San Francisco, April 16, 2026, 08:38 AM PDT
YouTube users now have the option to set their Shorts feed limit to zero minutes in the app — essentially shutting down the short-form video feature altogether. Google’s help page confirms that zero is officially among the choices under “Shorts feed limit,” which means users can hide the Shorts tab on mobile if they want to. Google Help
This tweak is significant: it lets users silence a feed that racks up over 200 billion daily views. Back in January, Chief Executive Neal Mohan said parents would “soon” have the option to set the timer to zero, touting the move as an “industry first.” Blog
YouTube spokesperson Makenzie Spiller told The Verge the zero-minute limit is “live for all parents, and is currently being rolled out to everyone,” adults included. Before this, the shortest allowed was 15 minutes, the report noted. The Verge
To locate the control, users need to open the YouTube app and head into Settings, then tap on Time management, and select Shorts feed limit. Hit the cap, and a reminder shows up, according to Google’s help page. Google Help
For children and teens with accounts overseen via Family Center, the rules are tougher. YouTube says when these users reach their daily Shorts cap, the feed shuts off until the following morning—timers refresh each day. Back in January, the company noted that parents have the option to set the limit to zero minutes if they want teens to concentrate on homework. Google Help
YouTube is catching up to TikTok and Instagram, both of which rolled out daily screen-time controls earlier. TikTok allows its users to set limits for both the app and the web. Instagram, on the other hand, gives daily time alerts and lets parents manage how long teens spend on the platform. TikTok Support
The real-world impact for adults could be less significant than the label implies. According to Google’s help page, adults are free to dismiss or ignore the reminder—meaning unless users willingly follow the prompt, it just creates a bit of extra friction, not a true barrier. Google Help
YouTube says Shorts is drawing in billions of logged-in users every month, according to its press materials. At this scale, the zero-minute feature offers viewers an option to pause the nonstop feed. Blog
