How to Disable Youtube Shorts？

YouTube has always been an enjoyable social media platform that offers a wide variety of content from detailed tutorials to short vlogs and dancing videos.

As time went by, YouTube adapted itself to the trends and began introducing short-form video content. With this in mind, YouTube brought in Shorts as a way of competing with TikTok and Instagram Reels. However, it is possible not only to be entertained but also to get distracted on your feed by YouTube Shorts.

Suppose you are overwhelmed by these small clips and wonder how you can deactivate them. This article will guide you on how to disable YouTube shorts on both mobile phones and desktops.

Part 1. Methods to Disable YouTube Shorts on Mobile Devices

In this section, you will learn how to disable shorts on YouTube. For those who use YouTube majorly through their mobile devices and find YouTube shorts a distraction, there are four ways you can use to turn off them:

1.1 Mark Shorts as “Not Interested”

YouTube's app for both iPhone and Android does not have an option for removing Shorts altogether; however, they can be hidden temporarily by marking every Short as “Not Interested.” The steps to help you know how to disable YouTube shorts on iPhone and Android are discussed below.

Go ahead and open the YouTube app on your phone and click on the “Shorts” tab.

Click on any one of the Short videos’ three dots located at the top right corner of its screen.

Choose “Not Interested.”

If any YouTube Shorts come back again simply mark them as “Not Interested”.

1.2 Use an Older Version of the YouTube App

If you don’t want to use the YouTube app with shorts, you could try to downgrade it to a version that was introduced before the introduction of shorts.

For Android:

Go to your phone’s Settings and Click on Apps

Then click on YouTube.

Tap on three dots found at the top right side and choose "Uninstall Updates".

Click on Uninstall Updates

You will be asked to confirm this by clicking on OK.

For iPhone: It is difficult and not generally advisable to downgrade apps on iPhone so other procedures are better.

1.3 Go for YouTube Vanced (Android Only)

YouTube Vanced is a cracked version of the regular YouTube app with additional features including the removal of Shorts. Here are some instructions:

• Download YouTube Vanced (APK File) from a browser like Chrome.
• Open YouTube Vanced and go to Settings.
• Navigate through the Vanced Settings tab provided;
• At Ad Settings, switch off “Shorts shelf remover”

This will remove the Shorts section on YouTube Vanced permanently. Now you have learned how to disable YouTube shorts permanently.

1.4 Disable YouTube Shorts in a Browser on Your Phone

You can avoid Shorts by opening YouTube through a web browser on your mobile. Follow these steps

Open a web browser app on your Android or iOS device, and go to the YouTube website.

The “Desktop Site” feature should be turned on in the settings of the browser.

Find and click on the X symbol at the right top corner to disable Shorts for 30 days.

Part 2. Methods to Disable YouTube Shorts on Desktop

If you find YouTube Shorts distracting while working from your desktop pc, there are several quick ways you can hide them from being displayed. This is how you do it:

2.1 Hide YouTube Shorts for 30 Days

One of the fastest ways to eliminate YouTube shorts is by hiding them for 30 days. In this way, the shorts section will be temporarily removed from your home screen. Here’s what you should do

Launch youtube.com and sign in to your account.

Scroll down until you see the Shorts section appear on the homepage.

Go ahead and Click the X icon at the top right-hand corner of the Shorts section.

A statement pops up reading “Shelf will be hidden for 30 days” This hides the short section for a month

2.2 Use Browser Extensions

Using browser extensions that are specific to blocking YouTube Shorts is another efficient method. 

Some of the browsers in which these extensions can be found include Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari. Below are some of these plugins and their browsers.

Here is how to use a "YouTube Shorts block" Extension on Chrome:

Visit https://chromewebstore.google.com/ and search “YouTube-Shorts Block” in Chrome Web Store and click the first result.

Select “Add to Chrome”

Then select “Add extension”

Click on the three-dot eclipse.

Click on Extensions on Chrome

Check the quick toggle button next to your Extension bar.

Part 3. Mark Unwanted YouTube Shorts as "Not Interested"

As discussed, marking unwanted YouTube Shorts as "Not Interested" is a great way to turn off YouTube Shorts on your mobile device. It is a simple and fast way to control your feed, especially if you don’t want to go for more complex solutions such as browser extensions or app downgrades.

