In recent years, the entire technology industry has been pushing short videos into corners we never expected, and Google is no exception. The YouTube mobile version interface has long been changed to vertical scrolling, and the Shorts section is fixed in a prominent position of the recommended content, as if it will not stop until you slide it.
But now, YouTube finally has an option to truly “turn off” short videos. The platform will soon launch a “zero minute” shorts viewing time limit for general accounts on iOS and Android. It’s not a perfect solution, especially for adult accounts, but it’s the first tool that really works to block endless swiping.
YouTube Shorts slide into oblivion? Turn on this setting to help you become the master of time again
In the past, YouTube’s restrictive features were very restrictive. “Show fewer Shorts” could only last for 30 days, and the effect was sometimes good or bad. The minimum viewing time limit added last year was only 15 minutes. By the time you realize that you have been sucked in, your attention has already been cut to pieces. The emergence of “zero minutes” changed the rules of the game. It allows users to have a real “Don’t give me any more Shorts” button for the first time, and the timing of its launch is also very sensitive. YouTube executives are actively promoting generative AI tools that allow creators to quickly generate Shorts backgrounds or game screens with text prompts. This means that there may be an influx of more short films of varying quality into the platform in the future, and the official should indeed have provided stronger protective measures.
This setting is hidden in the YouTube mobile app, and here’s how it works:
- Click your profile icon in the lower right corner.
- Click the gear icon.
- Enter “Time Management”.
- Turn on “Dynamic Limits for Shorts” in the “Daily Limits” section.
- Select “0 minutes” from the duration options.
For teen accounts, parents can also set it up through Google Family Link or YouTube’s Family Center. As long as the daily limit is adjusted to zero, the Shorts feed for the day will be completely turned off and cannot be bypassed. However, for ordinary adult accounts, the restrictions are still not absolute. YouTube allows you to press “Ignore” to remove the restrictions for the day. This is indeed a pity for people with weak self-control.
It’s worth noting that this restriction does not erase all Shorts from your world. YouTube’s design goal is to prevent “infinite scrolling”, not to block all sources of short videos. Therefore, if the channel you subscribe to publishes Shorts, it will still appear on the subscription page; links sent by friends can still be opened normally; independent shorts may also appear in search results. The difference is: after watching a short film, you will no longer be automatically pushed into an endless list of recommendations.
The zero-minute limit is currently limited to the mobile app, and there are no time management tools in the desktop or TV versions. If you want to block Shorts on your laptop, you still need to rely on third-party extensions, such as tools like Unhook, which can remove Shorts tags, hide the recommendation bar, and even close the comment area. As for the living room installation, the situation is even more embarrassing. The YouTube App on smart TVs and game consoles has no time management function at all. The only thing you can do is to keep pressing “Not Interested” until the algorithm temporarily lets you go. Although this method is effective, it is far from ideal.
Still, this is an important starting point. Shorts are too valuable to YouTube to be completely removed, especially now that it is competing fiercely with TikTok and Instagram. However, as major platforms face tighter scrutiny of screen time, even just one more “off” button has both symbolic and substantive significance. In recent years, YouTube has also begun to cooperate with mental health experts to adjust the recommendation logic for youth content to prevent certain videos from being pushed excessively and repeatedly. Now, coupled with the “zero minute” screen limit, it does make the overall viewing experience healthier. This is not the end, but it is in the right direction. It is not perfect, but it deserves recognition.
Source: KOCPC Chinese