How to Disable YouTube Shorts in 2023? The Ultimate Guide for Users Seeking Less Distraction

YouTube Shorts, the short-form vertical video feed on YouTube, took the social media world by storm upon launching in 2020. These TikTok-esque clips clearly resonate with a massive segment of YouTube users and creators. However, some find the never-ending influx of 15 to 60 second videos distracting or disruptive to their YouTube experience.

If you fall into that camp, you may be wondering: how do I disable or opt-out of the YouTube Shorts feed? This comprehensive guide will walk you through multiple methods to remove Shorts from your YouTube app and curate your feed.

We’ll also analyze the meteoric growth of Shorts, their competitive edge against TikTok, and their impact on user attention spans. You’ll get perspectives from creators benefiting from and struggling with the pressures of Shorts. And we’ll explore alternatives within YouTube for those seeking more long-form, high-quality content.

By the end, you’ll understand exactly how to tailor your YouTube experience to limit distractions and maximize the knowledge, insights and entertainment you seek. Let’s dive in.

What Are YouTube Shorts and How Did They Get So Big?

YouTube Shorts are short-form videos, typically 15 to 60 seconds long, designed for mobile viewing in a vertical 9:16 aspect ratio. They are YouTube’s version of the wildly popular short video formats on TikTok and Instagram Reels.

Shorts can be recorded and edited directly within the YouTube mobile app. Creators shoot quick clips on their smartphones and enhance them with music, captions, filters, stitching multiple clips together and more.

YouTube first began testing Shorts in India in September 2020 before expanding the TikTok competitor globally. They immediately saw explosive engagement, with 3.5 billion daily Shorts views reported by December 2020.

Just a year post-launch, Shorts received 30 billion daily views. For perspective, that’s over 4 billion hours watched per day when averaged across their typical 30 to 60 second lengths.

Clearly Shorts have tapped into an engaged audience amongst YouTube’s 2+ billion monthly active users. Their growth continues outpacing internal expectations.

But how do Shorts perform compared to leading competitor TikTok? Let’s analyze their similarities and differences.

YouTube Shorts vs TikTok: How the Short-Form Video Rivals Compare

YouTube Shorts essentially integrate the short-form, scrollable video feed that is core to TikTok into the YouTube app experience. But beyond their similar addictive feeds, these two short video giants have key differences:

• Creation Tools: TikTok provides more advanced filters, effects and editing capabilities within its app. Shorts offers solid tools but its focus is ease of quick content creation.
• User Base: YouTube’s existing 2 billion+ MAUs gives Shorts a massive built-in audience. The platforms cater to different demographics, with TikTok skewing younger.
• Algorithm: TikTok’s “For You” algorithm is more advanced than YouTube’s version, keeping viewers ultra-engaged by predicting exactly what they want to see next via A.I.
• Monetization: YouTube offers Shorts creators the chance to earn via the $100 million YouTube Shorts Fund. TikTok lets creators earn directly from gifts, tips and its Creator Fund.
• Retention: YouTube looks to transition Shorts viewers into long-form content on its platform more seamlessly than TikTok. Shorts bolster overall YouTube session times.

YouTube is playing catch-up in some regards with Shorts, but starting from its dominant market position. And for creators, cross-leveraging both platforms represents major opportunities to expand their brands and earnings.

Now let’s explore why some YouTube users love Shorts, while they represent a source of distraction or annoyance for others.

The Pros and Cons of YouTube Shorts for Viewers

Opinions are split on Shorts. Supporters enjoy tapping through a rapid-fire feed of entertaining and informative bite-sized content. Detractors argue Shorts corrode attention spans and disrupt YouTube’s tradition of highlighting more substantive videos.

For Shorts enthusiasts, the pros include:

• Easy consumption – Shorts only require minimal time commitment. If you don’t like one, another instantly pops up.
• Personalization – YouTube’s algorithm quickly learns your tastes and fills your feed with personalized Shorts.
• Novelty – Shorts bring variety alongside YouTube’s traditional long-form videos. Some find this refreshing.
• Humor and creativity – Many find Shorts highly entertaining, filled with music, comedy sketches, visual effects, challenges and trends.

Shorts critics cite cons such as:

• Distraction – The endless content feed makes it harder to focus on one task without constant distraction.
• Attention span – The barrage of 15 to 60 second clips may damage viewers’ ability to concentrate on longer content.
• Low quality – Much Shorts content prioritizes going viral over depth or meaning. Critics see it as “junk food.”
• Displacement – Proliferation of Shorts comes at the expense of YouTubers investing time in polished, long-form videos.

As this breakdown illustrates, Shorts affect every viewer differently. Their value depends greatly on individual preferences and goals for the YouTube experience.

Now let’s get into the various methods you can use to disable Shorts if you decide their cons outweigh their pros for you personally.

How to Disable YouTube Shorts in 3 Different Ways

You have several options to essentially opt out of the YouTube Shorts feed and curate your video selections. Here are the top 3 methods to minimize Shorts in your YouTube app:

1. Toggle “Shorts” to Off in YouTube Settings

The most direct approach is simply toggling the Shorts feature off. Here’s how:

1. Open YouTube and tap your profile icon.
2. Select “Settings” then choose “General.”
3. Look for a toggle next to “Shorts” and slide it off/disabled.
4. Confirm by selecting “Done.”

This instantly removes Shorts from your Home feed and disables creation tools. However, not all countries have this precise toggle yet. If you don’t see this Shorts option, use the next method.

