How to Block YouTube Shorts on iPhone: Every Method

6 min read · Brainrot Test

You can't fully block YouTube Shorts inside the iPhone YouTube app with one switch, but you can get close. The methods that work are: YouTube's own settings (hide the Shorts shelf, pause history, use a Shorts time limit if you have it), Screen Time limits on the YouTube app, watching YouTube in Safari with Screen Time blocking the Shorts web address, and blocker apps. The combination that sticks best is Safari plus Screen Time, with the YouTube app removed.

If you're trying to block YouTube Shorts on your iPhone because the swiping has gotten out of hand, Brainrot Test measures how deep that habit goes and gives you a daily two-minute drill to shrink it: Check my brainrot.

Can you block Shorts on iPhone?

Partly. Here's the honest picture:

The main reason it's tricky: the YouTube app is one app, and iPhone's Screen Time can limit an app but can't block one section inside it. Shorts is a section. That's why the web route matters.

All of these work the same way on iPad, so if you're wondering how to block YouTube Shorts on iPad, follow the same steps.

Method 1: YouTube app settings

These won't block Shorts completely, but they cut down how often Shorts pull you in. Start here because they take two minutes.

Hide the Shorts shelf

On the YouTube home feed, tap the three dots or X on the Shorts row and choose to see fewer Shorts. It hides the shelf for a while (often around 30 days), then it may return.

Pause watch history

In the YouTube app go to You > Settings > Manage all history (or Your data in YouTube), then turn off or pause watch history. With history off, the home feed shows far fewer recommendations, so fewer Shorts land in front of you. The Shorts tab itself stays.

Use a Shorts time limit if you have it

YouTube has announced a daily time limit for scrolling the Shorts feed. If your app version has it, it's in Settings; set it low. If not, move on to Screen Time.

Pros: Fast, free, keeps normal YouTube working. Cons: The Shorts tab never goes away, and every setting is one tap to undo.

Method 2: Screen Time limits

iPhone's Screen Time is built in and free.

1. Open Settings > Screen Time.
2. Tap App Limits > Add Limit.
3. Choose YouTube (under Entertainment or by searching).
4. Set a daily time, like 30 minutes.
5. Turn on Block at End of Limit.
6. Go back and set a Screen Time passcode that someone else knows, like a parent or friend.

Pros: Real hard stop, especially with a passcode someone else holds. Cons: It limits all of YouTube, not only Shorts. If you need YouTube for school, you'll hit the limit on tutorials too.

Method 3: use YouTube in Safari

This is the closest you'll get to how to block YouTube Shorts on iPhone while keeping regular YouTube.

1. Delete (or offload) the YouTube app. Hold the icon and tap Remove App.
2. Use youtube.com in Safari instead. Add it to your home screen from the Share menu if you like.
3. Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions and turn it on.
4. Tap App Store & Media Purchases (or Store, Web, Siri & Game Center Content depending on iOS version) > Web Content > Limit Adult Websites.
5. Under Never Allow, add youtube.com/shorts and m.youtube.com/shorts.
6. Set a Screen Time passcode someone else knows.

Now any Short opened in Safari leads to a blocked page, while regular videos still play. Exact menu names shift a little between iOS versions, so if you can't find a menu, search "Content" in the Settings search bar.

How to block YouTube Shorts on Safari with an extension

Safari on iPhone supports extensions from the App Store. Some are built to hide Shorts on youtube.com. Check the reviews, the developer and the permissions first; an extension only needs access to YouTube.

Pros: Blocks Shorts specifically; regular videos still work; hard to undo with a passcode. Cons: Watching YouTube in Safari is a bit clunkier, and you have to be willing to delete the app. You may also need to block it in any other browser you use.

Method 4: blocker apps

There are App Store apps that promise to block Shorts or limit short-video feeds. Many use Apple's Screen Time tools under the hood, and some add extras like scheduled blocking or "pause before opening" screens.

Before you install one:

• Check if it's actually free or if the useful parts are behind a subscription.
• Read recent reviews to see if it still works after iOS and YouTube updates.
• Never give it your YouTube or Google password. A blocker should not need your login.

Pros: Some are smarter than plain Screen Time. Cons: Quality varies a lot, and many are easy to switch off.

Which method sticks

Settings you can undo in one tap don't last, because you'll undo them the moment you're bored. What sticks is anything that makes Shorts annoying to reach and hard to unblock.

Best combo for most people:

1. Delete the YouTube app.
2. Use YouTube in Safari with youtube.com/shorts on the Never Allow list.
3. Let someone else hold the Screen Time passcode.
4. Keep watch history paused.

Even then, blocking is only half of it. If the habit is strong, you'll feel the itch and look for Shorts somewhere else, like TikTok or Reels. Our guide on how to stop scrolling on YouTube Shorts covers the habit side. And if Reels is your backup, see how to quit Instagram Reels addiction.

The part blockers can't do is tell you whether your overall scrolling is actually going down or just moving to another app.

Brainrot Test measures your whole phone habit, not one app. Your 17-question score shows where you start, one two-minute drill a day takes a point off it, and a re-check every Sunday shows if blocking Shorts actually shrank the habit or just moved it. Check my brainrot

See if blocking Shorts is working

Once you've picked a method, take Brainrot Test to get your baseline: a brainrot score from 0 to 100, a tier and your rank against everyone else who has taken it. Then the Sunday re-checks show whether your block is doing its job.

Check my brainrot

FAQ

Can you turn off YouTube Shorts on iPhone?

Not with one switch in the YouTube app. You can hide the Shorts shelf, pause watch history and use time limits, or use YouTube in Safari with Screen Time blocking the Shorts web address.

How do I block YouTube Shorts with Screen Time?

Screen Time can limit the whole YouTube app, but not just Shorts inside it. To block only Shorts, use YouTube in Safari and add youtube.com/shorts to the Never Allow list under Content & Privacy Restrictions.

How do I block YouTube Shorts on iPad?

The steps are the same as on iPhone: YouTube settings, Screen Time app limits, Safari with a Shorts web block, or a blocker app. The Safari method is the most reliable on iPad too.

Is there a free YouTube Shorts blocker for iPhone?

Screen Time is free and built in, and pairing it with Safari blocks Shorts without paying anything. Some App Store blockers are free too, but check whether their useful features need a subscription.

How do I block YouTube Shorts for kids on iPhone?

Use Screen Time with a parent-only passcode: block youtube.com/shorts in Safari, remove the YouTube app, and set app limits. YouTube's supervised experiences for kids and teens offer more controls too.