YouTube Shorts are the short videos that appear in their own feed, and you can disable them in your account settings

YouTube Shorts is a feature that shows you vertical videos under 60 seconds long, similar to TikTok or Instagram Reels. If you find yourself spending more time on Shorts than you intended, or you straightforward prefer the traditional YouTube experience, you can turn off the Shorts feed on most devices. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you use the YouTube app, a web browser, or a smart TV.

Disabling Shorts removes the dedicated Shorts tab from your YouTube home page and stops the Shorts feed from appearing in your recommendations. It does not delete any Shorts videos from YouTube — creators can still upload them, and they may still appear in search results or in the regular video feed. You are only removing them from the places YouTube highlights them most prominently.

Key Takeaways

  • On the YouTube app for phones, you can hide the Shorts tab by long-pressing it and selecting "Remove" from the menu that appears.
  • On YouTube's website, you can hide the Shorts shelf from your home page by clicking the three dots next to "Shorts" and selecting "Don't recommend channel."
  • YouTube does not offer a master account setting to disable Shorts across all devices at once — you must adjust each device separately.
  • Disabling Shorts only hides them from your feed and recommendations; they will still exist on YouTube and may appear in search results.

Removing Shorts from the YouTube mobile app

On iPhone or Android, open the YouTube app and look at the bottom navigation bar. You should see tabs for Home, Shorts, Subscriptions, and You. Press and hold the Shorts tab until a menu appears with options including "Remove." Tap "Remove" and the Shorts tab will disappear from your navigation bar.

If you want to bring Shorts back later, tap the "You" tab at the bottom right, then tap "Settings," scroll down to "General," and toggle "Show Shorts" off and on as needed. This setting controls whether the Shorts tab appears in your bottom navigation, but it does not prevent Shorts from appearing elsewhere in the app — they may still show up in your Home feed or in recommendations.

Hiding Shorts from YouTube on a web browser

On a computer or tablet, go to YouTube.com and look at your home page. You will usually see a "Shorts" section showing several short videos in a row. Click the three vertical dots (the menu icon) in the top right corner of the Shorts shelf. A dropdown menu will appear with options including "Don't recommend channel." Click that option.

This tells YouTube's algorithm to stop showing you Shorts in that particular location, but Shorts may still appear in other parts of your feed or in search results. If you want a more complete removal, you can also go to your account settings by clicking your profile picture in the top right, selecting "Settings," then "General," and unchecking "Show Shorts" if that option is available in your region.

What happens on smart TVs and other devices

The YouTube app on smart TVs, Roku devices, and Fire Sticks does not always include a Shorts tab in the same way the mobile app does. On these devices, Shorts may appear in your recommendations or in a dedicated section, but there is usually no straightforward way to disable them entirely. Your best option is to avoid clicking on Shorts when they appear, which trains YouTube's recommendation system to show you fewer of them over time.

If you use YouTube through a web browser on a tablet or smart TV, follow the same steps as you would on a computer: find the Shorts shelf on your home page, click the three dots, and select "Don't recommend channel."

Why YouTube keeps showing you Shorts even after you hide them

YouTube distinguishes between hiding the Shorts tab and preventing Shorts from appearing in your recommendations. Hiding the tab removes the dedicated Shorts section from your navigation, but individual short videos can still show up in your Home feed, in search results, or in the "Up next" queue. This is because YouTube treats Shorts as regular videos that can be recommended based on your watch history.

If you want to see fewer Shorts overall, you can tell YouTube not to recommend specific creators or topics. When a Shorts video appears in your feed, click the three dots next to it and select "Don't recommend channel" or "Not interested." Over time, this feedback helps YouTube learn your preferences and show you fewer Shorts.

Using parental controls if you share a device

If you share a YouTube account with family members or want to restrict Shorts for a child's account, YouTube offers parental controls through Google Family Link. This app lets you set restrictions on what content appears on a linked device, including whether Shorts are visible. Set up Family Link on the parent's Google account, link the child's account, and adjust content restrictions in the app settings.

Family Link is separate from YouTube's own settings and requires setup on both the parent's and child's devices. It is most useful if you want to enforce restrictions across multiple devices or accounts rather than just hiding Shorts from your own feed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will disabling Shorts affect my watch history or recommendations for regular videos?

No. Hiding Shorts only removes them from the places YouTube highlights them most. Your watch history, subscriptions, and recommendations for regular videos remain unchanged. YouTube will continue to recommend videos based on what you watch.

Can I disable Shorts on my account across all my devices at once?

YouTube does not offer a single account-wide setting to disable Shorts everywhere. You must adjust the setting on each device separately — once on your phone, once on your computer, and so on. Changes to your account settings (like toggling "Show Shorts" in General settings) may sync across some devices, but the most reliable method is to adjust each device individually.

If I hide Shorts, will creators stop uploading them?

No. Disabling Shorts on your account only affects what you see. It does not change anything for creators or other viewers. Creators can continue uploading Shorts, and other people will continue to see them in their feeds.

What if I change my mind and want to see Shorts again?

You can restore the Shorts tab on your phone by going to Settings, then General, and toggling "Show Shorts" back on. On the web, Shorts will reappear in your recommendations once YouTube's algorithm determines they match your interests again, or you can manually search for Shorts content.

Do I need to delete my YouTube account to stop seeing Shorts?

No. Disabling Shorts is a straightforward setting change that takes less than a minute. You do not need to delete your account or stop using YouTube — just hide the Shorts feed using the steps above.