How to Turn Off YouTube Shorts (What YouTube Lets You Do)

If you open YouTube to watch one tutorial and keep getting pulled into an endless scroll of short clips, you're not alone. Lots of people want Shorts gone completely, and plenty of small-business owners I talk to find them a distraction when they're using YouTube for research. Here's the honest picture: YouTube doesn't give you a single switch that removes Shorts, but its own settings let you push them right down your feed. I'll walk you through every option YouTube's help centre describes, and the ones I'd steer clear of.

Is there a YouTube Shorts off switch?

Not one that YouTube offers. Its help article on managing recommendations says you can choose to see fewer Shorts, and that's the language it uses throughout. There's no setting in the app, on a computer or on a TV that hides Shorts for good, so anyone promising a permanent fix is usually pointing you to something YouTube doesn't support.

I'd avoid browser extensions, modified versions of the app and anything you'd have to install from outside the official app stores. They can break when YouTube updates, and they ask for access to your account that you don't need to hand over. Stick to the controls below, which are built into YouTube itself.

Use Show fewer Shorts on your YouTube Home feed

This is the closest thing YouTube has to turning Shorts off. According to its help pages, the steps in the app are:

1. Open the YouTube app and go to your Home feed.
2. Scroll until you reach a grid of Shorts.
3. Tap More (the three dots) at the top of that grid.
4. Tap Show fewer Shorts.

The grid should disappear from that view, and YouTube takes it as a signal to recommend fewer Shorts to you. It isn't a permanent ban, so if a shelf creeps back after a while, repeat the steps. Menus vary by app version, so if you can't see the three dots, look for the nearest match at the top of the shelf.

Mark individual YouTube Shorts as Not interested

YouTube's help centre says you can mark a video as Not interested on pages such as Home and Watch Next. Open the More menu next to the item and choose Not interested. For a normal video, you can also tap Tell us why and pick a reason, which helps fine-tune what you're shown next.

This works best when a particular type of Short keeps turning up. Telling YouTube you're not interested in a few of them teaches it to stop pushing that topic.

Stop one channel's Shorts appearing in your YouTube recommendations

If the problem is one creator rather than Shorts in general, use the channel option instead. On Home or Watch Next, open More next to a video, Short or post and choose Don't recommend channel. YouTube's help page says this stops recommendations from that channel. It's useful when a channel you once watched keeps flooding your feed.

Pause YouTube watch history to quieten recommendations

YouTube says that if you don't want video recommendations on Home, you can delete and turn off your watch history. It's a heavier option, because it changes everything YouTube suggests, not only Shorts. Some people like it, some find their Home feed too empty afterwards. If you're researching a topic for a short while, pausing history and then switching it back on later is a sensible middle ground. My guide on clearing your YouTube search history covers the related search history controls.

YouTube control	What it does	Where it lives
Show fewer Shorts	Hides a Shorts grid and reduces Shorts in Home	More menu on a Shorts grid
Not interested	Stops similar items being suggested	More menu next to an item
Don't recommend channel	Stops suggestions from one creator	More menu on Home or Watch Next
Pause watch history	Reduces recommendations on Home overall	Your history settings

Undo Show fewer Shorts if you change your mind about YouTube Shorts

Your feedback isn't locked in. YouTube's help centre explains that you can go to My Activity, open Other activity, and delete the Show fewer Shorts entry. The same area holds your Not interested feedback, which you can delete if your recommendations have become too narrow.

Why YouTube Shorts still matter if you run a business channel

Even if you'd rather not watch them, it's worth knowing that many viewers do. If you publish for your business, short clips can be a way for new people to find you before they sit down to watch a longer tutorial. You don't have to love the format to use it well. And if what's bothering you is a long video rolling into the next one, that's a different setting: here's how to switch off YouTube autoplay on every device.

If YouTube Shorts keep coming back after you hide them

• Check you're signed in. Feedback like Show fewer Shorts is tied to your account, so it won't follow you if you're logged out.
• Repeat the step on each shelf. YouTube treats it as a signal, not a permanent rule.
• Use Don't recommend channel for the creators that keep reappearing.
• Update the app if the More menu on a Shorts grid isn't showing.
• Look at your watch history. Watching a lot of Shorts tells YouTube you want more of them.

You'll find more fixes like this one in my YouTube help hub for viewers and creators.

Frequently asked questions

Can you turn off YouTube Shorts completely?

No. YouTube's help centre only describes ways to see fewer Shorts, such as Show fewer Shorts and Not interested. There's no built-in switch that removes them for good.

Where is Show fewer Shorts on YouTube?

In the app, go to your Home feed, scroll to a grid of Shorts, tap More at the top of the grid and tap Show fewer Shorts.

How do I undo Show fewer Shorts?

Go to My Activity, open Other activity and delete the Show fewer Shorts entry. YouTube can then start recommending Shorts again.

Is it safe to use an extension to block YouTube Shorts?

I wouldn't. Extensions and modified apps aren't part of YouTube, can stop working after updates and may ask for access you don't need to give. YouTube's own controls are the safer choice.

Will pausing watch history remove Shorts from my Home feed?

YouTube says deleting and turning off watch history is the way to stop video recommendations on Home. It affects all recommendations, not only Shorts.