YouTube Shorts have taken over the platform, and for some users, it’s not always a welcome change. If you’re someone who doesn’t enjoy the fast-paced, bite-sized content or feels like these videos eat up too much of your time, you’re probably wondering how to hide them. While YouTube doesn’t offer a straightforward way to hide or disable Shorts entirely, there are tools and strategies that can help you manage your YouTube experience.
In this post, we’ll cover why hiding YouTube Shorts can be a smart decision for your focus and productivity. More importantly, we’ll explore a practical solution: WallHabit, a commitment device that allows you to block distracting features like Shorts and Reels on social media apps. Let’s dive in and see how you can regain control over your YouTube experience.
Can You Hide Shorts on YouTube?
Unfortunately, YouTube itself doesn’t have a built-in feature to hide Shorts. Whether you’re using the app on your phone or browsing on a desktop, Shorts are integrated into the feed, often showing up between longer videos and, of course, on their dedicated Shorts shelf. If you’re trying to stay focused or simply prefer watching full-length content, this can be frustrating.
There are some tips circulating on forums and YouTube itself about how to avoid Shorts, but none of these solutions are ideal. Some suggest using browser extensions or manually adjusting your recommendations, but these are often temporary fixes at best. Ultimately, you’ll still end up encountering Shorts in one form or another.
This is where WallHabit comes into play. While YouTube doesn’t allow you to directly remove Shorts, WallHabit provides a way to block access to them in a more permanent and manageable manner. Instead of just relying on YouTube’s settings, which are limited, you can use WallHabit’s advanced tools to customize your experience and reduce exposure to distracting content like Shorts.
Using WallHabit to Hide Shorts
WallHabit is a powerful tool designed for those who want to take control of their screen time. It’s not just a simple blocker; it’s a commitment device that helps you stick to your goals by making it harder to access distracting content. One of its standout features is the ability to block specific features within social media apps, such as YouTube Shorts.
While WallHabit doesn’t allow you to pick individual videos to hide, it offers the next best thing: you can block YouTube’s Shorts feature altogether. This means that when you’re browsing the app, you won’t even see the Shorts section. This can drastically reduce distractions and allow you to enjoy the content you actually want to watch.
A unique aspect of WallHabit is its “hold to unlock” feature, which can be used when you block entire apps. While this doesn’t apply specifically to hiding Shorts, it’s an essential feature for when you need extra reinforcement to stay away from apps that are time-sinks. When you enable this feature, WallHabit creates a virtual barrier, forcing you to hold down a button for a certain amount of time to access the app. This pause gives you the chance to reconsider whether you really want to open the app, adding friction to impulse-driven habits.
If you’re serious about cutting down distractions, WallHabit’s ability to target specific social media features, like Shorts and Reels, is invaluable. You can customize which distractions to block without needing to block the entire app. By focusing on the content that distracts you the most, you’ll find yourself wasting less time and sticking to your digital goals.
3 Benefits of Not Watching Shorts
Now that we’ve talked about how to hide Shorts using WallHabit, let’s explore the potential benefits of avoiding Shorts altogether. While Shorts can be entertaining, they often promote a fast-consumption mindset that can affect productivity and mental focus.
1. Improved Focus and Attention Span
Shorts are designed to grab your attention in the shortest time possible. With rapid cuts, catchy tunes, and fast-paced content, they’re like candy for your brain. But this type of content trains your mind to expect instant rewards, which can make it harder to focus on more substantial tasks or longer-form content. When you eliminate Shorts from your YouTube experience, you can retrain your brain to handle more in-depth, meaningful activities that require focus and sustained attention.
2. Reduced Screen Time
One of the main issues with Shorts is how easy it is to lose track of time while watching them. Since they’re so short, it’s tempting to watch “just one more,” and before you know it, you’ve spent 30 minutes or more scrolling through endless clips. By hiding Shorts using WallHabit, you can reduce the time you spend on YouTube and regain control over your day. This can be especially beneficial if you’re trying to cut back on your screen time for productivity or health reasons.
3. Better Mental Well-being
Constant exposure to fast, stimulating content can leave you feeling overwhelmed or mentally drained. Shorts are designed to keep you hooked, but they don’t always provide value beyond entertainment. Over time, consuming too much of this type of content can lead to anxiety, stress, or even dissatisfaction. By blocking Shorts, you can curate a more thoughtful and intentional media diet. This way, you can focus on content that enriches your mind rather than just entertains.
Conclusion
YouTube Shorts may be fun for some, but for others, they’re a distraction that gets in the way of consuming more meaningful content or staying productive. Unfortunately, YouTube doesn’t offer a native way to hide Shorts, but with tools like WallHabit, you can regain control of your YouTube experience.
WallHabit provides a flexible way to block distracting features on social media, including YouTube Shorts. By using this commitment device, you can reduce the time spent on unproductive content, improve your focus, and create healthier digital habits. Plus, WallHabit’s “hold to unlock” feature gives you even more control over your app usage, making it an ideal solution for those who want to reduce screen time and stick to their goals.
In a world filled with distractions, taking steps to control what you consume online is more important than ever. WallHabit makes that process easier, letting you block Shorts and other distracting features, so you can use your time more intentionally.
