It now also offers a “clear mode” which has obviously been borrowed from TikTok.
YouTube Shorts only launched in 2020, but has since become a behemoth with 200 billion daily views last year, about the same as rival Instagram Reels. Today, YouTube announced that it is making Shorts more “intuitive” with several key changes, including the removal of dislikes, a clear screen mode and double-speed playback.
YouTube started hiding the number of dislikes years ago, but has now completely removed the button on Shorts. “Instead, we’ll rely on our more granular controls, ‘Not interested’ and ‘Do not recommend this channel,’ to more precisely adjust your feed and deliver content you’ll love,” the team said in a blog post. It also replaced the “Like” button with a heart to provide a “more meaningful way” to interact with content.
Some Reddit commenters noted that removing the Dislike button will make it harder to express disdain for AI slop and other bad content. Another, however, noted that the “Dislike” button “disrupts the logic of engagement” and that the “Not Interested” and “Do Not Recommend” options are a better way to avoid unwanted content.
The new Clear Screen mode is an obvious nod to TikTok’s clear mode. YouTube said the interface can sometimes look like “spots on your windshield,” so you now have the option to turn it off completely in the three-dot settings menu. YouTube also changed how you mute video on Shorts if you play audio in an inappropriate location. Now you need to tap on the video to stop it and then tap the “mute” button that appears.
Finally, YouTube now lets you play Shorts at double speed with a long press on the screen. You can then swipe down to lock it for the duration of the video. YouTube called this the “most requested feature” for Shorts. The new settings are now rolling out in most regions, but may be phased in. For example, at home in France, I’ve had double reading speed for at least a few weeks, but the Dislike button is still there.
