Short-format videos have come to dominate most video-sharing platforms on the Internet. First introduced by Vine, this format was later perfected by TikTok. Instagram was also quick to jump on the bandwagon with Reels. YouTube, known for its long-form content, introduced micro videos in the form of ‘Shorts’ back in 2020. While Shorts are fun to consume, engaging in mindless scrolling can cause a slump in productivity. Today, we bring you the top 4 ways to disable YouTube Shorts on Android and PC.

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Is there a way to disable YouTube Shorts?

There is no direct way to disable Shorts on YouTube. At best, you can hide the Shorts shelf on the YouTube website for 30 days. When the feature made its debut on YouTube, users were given an option to disable it from the app settings. Now that the micro-format has grown in popularity, the option to disable it has been removed from the app.

If you want to completely get rid of Shorts, you are left with third-party tools and other workarounds. On your PC, you can download a Chrome extension to block the short format videos. Android users can use an older version of the YouTube app that doesn’t have the Shorts feature. Since Google is cracking down on ‘modded’ apps for YouTube, using Vanced is not a viable option anymore.

Disable YouTube Shorts on PC

Step 1: Go to the official YouTube website.

Step 2: Scroll down until you come across the Shorts shelf.

Step 3: Hit the cross icon for Shorts.

Step 4: The Shorts shelf will be hidden for 30 days.

Use a browser extension

If you want a more permanent fix to this problem, install the Remove YouTube Shorts extension from the Chrome Webstore. Once installed, this extension gets rid of YouTube Shorts from the sidebar, feed, search results, and recommended videos. This will give you a much-needed boost in productivity.

Use an older version of the YouTube app on mobile

There is no native way to disable Shorts on the YouTube app for mobile. However, what you can do is use an older version of the YouTube app that doesn’t have Shorts. The last version of YouTube that did not have Shorts was v14.12.56.16. You can download this APK using APKMirror or any other third-party Android marketplace. Once the APK is downloaded, install it on your device. Additionally, go to the Google Play Store and turn off auto-updates for YouTube.

Uninstall YouTube Updates

You don’t need to sideload an older version of the YouTube app on your device if it initially had a version without Shorts in it. Here’s how you can restore that version.

Step 1: Go to YouTube’s page on the Google Play Store, tap the ellipses at the top right corner of the screen, and uncheck the box for Enable auto-updates.

Step 2: Go to device settings and select Apps.

Step 3: Scroll down and select YouTube.

Step 4: Tap the ellipses at the top right corner of the screen.

Step 5: Select Uninstall updates.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do I disable YouTube Shorts on my PC?

Hit the cross icon on the Shorts shelf to disable it for 30 days. You can also use the Remove YouTube Shorts extension to completely block Shorts on the website.

How do I disable YouTube Shorts on Android?

There is no direct way to disable YouTube Shorts on Android. You can use an older version of YouTube that does not have Shorts in it.

How do I download YouTube Shorts on my device?

Use SSYouTubeDownloader to download a Short on your device.

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Conclusion

These are the top 4 ways to disable YouTube Shorts on Android and PC. If you know any other way to go about this task, let us know in the comments! Check out this article to learn how to download a Short on your device.

The post Top 4 Ways to Disable YouTube Shorts on Android and PC (2024) appeared first on Gadget Bridge by Utkarsh Joshi.