b35523a-db08-4236-9585-1e0fb64321a9.png\" alt=\"Earlier YouTube app screenshot showing the Not interested option for an individual Short\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"\"><figcaption>Earlier app screenshot of the individual-video Not interested menu. Your current menu layout may differ.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/youtube\/answer\/6342839?co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid&amp;hl=en\" target=\"_blank\">YouTube\u2019s recommendations guide<\/a> describes these as ways to influence what gets suggested. It doesn\u2019t promise to remove every Short or hide them for a fixed number of days.<\/p>\n<p>If Shorts appear again, decide whether your goal is fewer recommendations or a limit on scrolling. Repeating feedback isn\u2019t the same as putting a lock on the feed.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"keep-shorts-out-of-a-specific-youtube-search\">Keep Shorts out of a specific YouTube search<\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019re searching for a tutorial and want regular videos, use the content-type filter.<\/p>\n<p>On a computer:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Run your search on YouTube<\/li>\n<li>Open <strong>Filters<\/strong> above the results<\/li>\n<li>Under the content-type options, choose <strong>Video<\/strong> rather than Shorts<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/youtube\/answer\/111997?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\">YouTube\u2019s current search Help<\/a> lists video and short as separate content types and calls the group <strong>Result Type<\/strong>. If your interface uses a slightly different label, look for the content type rather than the duration control.<\/p>\n<p>This choice applies to the results you\u2019re viewing. It doesn\u2019t change your Home recommendations, subscriptions or all future searches.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t use \u201clonger than one minute\u201d as a substitute for identifying Shorts. YouTube\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/youtube\/answer\/12319243?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&amp;hl=en\" target=\"_blank\">current Shorts guide<\/a> describes Shorts of up to three minutes. The format filter answers a different question from a length filter.<\/p>\n<p>On mobile, check the available search-filter menu for the same content-type choice. The steps above describe the documented computer route; they don\u2019t assume an identical menu layout on every app version.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"hide-shorts-in-a-desktop-browser\">Hide Shorts in a desktop browser<\/h2>\n<p>YouTube also has Shorts on the desktop website. Opening it in a browser doesn\u2019t, by itself, remove them.<\/p>\n<p>A browser extension may offer more control over the visible page. The important questions are which elements it hides, which browser it supports, and what access it requests.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"one-documented-option-to-evaluate-unhook\">One documented option to evaluate: Unhook<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/unhook.app\/\" target=\"_blank\">Unhook\u2019s official website<\/a> identifies the product. Its <a href=\"https:\/\/addons.mozilla.org\/en-US\/firefox\/addon\/youtube-recommended-videos\/\" target=\"_blank\">Firefox add-on listing<\/a> advertises a <strong>Hide Shorts Tab<\/strong> option, lists Chrome and Edge versions, and discloses access to data on the www.youtube.com and m.youtube.com domains.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s a documented option to evaluate, rather than a claim that it has been installed or tested for this guide. Hiding a tab also doesn\u2019t prove an extension blocks direct links or removes every Shorts card.<\/p>\n<p>Before choosing an extension, check:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Publisher:<\/strong> Follow the official product site\u2019s store link and confirm the publisher<\/li>\n<li><strong>Browser:<\/strong> Check the listing for the browser you actually use<\/li>\n<li><strong>Permissions:<\/strong> Read the requested site access and privacy information<\/li>\n<li><strong>Control:<\/strong> Look for the specific Shorts option rather than enabling every available page-hiding feature<\/li>\n<li><strong>Result:<\/strong> Compare Home, search, navigation and a direct link separately<\/li>\n<li><strong>Undo:<\/strong> Know how to turn the setting off or remove the extension if the result isn\u2019t useful<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you already use Unhook, review its popup for the advertised Shorts-tab control. Make one change at a time so you can see what it affects. This guide doesn\u2019t promise identical options or results across its browser versions.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"what-about-a-phone-browser\">What about a phone browser?<\/h3>\n<p>The Firefox listing advertises support for mobile YouTube through <strong>Firefox for Android<\/strong>. That is a mobile-web option; it doesn\u2019t mean the extension controls the native YouTube app.<\/p>\n<p>The same listing doesn\u2019t establish Safari or iPhone support. Check an extension\u2019s own current store page rather than assuming an Android instruction carries over to iOS.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"set-shorts-boundaries-for-a-child-or-teen\">Set Shorts boundaries for a child or teen<\/h2>\n<p>First identify the account type. <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/youtube\/answer\/10315420?