You can usually reduce or hide Shorts , but YouTube does not offer a universal permanent “off” switch in the app for everyone. The most reliable options are to mark Shorts as not interested, hide the Shorts shelf on the web when available, or lower Shorts recommendations through settings and watch history controls.

What to do

  1. Tap “Not interested” on Shorts.
    In the app, open a Short, tap the three-dot menu, and choose Not interested. Repeating this on several Shorts helps YouTube show fewer of them over time.
  1. Hide the Shorts shelf on desktop or mobile web.
    On YouTube’s web version, the Shorts shelf may have an X or similar hide option that removes it for about 30 days.
  1. Use “Show fewer Shorts” if you see it.
    Some mobile users get a Show fewer shorts option from the Shorts shelf menu, which reduces how often it appears.
  1. Turn off playback in feeds.
    In the app, go to Profile > Settings > General and disable Playback in feeds to make feed previews less intrusive.
  1. Reduce recommendation signals.
    Pausing or clearing YouTube watch history can reduce personalized Shorts recommendations, because the algorithm has less to work with.

Best approach by device

Device| Best option| Notes
---|---|---
iPhone / Android app| Not Interested + reduce history| No guaranteed permanent off switch in the main app 26
Desktop web| Hide Shorts shelf when available| Usually temporary, often around 30 days 46
Mobile browser| Use the web version| Sometimes gives the same hide option as desktop 4

Important caveat

Some forum posts mention browser extensions, modified apps, or older app versions, but those are unofficial and can be risky or unsupported. For a safe method, the best path is to repeatedly train recommendations and hide the shelf where YouTube allows it.

If your goal is “see fewer Shorts,” the app settings and “Not interested” steps usually help. If your goal is “remove Shorts completely,” the web interface or third-party workarounds may be needed, but they are less reliable and not official.[6][2]
Would you like the exact steps for iPhone, Android, or desktop?