To mark unwanted Youtube Shorts as “Not Interested”, 

• Open your Android or iOS’s YouTube app. If you see a Short video on your feed that you don’t want just tap the dot icon at the top right corner of it. 
• From there choose “Not Interested”. Each time a Short video appears on your feed, repeat the process. 
• While this won’t completely eliminate Shorts from your YouTube experience, it would temporarily decrease their frequency.

For example, you frequently watch tech tutorials and then start seeing Shorts about unrelated things. To make the feed show more of what you like when such videos pop up at some point in the future, select “Not interested.” But this method does not say how long the Shorts will remain hidden and therefore if this one doesn’t fit it may require other approaches.

Part 4. Help Prevent Teen Addiction to YouTube Shorts: Msafely

If you are worried that your teen is spending too much time on YouTube Shorts, then Msafely is a good option to consider.

Msafely is a powerful tool that allows you to monitor everything happening on your child’s phone including text messages, photos, videos, GPS location tracking, and YouTube usage. All these and many others are attributes that Msafely has thereby making it stand out as one of the topmost secure parental control software.

With Msafely you can monitor your child’s activities on their phone from a distance and at any given time. This is so beneficial when it comes to preventing addiction to YouTube Shorts by providing you with knowledge and authority over your teenager’s actions on their gadget.

For instance, if you realize that your child spends late hours streaming YouTube Shorts, Msafely can assist in setting limits or discussing healthier alternatives. Such an early preventive measure is crucial in managing screen time as well as promoting more profitable engagements.

Highlighted below are some features of Msafely:

• Monitor Photos and Videos: Through Msafely, all pictures and clips stored in your teen’s phone will be visible together with the exact time they were taken. 
• GPS Location Tracking: Likewise, the geographical coordinates showing where your teens have reached can be observed as long as their device bears such aspects.
• YouTube Monitoring: Determine which videos are being watched to know if your teens are viewing inappropriate videos on YouTube Shorts.

So, parents who are concerned with monitoring the use of their children on the internet should consider using Msafely. This will help them stop their addiction to YouTube Shorts and ensure that their teenage child’s media consumption is balanced.

Part 5. How to Enable YouTube Shorts?

Is your YouTube Shorts not displaying? Here is how you can enable YouTube shorts:

5.1 Update the YouTube App

The first thing that must be done is to make certain that your YouTube app is updated to its latest version. Your version may be outdated, hence, not showing shorts on your screen; do therefore this;

Visit the App Store (for iOS) or Google Play Store (for Android) and type in “YouTube” at the search bar. Beside the app, if there’s one available you will see an update option. Do press it.

5.2 Turn On Shorts If They Have Been Turned Off Before

In case you have turned off YouTube Shorts, you will need to turn them on again. Check this out:

• Try and know how they were switched off in the first place. For instance, did one make use of an older YouTube app or YouTube Vanced?
• If Shorts are not showing up it means that your account has just disabled them.
• All you have to do to get back Shorts is undo whatever it was that you did before. For example, if the app was downgraded then upgrade it again to the latest version.

Part 6. Conclusion

Turning off YouTube Shorts can help you take control over the clutter-free browsing experience, and minimize distractions and unsolicited videos which invade your privacy.

There are many ways to disable YouTube Shorts like choosing an old application edition, using a browser extension or simply marking shorts as “Not Interested.” Just remember that while hiding shorts temporarily, they may still come up; so consider using a combination of these methods to achieve better results.

Parents have tools like Msafely that can be instrumental in tracking their teenagers’ internet usage and cultivating healthier online behaviors. Take control of YouTube and enjoy YouTube to its fullest.

Part 7. FAQs about YouTube Shorts

Q1. Can I turn off YouTube Shorts on my phone?

Yes, you can label them as “Not Interested” so that they will be hidden temporarily from your feed.

Q2. Is it possible to delete YouTube Shorts from my computer?

Indeed, for a month, you can click on the ‘X’ in the Shorts section or use browser add-ons to block them completely.

Q3. Why do YouTube Shorts keep reappearing when I mark them as not interested?

It is only a temporary solution. So, marking shorts as not interested may recur over time hence may be necessary to repeat periodically.

Q4. Is there a way to disable YouTube shorts on iPhone?

Yes, you can minimize their appearance by marking each Short with “Not Interested” individually on your device.

Q5. Can I stop getting YouTube shorts via browser extensions on all devices?

Desktops and laptops are supported while mobile devices are left out since these plugins cannot be effective. Instead of using such browser extensions on mobile devices, use the “not interested” button.