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How to set YouTube’s Shorts limit to zero minutes

YouTube lets you choose a zero-minute Shorts feed limit. Here’s where to find it, what TeamYouTube says it changes, and why you can still dismiss it.

Michel Elijah ·

AI-generated editorial image of a commuter holding a phone; not a YouTube screenshot.

YouTube’s Shorts feed can have a time limit of zero minutes. The setting is getting fresh attention after a TeamYouTube reply, but it was already mentioned in YouTube’s official blog on 25 June 2026. If you open the app for one video and end up scrolling, it is a control worth trying.

What you need to know

In the YouTube app, sign in and go to You → Settings → Time management → Shorts feed limit, then select zero. The limit reminder can be dismissed. TeamYouTube says Shorts should also stop appearing on your homepage when the limit is zero.

Set the Shorts feed limit to zero

YouTube’s official help page gives these steps for the app:

  1. Sign in to the YouTube app using the account you want to change.

  2. Tap the You tab, then open Settings.

  3. Open Time management.

  4. Tap Shorts feed limit.

  5. Choose the zero-minute option from the list of time limits.

These instructions come from YouTube’s documentation, checked on 30 September 2026. We have not verified the setting on a test phone or confirmed its presence on every account.

What changes when you choose zero?

YouTube says a message appears when the Shorts feed reaches the selected limit, with an option to dismiss or ignore it. Choosing zero puts that reminder at the start of the allowance. It gives you a moment to reconsider entering the feed, while leaving an override available.

In the original reply behind the trend, TeamYouTube also says viewers “shouldn’t see Shorts” on their YouTube homepage after selecting zero. That is the support account’s stated behaviour; it is not a guarantee that every short video disappears from every part of YouTube.

TeamYouTube’s explanation

URL: https://x.com/TeamYouTube/status/2105101530281935350

Author: TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube)

Date: 30 September 2026, as displayed in the Australian browser

Text: You have the option to set your Shorts time limit to zero.

Excerpt from the original support reply. The reply says Shorts should no longer appear on the homepage; the help page explains that the limit can be dismissed.

Is this a new feature this week?

The zero-minute option predates this week’s discussion. YouTube’s 25 June blog already linked to the Shorts timer and mentioned setting it to zero. The September reply makes the homepage effect explicit, but neither source establishes that the option first launched in the past four days.

For readers, the useful development is the reminder that the control exists and an explanation of what it does. There is no need to treat a trending headline as the feature’s release date.

What if you cannot find it?

Start by checking that you are signed into the intended account in the app, then compare the menus with the current help page linked below. If the option is absent, use YouTube’s help route to ask about that account and device. The documentation does not explain every reason it might be missing, so an absent setting alone does not establish the cause.

Make the setting fit how you want to watch

If the aim is to watch chosen videos without drifting into the feed, try zero for a week. Decide what success looks like beforehand: fewer unplanned visits, finishing the video you came for, or less time spent scrolling at night.

Notice how often you dismiss the reminder. If you override it every time, the setting may be adding friction without changing the habit. You could pair it with a simple rule, such as opening a saved video or subscription directly when you have something specific to watch.

For occasional Shorts viewing, return to the same menu and choose a limit that suits you. The zero-minute option is useful because it makes the choice deliberate. Its value depends on whether that prompt helps you follow through.

Watching on mobile data? Our usage guide helps you check how streaming fits your allowance.

Sources and further reading