I’ve been finding YouTube Shorts really distracting when browsing the YouTube app on my Android phone. I keep getting sucked into these short videos and it’s making it hard to focus on the content I’m actually interested in. Is there a way to disable or hide YouTube Shorts? If anyone knows a solution, I’d really appreciate the help!
Turning off YouTube Shorts on your Android phone isn’t officially sraightforward, but there are a few workarounds you can try to minimize or avoid them:
-
Use an Older Version of YouTube:
Sometimes the best way to bypass new features you don’t like is to roll back to an earlier version of the app. Google ‘YouTube APK old version’ and download a version from before Shorts was introduced. Just be cautious where you download it from to avoid malware. -
Disable Shorts through Content Settings:
There’s no direct toggle to disable Shorts, but tweaking the discovery can help. Go to ‘Settings’ > ‘General’ > ‘Settings for current video’ and avoid interacting with short-form content. The algorithm should eventually recommend less of it. -
Using YouTube in a Browser:
If you don’t necessarily need the app, using youtube.com in a web browser can give you a more controlled experience. Shorts are less prominently featured here. -
Third-Party YouTube Apps:
There are alternative YouTube clients like Vanced (RIP) or NewPipe that provide more control over the content. NewPipe, for instance, doesn’t include YouTube Shorts and is entirely open source. -
Report & Not Interested:
When a Shorts video appears, you can tap the three dots under or beside the video and select “Not Interested” over and over again. It’s tedious but it might train the algorithm not to show shorts. -
Parental Control Trick:
You can also go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Parental Controls’ and potentially limit account access to content that doesn’t include Shorts. A bit of a hack, but might work if other methods don’t.
Lastly, as much as YouTube Shorts are designed to grab your attention, it’s also worth considering training yourself to skip them or setting specific strict screen-time limits to mitigate distraction.
Choosing the right method could depend on how comfortable you are with tech hacks or whether you prefer simply reducing distractions through behavior adjustments.
This whole idea of turning off YouTube Shorts seems like a wild goose chase. Sure, @codecrafter’s got some points, but come on, use an older version? Really? 
Like I wanna risk downloading malware just to avoid a few seconds of distraction.
Ignoring Shorts and tweaking discovery settings, yeah right, have you met YouTube’s algorithm? It’s more stubborn than my ex. 
The third-party apps while sounding nifty, often come with their own quirks and risks. You’re trading one problem for a new one.
Browser approach? Pfft… encounters with random glitches and limited features, hard pass. I guess if you’re into torturing yourself for sake of distractions, go ahead.
Training yourself to just skip Shorts is probably the most realistic, if you have the willpower. Good luck shuffling through this mess, tho.
I feel your pain with those YouTube Shorts. They can be super distracting, especially when you’re trying to watch longer content. Let’s dive into some unique ways to reduce this distraction without repeating the same steps already mentioned by @techchizkid and @codecrafter.
1. Content Pruning:
Rather than just dissabling Shorts, consider curating your subscriptions and likes more intentionally. If you subscribe mostly to channels that focus on long-form content and actively avoid engaging with Shorts, you could notice a significant reduction in their appearance. Also, thumbs up more the type of content you actually want to see in your feed.
2. Use YouTube Premium:
I know, not everyone wants to shell out money for Premium, but if you’re a heavy YouTube user, it might be worth it. One feature particularly useful is the “Downloads” option. You could download the longer videos you’re interested in and watch them offline, away from those tempting Shorts. Plus, no ads!
3. Switch to YouTube Kids with a twist:
This could sound a bit off, but hear me out. YouTube Kids largely filters out Shorts and bite-sized content. If you’re mainly using YouTube for entertainment and aren’t deeply dependent on comment sections or heavy interactions, setting up YouTube Kids in a way that tailors more to your taste may help. Just make sure to tweak the settings to get age-appropriate (read: your age, not just kids).
4. Overhaul the Algorithm:
This is a bit intense, but you could try resetting your entire YouTube account. Deleting your watch history and search history, and starting fresh can sometimes reset the algorithm’s temptations. If you’ve trained it accidentally to love Shorts, you’ll need to retrain it.
5. Filter via Browser Plug-Ins:
For those more inclined to tech, browser extensions like “DF Tube” (Distraction-Free YouTube) for Chrome can help. They allow you to hide specific sections like the Shorts tab when using YouTube via a web browser. You won’t see Shorts in your recommendations or home feed.
6. Use a separate account/profile:
You could create a secondary YouTube profile dedicated solely to long-form content. Just don’t subscribe to any channels that primarily produce Shorts, and be intentional about what you watch. This way, the account won’t get corrupted with Shorts over time.
OK, so those are the tips and tricks from my end. It’s a cat-and-mouse game with algorithms nowadays, and while some of these might sound like a hassle, they could give you back some control over your YouTube experience. Be strategic about how you use the platform, and hopefully, you’ll be able to cut down on the mindless scroll through Shorts.
Let’s be real though, refusing to click on them and manually training the algorithm might seem tedious— but sometimes brute force is the only way to go. Getting in the habit of recognizing those tempting thumbnails and just skipping over them can help you regain your focus.
Lastly, let’s not discount behavior change. Yeah, it’s easier said than done, but applying some self-discipline techniques, like allocating specific times for long-form watching and strictly adhering to them, might help reduce the compulsive clicking on Shorts.
Hope you find a combo of these strategies that works for you!