How To Disable YouTube Shorts

The platform, ever-focused on engagement, has placed YouTube Shorts front and center, serving bite-sized content to viewers. So, while some people appreciate this added feature, others go the traditional long-form video route. 

If you’re one of those who considers Shorts irrelevant, distracting or unappealing, there’s a chance you’ve been asking: is it possible to disable YouTube’s Shorts? The answer is yes! While you won’t find a one-shot solution on YouTube, there are some workable solutions to get rid of or at least lessen Shorts in your feed.

In this guide, we have listed some working methods to disable YouTube Shorts on mobile devices, desktop, or by modifying the app.

Why Disable YouTube Shorts?

To understand why one might want this turned off before diving in to how to disable it:

• Irrelevant Content: Shorts can come up randomly; they may not be relevant to your interests.
• Less Distraction: Long videos are deep dives, while Shorts can feel like a vortex of distraction.
• Save Data: Shorts auto play instead of requiring you to click on them, which uses up data and battery life.
• Simplified Experience: A clutter-free experience on the YouTube homepage.

If these points appeal to you, it is high time that you know how to disable YouTube Shorts again for Good.

How to Turn Off YouTube Shorts

Here are ways to restrict or turn off Shorts, depending on your device and what you prefer.

Simply click on ‘Not Interested’ on the Mark Shorts.

The easiest way to make sure you see fewer Shorts is to tell YouTube you’re “Not Interested.

• Use the YouTube App for mobile (phone/tablet) →
• Scroll down to the Shorts section on the main page.
• Go to a Shorts video and tap the three vertical dots (⋮).
• From the menu, select “Not Interested.”

Do that for a couple Shorts videos, and the YouTube algorithm will adapt, and you’ll see fewer Shorts on your feed.

While this won’t fully disable Shorts in YouTube, it pulls a lot of their presence down.

Use Browser Extensions

For desktop users, extensions can assist in removing Shorts on YouTube.

Add an extension for your browser: Look for something like:

• Remove YouTube Shorts
• Hide YouTube Shorts

This will activate the extension after the installation process has been completed.

(Recently introduced) Enjoy a Shorts-Free Experience: These tools remove all Shorts content from your homepage.

How to Downgrade YouTube App on Android Only

If you’re an Android user, you can roll back to an old version of YouTube, before the Shorts feature was added.

Uninstall Updates:

Tap Settings > Apps > YouTube

Select Uninstall Updates to restore the app to its original factory version.

Install an Older APK:

• Install an older non-Shorts version of YouTube from reputable APK sites such as APKMirror.
• Allow Unknown Sources in your phone security settings and download the APK.
• This option fully disables Shorts in YouTube, but you could miss out on new features.

Use Modified YouTube Apps

For more YouTube control, try third-party apps.

YouTube Vanced (Android):

• YouTube, modded, with the ability to block ads, enable/dis to get into shorts, etc.
• Vanced YouTube Download using Vanced Manager

Note: This app is not officially supported, so do this at your own risk.

Watch YouTube in Your Browser

Web browsing YouTube shrinks Shorts on the page to make them lesser than the app.

1. Launch your preferred browser and open YouTube.
2. Steer clear of videos with the /shorts/ URL
3. For mobile browsers, use Desktop Mode for a clearer UI.

That won’t disable Shorts forever, but it helps lessen their impact.

Alter Your Recommendations

YouTube’s algorithm displays the content based on your actions. Here’s how to adjust your preferences:

• Do Not Engage with Shorts: Do not click, watch, like Shorts videos.
• Engage With Long-Form Content: Watch, like and subscribe to channels with long videos.
• Manage Your Watch History: You might also try resetting your watch history to help refine your recommendations.
• Navigate to Settings > History & Privacy and choose Clear Watch History.

FAQs

Q: Is there a way to permanently disable Shorts on YouTube?

A: There’s no official option to disable Shorts, but the methods above can effectively minimize or block them.

Q: Can I hide Shorts on the desktop?

A: Yes, browser extensions like “Remove YouTube Shorts” can hide Shorts entirely.

Conclusion

Even Though Youtube does not provide you the option to disable the youtube shorts, use some of the methods described above for disabling or tailoring your experience. For example, if you are not a fan of shorts, just mark the shorts content not interested, or change the version of the app you are using to an older one.

In conclusion, your platform will be free of distractions and focus on what you want to see, once you apply these methods. Don’t wait up, follow these steps now and remove youtube shorts forever!

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