YouTube doomscrolling is over: Here’s the 4-step guide to completely disable Shorts and regain your attention span

YouTube has quietly added a much-requested feature that allows users to completely disable Shorts in the mobile app. Many users who were tired of endless short videos scrolling in their feed can now turn them off entirely with a simple setting change. The new option is available under the app’s Time Management section, where users can set the Shorts feed limit to 0 minutes.

How to disable Shorts on YouTube (Step-by-step guide)

1. Open the YouTube app on your phone.
2. Tap on your profile picture in the top right corner and go to Settings.
3. Scroll down and select Time Management (or General > Time watched).
4. Scroll to the bottom and find Shorts feed limit.
5. Select 0 minutes.

Once you set the Shorts feed limit to 0 minutes, short videos will no longer appear in your YouTube feed or homepage. The change takes effect immediately.

Users want the same on Instagram

The development has sparked hope among users that Instagram will soon introduce a similar option to disable Reels. Many people have been complaining about the overwhelming presence of Reels in their Instagram feed and stories.

One user wrote: “YouTube now lets you disable Shorts. I hope Instagram also adds an option to disable Reels.”

Why this matters

Shorts have become extremely popular, but not everyone wants to see them while browsing regular long-form videos. This new setting gives users more control over their YouTube experience and helps reduce unwanted scrolling time.

The feature is currently rolling out to users globally and should be available in the latest version of the YouTube app.

If you don’t see the option yet, make sure your YouTube app is updated from the Play Store or App Store.