Written By Divya
How to turn off YouTube Shorts to avoid mindless scrolling
YouTube now lets you disable Shorts by setting the feed limit to zero minutes. This helps reduce scrolling and gives more control over how time is spent on the app. Here is how it will work.
Edited By: Divya | Published By: Divya | Published: Apr 16, 2026, 11:58 PM (IST)
YouTube Update Lets You Hide Shorts Completely
YouTube Shorts Update: YouTube has introduced a feature that many of you have been asking for so long – the option to effectively turn off YouTube Shorts. Well, this doesn’t remove Shorts completely from the app, but it does let you hide the dedicated Shorts feed, which is where most of the endless scrolling happens. 
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Earlier, YouTube allowed you to limit Shorts usage, but the minimum limit was 15 minutes. Now, there’s a new option of “0 minutes.” Once you set the Shorts limit to zero, the app treats it as if you’ve already reached your daily limit. So instead of showing videos, it simply displays a message saying you’ve hit the limit. Also Read: Google launches Gemini 3.1 Flash TTS, a new AI voice model that supports 70+ languages
In short, the scrolling stops before it even starts! Also Read: YouTube now allows users to completely turn off Shorts with a new zero minute limit setting
Why this feature matters
Short-form content is designed to keep you hooked, and YouTube Shorts is no different. While it works for quick entertainment, it can also turn into long, unplanned screen time. This update gives all YouTube Shorts users more control. If you primarily use YouTube for longer videos such as tutorials, reviews, or podcasts, this setting helps cut out distractions.
Interestingly, the feature was first introduced as part of parental controls. Now, it’s being rolled out to regular users as well.
How to turn off YouTube Shorts
If the feature is available on your app, here’s how you can enable it:
- Open YouTube and go to Settings
- Tap on Time Management
- Scroll to Daily Limits
- Turn on Shorts Feed Limit
- Set the limit to 0 minutes
Once done, the Shorts section will stop showing videos on your feed.
YouTube Shorts: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Will the latest YouTube Shorts setting remove them completely?
Ans. No. This doesn’t remove Shorts from the app entirely. You may still see short videos in places like search results or subscriptions.
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2. How will it benefit you?
The main infinite-scroll Shorts feed, which most people spend time on, will be effectively disabled. It’s a simple setting, but it changes how you use the app. If you’ve been trying to cut down on mindless scrolling, this is probably one of the easiest ways to start.
