Article last updated on:
November 01, 2024
Initially published on:
March 03, 2024

Sick and tired of YouTube Shorts? They can get pretty distracting, I know that myself — and that’s why I started looking for ways to disable them forever.

After spending about ~7 hours on this topic, I found the single-best solutions to turn off Shorts on your phone, tablet and computer (or any other device).

Let’s start this.

How to Disable YouTube Shorts PERMANENTLY

Answer: To disable YouTube Shorts on mobile, go to the YouTube settings app and downgrade to any version 14.13.54. On PC, you need install a free extension.

This may sound hard, but it’s really not. Join me!


1. Disable YouTube Shorts on Mobile

  1. Go to your phone’s settings (or in the YouTube app).
  2. Find YouTube in the apps list.
  3. Uninstall updates to revert to the older version.
  4. Open YouTube in a web browser instead of the app.
How to see which version of the iOS YouTube app you've got installed
How to see your app’s version

YouTube Shorts can’t be permanently disabled within the app, but you can use a workaround to reduce their presence. This involves uninstalling updates or using a browser version of YouTube.

This will help minimize Shorts, but you might still see them occasionally. If this happens, keep marking them as ‘Not Interested’ until YouTube adjusts your feed.

2. Disable YouTube Shorts on Desktop

The best way to disable YouTube Shorts on PC is to get a free extension that eliminates any Shorts from YouTube.

  1. Install a browser extension like YouTube Shorts Blocker
  2. Go to YouTube and check if the Shorts section is hidden.
  3. Alternatively, add ?disable_polymer=true to the YouTube URL.
  4. Refresh the page to see the changes.
YouTube Shorts Blocker Extension on the Google Chrome Web Store
Link to the extension 👆

On desktop, there’s no direct way to disable Shorts, but browser extensions can hide them. This method works effectively across most browsers like Chrome and Firefox.

  • These extensions are generally safe to use and don’t affect the rest of your browsing experience.
  • Keep them updated for the best results.

The one above was just an example. You can use any extension!


How to Filter Out YouTube Shorts

You can reduce YouTube Shorts recommendations by setting ‘Not Interested’ repeatedly. This teaches YouTube’s algorithm to show fewer Shorts over time:

  1. Open the Shorts video in your feed.
  2. Tap on the three dots at the top right.
  3. Select ‘Not Interested’.
  4. Repeat this for multiple Shorts.
Highlighting the "Not interested" button to recommend less YouTube Shorts

This might take a few days to adjust. Ensure you interact more with regular video content to reinforce your preferences.


Reasons to Disable YouTube Shorts

Productivity is the #1 reason to disable YouTube Shorts.

1. Preference for In-Depth Content

If you prefer watching long-form videos that dive deeper into topics, disabling Shorts helps keep your feed focused on content that aligns with your interests.

2. Avoiding Algorithm Influence

By disabling Shorts, you can help the YouTube algorithm prioritize showing you more regular videos instead of short clips that don’t hold your interest.

Related: How the YouTube Shorts algorithm works.

3. Consistent Viewing Experience

Long-form content provides a more immersive experience.

Disabling Shorts can help create a consistent viewing experience without the interruption of shorter, quick clips.

4. Reducing Distractions

Shorts can be fast-paced and sometimes irrelevant to your main interests.

Disabling them can reduce distractions and help you stay focused on content you genuinely want to watch.

5. Notification Overload

If you follow channels that upload a lot of Shorts, you might find notifications overwhelming. Disabling Shorts can keep your notifications cleaner and focused on long-form videos.

If you’re a viewer who finds Shorts disruptive, these are practical reasons to disable them and improve your YouTube experience.


FAQ

1. In which version did YouTube introduce Shorts?

Answer: Version 14.50.53

YouTube introduced Shorts with the version 14.50.53 update. This version was released in September 2020 and started rolling out the Shorts feature to users in India first, before expanding globally.

2. Which version of YouTube doesn’t have Shorts?

Answer: Anything before 14.13.54

Any YouTube version prior to 14.13.54 does not have Shorts. If you want to avoid Shorts, you can revert to an older version like 14.12.56 or earlier, as these versions were released before Shorts.

3. Can you remove Shorts from YouTube browser?

Answer: Yes, you can remove Shorts from the YouTube browser using extensions or manual URL modifications

  1. Install a browser extension like YouTube Shorts Blocker or uBlock Origin.
  2. Modify the YouTube URL by adding ?disable_polymer=true at the end.
  3. Use a user script manager like Tampermonkey to hide Shorts elements.

These options won’t remove Shorts entirely but will minimize their presence on the browser version of YouTube.


Thanks a lot for reading this,
David Ch
Head of the Editing Team at SendShort

About the author

Daniel is the head of our research and statistics team. With Daniel's help, our team keeps up with the latest stats and financials for your favourite social media company.