2. Tap “Not Interested” on Individual Shorts Videos

You can also curate your Shorts feed one video at a time:

1. Press the three-dot menu next to any Short.
2. Choose “Not interested” or “Don’t recommend channel.”
3. Repeat for other unwanted Shorts.

This prunes your personalized feed. YouTube will show you less content from those creators or topics. It takes more effort but allows precision.

3. Downgrade or Re-Install the YouTube App

This last option reverts you to a pre-Shorts version of YouTube:

On Android:

1. Go to Settings > Apps > YouTube > Uninstall updates.
2. This will roll YouTube back to the original factory version without Shorts.

On iOS, you cannot directly downgrade apps. But you can:

• Download an old .IPA file of the YouTube app from before 2020 when Shorts launched.
• Use a cloud tool like AppValley to install older app versions.
• Access YouTube via mobile web instead of the app to omit Shorts.

These methods empower you to tailor YouTube based on your viewing priorities. But why might you want to disable Shorts in the first place?

Key Reasons Some Users Prefer Disabling YouTube Shorts

YouTube Shorts clearly resonate with a massive segment of users. But they aren’t universally loved. Here’s why some viewers decide to disable them:

• Prefer longer videos – Some strongly prefer YouTube’s traditional 10+ minute videos for more in-depth content.
• Less distraction – Removing constant Shorts can help minimize distraction and regaining focus.
• Attention span concerns – Some want to avoid possible effects of perpetual 15 to 60 second clips on concentration.
• Low quality content – Shorts skeptics see many as cheap clickbait that lacks substance.
• Support long-form creators – Users feel flooding YouTube with Shorts comes at the expense of talented creators producing polished, meaningful long-form content.
• Too overwhelming – For heavy YouTube users, Shorts can become overwhelming when subbed to multiple Shorts creators.

These motivations are all valid. You know best what types of content align with your needs and interests on YouTube.

That said, examining the upsides that make Shorts so popular for many can still be valuable.

Benefits and Upsides of YouTube Shorts

While Shorts certainly aren’t universally beloved, they offer significant benefits that fuel their incredible rise:

• Micro-entertainment – Shorts fill small moments of downtime with humor, inspiration or quick knowledge.
• Low commitment – You can tap through endless Shorts until you find ones that grab your interest.
• Mobile optimization – Their vertical orientation and bite-size format work seamlessly on smartphones, where YouTube is heavily watched.
• Algorithmic curation – YouTube’s A.I. quickly learns your tastes and serves up personalized Shorts suited to your interests.
• Reshaping attention – Some argue easily digestible snacks of video content align better with modern attention spans shaped by mobile technology.
• Shareability – Shorts spread rapidly on social channels. YouTube tallied 140 billion Shorts shares by creators in 1 year.
• Creator opportunities – The low barrier to entry with Shorts lets creators show off their skills and personalities in fun new ways.
• Income potential – Between the YouTube Shorts Fund and sponsorships, Shorts offer financial upside for creators. Top Shorts creators earn well into 6 figures.

YouTube is also making efforts to keep Shorts viewers on-platform by suggesting relevant long-form content to watch next. And for some niches, Shorts provide engaging educational or how-to content not requiring 10+ minutes.

Understanding both sides helps make an informed choice on integrating or disabling Shorts based your individual viewer preferences.

Curating Your YouTube Feed for Optimal Enjoyment

Rather than completely blocking Shorts, many opt to curate their YouTube experience to achieve the right Shorts-to-long-videos balance:

• Only subscribe to long-form creators, limiting Shorts influx from new subscriptions.
• Use “Not Interested” consistently on unwanted Shorts to improve recommendations.
• Create a separate account just for watching Shorts content.
• Watch YouTube logged out on a computer web browser to avoid Shorts entirely.
• Toggle Shorts on occasionally when you want a change of pace.
• Hand pick engaging educational Shorts but skip over meme or challenge content.

Give these tips a try to curate your ideal YouTube feed. And for those disabling Shorts more fully, plenty of alternatives exist.

Long-Form YouTube Alternatives Beyond Shorts

While Shorts represent the future of YouTube to some degree, the platform still offers boundless long-form video options:

• YouTube search – Look for videos on any topic you want to dive deeper into, from physics to guitar lessons.
• YouTube Premium – Paying members get ad-free access to all long videos. Downloads allow offline viewing.
• Subscriptions – Curate feeds of your favorite long-form YouTubers making content you love. Turn notifications on.
• Non-fiction – YouTube hosts thousands of informative documentaries, lectures, explainers and more.
• Movies & shows – YouTube now offers many full-length movies, TV shows and exclusive original programming.

YouTube continues placing major emphasis on personality-driven video creators producing 10+ minute videos. Billions visit YouTube specifically seeking that type of rich, long-form content.

Conclusion

YouTube Shorts offer a radically new, mobile-centric way of engaging with video. They provide bite-sized entertainment tailored to modern attention spans. But Shorts also disrupt the long-form video traditions that first made YouTube a global phenomenon.

This guide covered multiple ways to disable or limit Shorts if you find their ubiquity on YouTube distracting. Toggle them off in Settings, tap “Not Interested” on individual Shorts, downgrade the app, or use YouTube’s website to avoid Shorts entirely.

Yet it’s worth occasionally sampling trending Shorts to stay culturally relevant. With smart curation of subscriptions and personalized recommendations, you can likely strike the right balance for your viewing needs. YouTube still offers an unparalleled selection of substantive long-form video once you move beyond its addicting Shorts feed.