YouTube is adding another layer of control over its viewing habits – this time targeting one of the most prominent drivers of infinite scrolling. The company has begun allowing users to set the Shorts feed time limit to zero minutes, a step that is expected to significantly reduce exposure to short videos for those who simply do not want to see them in the feed anymore. The new option is an upgrade to the time management tools first introduced in October last year, but at that time the minimum option stood at 15 minutes – a duration that still allowed for a fairly deep dive into dozens of videos before receiving a break reminder.
The move grew out of the system intended for parental controls, where YouTube promised to provide adults with tighter control over the content their children are exposed to. Now, the strictest limit is available to all users, regardless of age. A review of the new interface in regular accounts confirms that the “zero minutes” option is active and accessible, and once it is selected, the user receives a message stating that scrolling has been paused. In some cases, a refresh of the app is required for the change to take effect and for the short videos to disappear from the main feed on mobile.
To activate the block, users must enter the settings menu in the YouTube app, go to the "Time management" tab and scroll down to the daily limits section. There, under the Shorts feed limit section, it is possible to choose a complete removal or opt for more flexible limits ranging from 15 minutes to two hours. Despite the option for full removal, YouTube clarifies that individual videos may still appear in different locations within the app, but the main mechanism that encourages continuous and effortless viewing will be disabled for those who choose it.