Can You Disable YouTube Shorts? What Actually Works (and What Doesn't)

YouTube Shorts aren't going anywhere — but that doesn't mean you're stuck watching them. Whether you find them distracting, prefer long-form content, or just want a cleaner browsing experience, there are real options for reducing or hiding Shorts. The catch is that what works depends heavily on where and how you watch YouTube.

What YouTube Shorts Actually Are

YouTube Shorts are vertical videos under 60 seconds, surfaced through a dedicated shelf on the YouTube homepage, a bottom navigation tab in the mobile app, and an algorithmically driven feed. They were built directly into YouTube's core product — not added as a separate app — which is exactly why "disabling" them isn't as simple as toggling a setting.

YouTube doesn't offer a single, official off switch for Shorts. What users can do is reduce how prominently Shorts appear, or block them from showing up in certain surfaces entirely — depending on the platform.

On Mobile: The YouTube App (Android and iOS)

The YouTube mobile app is where Shorts are most visible and hardest to escape. The dedicated Shorts tab sits in the bottom navigation bar, and Shorts rows appear throughout the home feed.

What you can do:

• "Not interested" and "Don't recommend channel" — Tapping the three-dot menu on a Short and selecting these options trains the algorithm over time. It's slow, but it does shift recommendations away from Shorts creators if applied consistently.
• Hide the Shorts shelf — On some versions of the Android app, you can press and hold the Shorts row on the home screen to get a "Hide" option. This removes that particular shelf but may not prevent Shorts from reappearing elsewhere.
• The Shorts tab itself cannot be removed from the navigation bar through any official setting in the standard YouTube app.

One important variable here is whether you're using a standard Google account or a YouTube account managed through Family Link or supervised settings — those accounts have different content controls, though they're not specifically designed around Shorts.

On Desktop: YouTube in a Web Browser 🖥️

Desktop users have meaningfully more control, particularly through browser extensions.

Built-in options:

YouTube's desktop interface doesn't include a native toggle to hide Shorts. Like the mobile app, you can use "Not interested" signals, but the Shorts shelf will continue appearing on the homepage unless you intervene at the browser level.

Browser extensions:

Several extensions are specifically designed to remove Shorts from the YouTube interface. Tools like uBlock Origin (with custom filter rules) or dedicated extensions such as "Hide YouTube Shorts" can:

• Remove the Shorts shelf from the homepage
• Hide the Shorts tab from the left sidebar
• Block Shorts from appearing in search results and recommendations
• Redirect Shorts URLs to the standard video player

These work by injecting CSS rules or intercepting page elements — not by changing your YouTube account settings. That distinction matters: the changes are browser-local, meaning they only apply on that specific browser and device.

Third-Party YouTube Apps

On Android, alternative YouTube clients offer more granular control. Apps like NewPipe or ReVanced (which patches the official YouTube app) include settings to disable the Shorts tab and remove Shorts from feeds entirely. These aren't available on the Google Play Store and require manual installation — a step that introduces its own considerations around security, update reliability, and compatibility with your Android version.

iOS is more restrictive. Apple's ecosystem doesn't allow the same kind of app patching or sideloading that makes these alternatives viable on Android.

The Variable That Changes Everything: Your Device and Platform

YouTube Premium is worth mentioning specifically because it's a common assumption that paying removes Shorts. It doesn't. Premium removes ads and adds background play — Shorts remain part of the interface regardless of subscription status.

Why a Complete Disable Isn't Possible

YouTube's product decisions are driven by engagement data, and Shorts represent a significant share of watch time and creator activity. The feature is architecturally integrated rather than modular, which is why there's no account-level setting that says "turn off Shorts." What exists instead is a patchwork of workarounds — some effective, some partial, and some tied to technical setups most users don't have. ⚙️

The shelf-hiding option on Android, the browser extension route on desktop, and the third-party app route for advanced Android users each represent different levels of commitment and technical comfort. How much friction you're willing to accept — and whether you're primarily a mobile, desktop, or TV viewer — shapes which of these paths is actually useful for you.

Whether any of these approaches fits your specific setup, usage habits, and tolerance for workarounds is the piece only you can answer. 📱