We have all accidentally opened YouTube shorts only to realize later that we’ve been scrolling forever. While YouTube doesn’t offer an official way to turn off Shorts, this workaround using third-party apps can help you reclaim your focus and sanity.
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Native Option (Has Flaws)
The workaround involves selecting the three dots icon in the upper right corner of each Short and selecting Not interested option. You must do this for all of the Shorts in your feed. Once done, the Shorts section will be removed from your feed (even when you restart the YouTube app). But, it’s less effective:
- Shorts can reappear in the feed if you accidentally watch them.
- Shorts will still show up in search results.
Pro Tip: There is a way to stop certain ads on YouTube without getting a premium subscription.
Best Option for Most People – StopScroll
StopScroll is the only app I can find that can block shorts from platforms like TikTok, Reels, and YouTube. It uses accessibility features to block these videos. You can also set limitations on how much time they spend on these platforms.
Unlike other apps that block the whole app such as YouTube, this app lets you use the app, but block just the YouTube shorts section. So you can still use the YouTube app to watch long videos, leave comments, and like community posts, but when you tap on shorts it’ll redirect you to the homepage. See the gif below for an example.
Alternatively, you can also try WallHabit Block Shorts & Reels. It does the same thing.
Did You Know: You can now watch YouTube videos on your Galaxy Watch, however, the small screen is only suitable for certain kinds of content.
For Advanced Users Only – Patch YouTube App
This method is technical. The patched app will be installed separately from the official YouTube app. You’ll not see the Shorts tab, but some shorts may appear in recommendations and searches. The only advantage it provides is, that once you installed MicroG, you can sign in with your Google account.
Here’s the side-by-screenshot of the original YouTube app and patched YouTube.
Note: This process modifies the YouTube app, and you might need to repeat these steps after future updates.
1. Install MicroG (Optional)
- The modified YouTube app won’t work with Google Play Services, so MicroG is needed for logging in with your Google account. Skip this if you don’t want to log in.
- Download the latest MicroG APK from APKMirror.
- Install the APK. Do note, that you won’t be able to open this app directly.
2. Install Revanced Manager
- This tool allows you to customize and patch the YouTube app.
- Download the Revanced Manager APK from GitHub.
- Install the APK, and give it the necessary permissions.
3. Identify Compatible YouTube Version
- Open Revanced Manager app.
- Go to the Patcher tab.
- Tap Select an app and choose YouTube.
- Note down the recommended YouTube version.
4. Download the Correct YouTube APK
- From APKMirror:
- Find the YouTube version recommended by Revanced Manager.
- You can even tap on the version name and it’ll open the APK mirror link in a browser.
- Download the APK variant (not the Bundle variant).
5. Patch the YouTube App
- Open the Revanced Manager app again.
- Go to the Patcher tab.
- Tap Select an app and choose YouTube.
Tap Select from Storage and choose the downloaded APK.
- Tap Select patches. Tap on the Select patches option. You can see all the patches supported by the Revanced Manager app.
- Make sure to enable Disable Resuming Shorts on Startup and Hide Shorts Components.
- Tap Patch and wait.
Tap Install after patching is complete.
Enjoy YouTube Without shorts
There will be two YouTube apps now. The patched YouTube app won’t replace your existing one. You can hide the original YouTube app for convenience. Don’t uninstall it though.
It’ll be a separate app, also called YouTube, but without the Shorts tab.
To log in to your YouTube account
- Open the patched YouTube app.
- Tap the profile icon at the bottom.
- Tap Sign in” and select the + icon.
- Choose Sign-in on the MicroG page and use your Google account.
Now you can enjoy YouTube without Shorts, although some might still appear as recommendations.
Bonus Tip: If you mainly use YouTube on a computer, the Unhook browser extension blocks Shorts on the desktop version and works on mobile with the Kiwi browser.
