YouTube has begun rolling out an update to its mobile app that allows users to effectively turn off the Shorts feed by setting the Shorts feed limit to "0 minutes" in the Time Management settings. Previously, the feature functioned more like a gentle brake, offering daily limits between 15 minutes and two hours before showing a reminder to stop scrolling.

The company says the Shorts feed limit is part of a broader effort to help users "manage how they spend their time" and customise their viewing experience, alongside existing Take a Break and Bedtime reminders. Once the limit is reached, a full-screen prompt notifies users that their Shorts feed is paused for the day, with a message indicating they have reached their Shorts feed limit. When the timer is set to zero, that pause happens immediately and the Shorts carousel disappears from the home feed.

The Shorts feed limit was first introduced within YouTube's parental controls, allowing parents and guardians to cap or block Shorts viewing for children and teens on supervised accounts. Parents can choose preset limits ranging from 15 minutes to two hours, or set the timer to zero minutes to block Shorts entirely, and young users cannot change these settings themselves.

YouTube is now extending the Shorts feed limit to standard adult accounts, giving all users more direct control over the attention-grabbing short-form feed. The option is still in the rollout phase and, as of now, is visible only on select devices and accounts. Users can find it by going to You > Settings > Time management > Shorts feed limit and choosing a daily limit, including the new zero-minute setting.

Disabling the Shorts feed on the home screen does not remove Shorts from YouTube entirely. YouTube says short-form clips may still appear in other parts of the app, such as the Subscriptions tab or search results, preserving some level of discovery while curbing the endless vertical scroll that many users find most distracting.

For YouTube, the move marks a notable shift: the platform is doubling down on time-management tools at a moment when short-form video consumption continues to surge worldwide and concerns about screen time, especially among younger users, are growing louder.

YouTube Shorts feed limit, especially the new zero-minute option, is a small change with potentially big consequences for how people use the platform. By letting users and parents sharply reduce or shut off the Shorts feed, YouTube is signalling that it recognises the need for firmer controls over compulsive scrolling, without abandoning the format entirely. How often do you personally find yourself losing track of time in Shorts or similar short-video feeds?