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\">YouTube\u2019s family comparison<\/a> separates YouTube Kids, supervised kid accounts and supervised teen accounts. Their controls aren\u2019t interchangeable.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"for-a-linked-supervised-teen-account\">For a linked supervised teen account<\/h3>\n<p>Using the linked parent account in the YouTube app:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Open <strong>You \u2192 Settings \u2192 Family Center<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Select your teen\u2019s account<\/li>\n<li>Choose <strong>Time management<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Set the daily <strong>Shorts feed limit<\/strong>, including zero where available<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/youtube\/answer\/15190245?co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid&amp;hl=en\" target=\"_blank\">YouTube\u2019s teen-supervision guidance<\/a> says reaching the daily limit prevents further feed scrolling for the rest of the day, with a reset the next morning. It also documents the zero option.<\/p>\n<p>There is an important boundary: the same guidance says teens can turn supervision off. Don\u2019t treat this as an impossible-to-bypass restriction or a promise that every Short is inaccessible through every account or entry point.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"for-a-younger-childs-supervised-account\">For a younger child\u2019s supervised account<\/h3>\n<p>Use the linked parent\u2019s <strong>Family Center<\/strong> and select the child\u2019s account. The <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/youtubekids\/answer\/13877231?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\">supervised-kid account guide<\/a> documents a daily Shorts feed limit under <strong>Time management<\/strong>, alongside other account-specific parental controls.<\/p>\n<p>Check that guide for the options available to the child\u2019s account. YouTube Kids is a separate app, so don\u2019t assume instructions for a supervised account in regular YouTube are its instructions too.<\/p>\n<p>Blocking the entire YouTube app is a broader decision that also restricts long-form videos. Choose that only if it matches the boundary you actually want.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"why-i-wouldnt-downgrade-youtube-just-to-hide-shorts\">Why I wouldn\u2019t downgrade YouTube just to hide Shorts<\/h2>\n<p>I wouldn\u2019t replace a current YouTube app with a years-old APK for this. YouTube warns that <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/youtube\/answer\/6098135\" target=\"_blank\">older app versions can become unsupported<\/a>, leaving you needing an update to keep using the app.<\/p>\n<p>A download page\u2019s name also doesn\u2019t establish that it belongs to the original developer. An old tutorial, a familiar logo or a \u201cwithout Shorts\u201d promise isn\u2019t enough to verify a file.<\/p>\n<p>Keep Google Play Protect on. <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/googleplay\/answer\/2812853?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\">Google\u2019s Play Protect guidance<\/a> recommends leaving it enabled and explains that it checks for potentially harmful apps.<\/p>\n<p>I also wouldn\u2019t rely on uninstalling updates as a reliable way to get a particular pre-Shorts version. The bundled version varies by device, and going backward creates a maintenance problem without guaranteeing the result you want.<\/p>\n<p>The built-in controls and clearly scoped browser choices above are better starting points than a downgrade or an unverified download mirror.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"why-am-i-still-seeing-shorts\">Why am I still seeing Shorts?<\/h2>\n<p>Use the symptom to choose your next check.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"i-cant-find-the-setting\">\u201cI can\u2019t find the setting\u201d<\/h3>\n<p>Confirm that you\u2019re signed in to the intended account in the current mobile app. Check the menu path against official Help and look for an app update. If the Help page still doesn\u2019t match, use the available recommendation controls while reporting the mismatch through YouTube\u2019s help options.<\/p>\n<p>Changing your country, clearing all app data or resetting your device isn\u2019t a verified Shorts-specific solution here.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"the-tab-is-still-there\">\u201cThe tab is still there\u201d<\/h3>\n<p>A navigation button and feed access are different things. The official mobile-limit instructions don\u2019t promise that the tab disappears. Check the result the control is intended to produce before assuming that a visible tab means failure.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"shorts-still-appear-in-search\">\u201cShorts still appear in search\u201d<\/h3>\n<p>Use the <a href=\"#keep-shorts-out-of-a-specific-youtube-search\">Video content-type filter<\/a> for that search. A Home recommendation preference doesn\u2019t establish how search results will be filtered.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"my-browser-changed-but-my-phone-app-didnt\">\u201cMy browser changed, but my phone app didn\u2019t\u201d<\/h3>\n<p>A browser extension works within its supported browser. Check the phone app\u2019s own controls separately.