In this guide, we will go over various ways to disable Shorts in YouTube, which may apply to your Android, iPhone, or desktop browser. We have 5 simple methods for you that will help you to reduce distractions and focus on full-length content.
How to Disable Shorts in YouTube
YouTube has introduced a feature for short vertical videos, which has become very popular on the platform. While many users enjoy it, some prefer the good old YouTube, which is about long-form content. If you are from that group of users who are looking to get rid of this feature and keep your feed as clean and free of distractions as possible, you may have been looking for a way to do that.
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Why People Want to Disable Shorts in YouTube
Before jumping into how to disable Shorts in YouTube, it is also useful to know what the issue is that people have with them out there. Shorts, which are very present in the home feed, tend to be a distraction. They are put in for quick hits of entertainment, which in turn causes you to scroll more, which may, in fact, reduce the amount of quality content you see.
Some Common Reasons are:
- Reducing distractions
- Avoiding endless scrolling
- Focusing on in-depth videos.
- Improving productivity
Since at present there is no single official option to Disable Shorts in YouTube, users have to rely on third-party methods.
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Method 1: Mark Shorts as Not Interested
One of the easiest ways to Disable Shorts in YouTube is to mark them as “Not Interested.
Steps:
- Open up the YouTube app.
- Scroll down till you see the Shorts section.
- Tap on the three-dot menu of a Short video.
- Choose Not Interested.
When you do this multiple times, the algorithm will see to it that your feed shows fewer Shorts. This method is not a permanent solution to disable Shorts in YouTube, but it does greatly reduce their presence.
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Method 2: Use the Desktop Version of YouTube
Another option is to use desktop mode.
Steps:
- Open your mobile app browser (Chrome or Safari).
- Visit the YouTube site.
- From the browser settings Enable Desktop Site.
In desktop mode Short content appears less often as opposed to the mobile app, which is what many users also notice. Also, we see which method users choose to disable Shorts in YouTube.
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Method 3: Use Browser Extensions
If you use the computer version of YouTube, you can add browser extensions to disable Shorts completely.
Popular extensions allow you to:
- Hide Shorts from the homepage
- Remove Shorts from search results
- Block the Shorts tab
Once set up, these extensions disable Shorts in YouTube, which in turn presents you with a more focused interface that is purely of regular videos.
Method 4: Turn Shorts Links to Full Videos
Sometimes Short links present themselves when you click on links. In that case, you may have to manually change the URL.
Example:
Replace:
youtube. com/Shorts/videoID.
With:
youtube. Com/watch?v=videoID.
This trick lets you watch videos in normal mode while disabling Shorts in your YouTube experience.
Method 5: Use YouTube Alternatives or Modified Apps
Some people use third-party YouTube apps that permanently remove Shorts from YouTube. Also, these apps may include extra customization like ad blocking and layout control.
Also, be careful when installing third-party apps and always get them from trusted sources.
Conclusion
Although at present YouTube does not have a one-click solution to turn off Shorts, what we can do is use some workarounds, which will improve the issue. You can rate Shorts as not interested, use the desktop version of the site, install browser extensions that block Shorts, or change the URL to that of the full YouTube, which does not play Shorts.
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