YouTube is shaking up Shorts. The biggest change: you can now play short-form videos at double speed. Because apparently even 60 seconds is too long.
The company says the 2x option lets you “absorb information more quickly or find your favorite part faster.” Fair enough — some Shorts are dense, and speed-scrolling through them makes sense if you’re hunting for a specific moment.
But that’s not all. YouTube killed the dislike button on Shorts. Gone. Instead, you’ll have to use “Not Interested” or “Don’t recommend this channel” to push back on content you don’t want. The thumbs up button is also being replaced — with a heart emoji. YouTube calls this part of building “a more intuitive Shorts experience.”
There’s also a new Clear Screen mode that hides all icons and text overlays so you can watch without clutter. Useful for screenshots or just a cleaner view.
YouTube didn’t give exact rollout dates, saying the features will arrive “over time.”
Shorts launched in 2024, late to the game behind TikTok and Reels, but it’s been catching up fast. CEO Neal Mohan said Shorts averaged 200 billion daily views as of June 2025. (Take that number with a grain of salt — YouTube counts a view the instant a video opens.) A separate report found viewers are watching 2 billion hours of Shorts on TV screens each month, which is a number that raises questions about attention spans and living room habits alike.