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"my-extension-stopped-working\">\u201cMy extension stopped working\u201d<\/h3>\n<p>Check whether it\u2019s enabled, whether the current browser is supported, and what the publisher\u2019s current notes say. Review its YouTube site permissions without expanding access beyond what you\u2019re comfortable granting.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t disable browser security or install a random replacement to recover a cosmetic page-hiding feature.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"i-can-ignore-the-reminder\">\u201cI can ignore the reminder\u201d<\/h3>\n<p>That is documented behaviour for ordinary accounts. If you\u2019re a parent, use the correct supervised-account controls rather than treating the self-set limit as enforcement.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"i-want-no-youtube-during-work\">\u201cI want no YouTube during work\u201d<\/h3>\n<p>That\u2019s a whole-app or whole-site boundary, which also affects regular videos. A Shorts-only setting may be too narrow for your goal. Keep that wider effect in mind when choosing a device or browser time limit.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"frequently-asked-questions\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<h3 id=\"can-i-disable-youtube-shorts-permanently\">Can I disable YouTube Shorts permanently?<\/h3>\n<p>You can limit or hide specific parts of the experience, but I wouldn\u2019t promise permanent removal everywhere. App controls, search filters and browser extensions each have a defined scope. Recheck the places you use after making a change.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"can-i-remove-the-shorts-tab-from-the-youtube-app\">Can I remove the Shorts tab from the YouTube app?<\/h3>\n<p>The official feed-limit guidance doesn\u2019t promise removal of the navigation tab. A desktop extension\u2019s advertised tab-hiding feature doesn\u2019t establish the same behaviour in the native mobile app.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"will-shorts-disappear-from-subscriptions-and-direct-links-too\">Will Shorts disappear from subscriptions and direct links too?<\/h3>\n<p>Don\u2019t assume so. Those are separate places to check. This guide doesn\u2019t claim that a recommendation choice or feed limit removes every Short from them.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"why-dont-i-see-the-zero-minute-option\">Why don\u2019t I see the zero-minute option?<\/h3>\n<p>Check the app, account and menu path first. If the current official instructions still don\u2019t match, report the discrepancy through YouTube Help. There isn\u2019t a verified arrival date for a missing option that this guide can promise you.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"should-i-install-a-youtube-without-shorts-apk\">Should I install a YouTube-without-Shorts APK?<\/h3>\n<p>I\u2019d start with the documented controls above. An old or unofficial APK adds source-verification, security and maintenance questions that this viewing preference shouldn\u2019t require.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"will-turning-off-autoplay-remove-shorts\">Will turning off Autoplay remove Shorts?<\/h3>\n<p>Treat Autoplay as a separate playback setting. If your problem is one regular video starting after another, you can <a href=\"https:\/\/kwebby.com\/blog\/turn-off-autoplay-youtube\/\">turn off Autoplay on YouTube<\/a>. Don\u2019t expect that change to remove Shorts across the app.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"final-thoughts\">Final thoughts<\/h2>\n<p>Start with the option for the screen you actually use. Then check that screen again before adding another workaround.<\/p>\n<p>If Shorts still appear somewhere else, use the troubleshooting section to identify that location and the control that applies to it. You shouldn\u2019t need an old APK or a security workaround just to make YouTube less distracting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>YouTube now documents a zero-minute limit for the Shorts feed in its mobile app. It\u2019s a useful place to start, but an ordinary account can&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18113,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[100,4,415],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18111","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-tutorials","category-youtube"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kwebby.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18111","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kwebby.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kwebby.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kwebby.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kwebby.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18111"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/kwebby.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18111\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24617,"href":"https:\/\/kwebby.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18111\/revisions\/24617"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kwebby.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18113"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kwebby.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18111"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kwebby.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18111"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kwebby.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18111"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}