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How to block YouTube Shorts

YouTube lets you ask for fewer Shorts, and that's about it. There's no setting that clears them off Home, search and Subscriptions. On a computer, a free extension can do it with one switch.

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A YouTube-like home feed on a test page with the Shorts shelf crossed out by a big red X and a black label that says No more Shorts

Sample feed: switch Shorts off and on

The channels and videos are made up. The feed reacts the way YouTube does with the extension installed.

Showing all 8 items. Nothing is hidden yet.

27:41

Locked inside a supermarket until sunrise

Night Shift Nate

8.2M views · 5 days ago

41:22

Finishing the whole game without one hit

Level Nine

980K views · 4 days ago

22:17

Eating a 10,000 calorie burger (ASMR)

Big Bite Bros

4.6M views · 2 weeks ago

Shorts

Wait until the end

12M views

Soap cutting, extra satisfying

2.3M views

Dog vs. robot vacuum, round 2

7.7M views

A 5-second kitchen trick

1.4M views

He did not see the spider coming

9.1M views

What YouTube lets you do about Shorts

The built-in options send feedback. You'll see Shorts less, but they don't go away.

  • Show fewer Shorts, in the phone app. On the Shorts grid on Home, the More menu has "Show fewer Shorts", which lowers how many you get. Getting them back means deleting the "Show fewer Shorts" feedback in Google My Activity, under Other activity.
  • Not interested. This applies to one Short at a time. The shelf stays.
  • No switch on a computer. On youtube.com there's no setting at all for Shorts on Home, in search results or in Subscriptions.

Parents of a supervised kids' account can set a daily time limit for the Shorts feed.

Switch Shorts off in three steps

  1. 1

    Install it and check the switch

    Install the free extension in Chrome, Edge, Brave or Opera; the install page has the file and a short guide. Open the panel from the red icon and make sure the switch at the top says On.

    Get the free extension
    Close-up of the extension panel on a test feed; a red arrow points at the On switch in its top right corner
    The panel right after installing. The switch at the top is on.
  2. 2

    Turn on Hide Shorts

    Click the red icon and flip the Hide Shorts switch. It stays on after the browser restarts.

    Close-up of the extension panel; a red arrow points at the Hide Shorts switch, which is on
    Hide Shorts in the panel, switched on.
  3. 3

    Look at your feed

    The Shorts shelf leaves Home, and Shorts cards leave search results, Subscriptions and the Up next column. Ordinary videos stay where they were. The Shorts entry in the side menu, the Shorts filter chips and the Shorts tab on channel pages go too.

    A YouTube-like home feed on a test page with the Shorts shelf crossed out by a big red X and a black label that says No more Shorts
    With Hide Shorts on, the shelf is gone from the feed (test feed).

What Hide Shorts covers

On YouTubeWith Hide Shorts on
The Shorts shelf on HomeHidden
Shorts in search resultsHidden
Shorts in SubscriptionsHidden
Shorts in Up nextHidden
Side menu entry, filter chips, channel tabHidden
A /shorts/ linkPaused under a notice, with a link to the regular player
Regular videosUntouched

YouTube's options next to the extension

You wantYouTubeThe extension
No Shorts shelf on HomeShow fewer Shorts in the app reduces themGone while the switch is on
No Shorts in searchNoYes
No Shorts in SubscriptionsNoYes
Bring them back in a secondDelete feedback in My ActivityFlip the switch
The phone appShow fewer Shorts, a daily limit for kids' accountsComputer only

Limits worth knowing

  • On a phone the extension can't help. Plenty of people watch on youtube.com at their desk to avoid Shorts and keep the app for everything else.
  • YouTube renames and moves its Shorts sections from time to time. If a shelf gets through after an update, reload the tab and check the help page.
  • A channel you block is hidden in Shorts shelves only when YouTube shows the channel on the Short. Hide Shorts removes all of them.

FAQ

Is there a way to block YouTube Shorts?

Not completely with YouTube's own controls. On a computer, the extension's Hide Shorts switch keeps them hidden for as long as it's on.

How do I turn Shorts off for good on a computer?

Install the extension and switch on Hide Shorts. It stays on until you switch it off, across restarts.

Can I block Shorts in the YouTube app?

Not with this extension, since the apps for iPhone, iPad and Android don't run extensions. In the app, "Show fewer Shorts" is what you get, plus a daily Shorts limit on supervised kids' accounts.

Will hiding Shorts change my recommendations?

No. The extension sends YouTube nothing and only hides Shorts on your screen. Switch it off and the page looks as it did before.

Can I still watch one Short?

Yes. Open the link and press "Open as a normal video" on the notice, or turn Hide Shorts off in the panel for a moment.

Last updated

Keep the creators you like. Lose the rest.

Free, no account, and any block comes off with one click. Runs in Chrome, Edge, Brave and Opera on a computer.

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See also