Pawse

Guides

How to block YouTube Shorts (and keep the rest of YouTube)

Block the youtube.com/shorts pages, not all of YouTube. In Pawse, open YouTube, click the Pawse icon and tap “YouTube Shorts” next to “Just:”. Normal videos, search and subscriptions keep working, but opening a Short shows the block page.

Steps

  1. Install Pawse in Chrome.
  2. Go to youtube.com and click the Pawse icon.
  3. Tap “YouTube Shorts” next to “Just:”.

Every Short lives at youtube.com/shorts/…, so blocking that path stops them, including when you click one from the home page or a channel.

Do it by hand

In Pawse's settings, type youtube.com/shorts under “Block a website” and choose “Only this page”. Any blocker that can block a page path (not just a whole domain) works the same way.

Questions

Will the Shorts shelf disappear from the home page?

The shelf can still show up, but opening a Short takes you to the block page, which is what breaks the scrolling loop.

Can I allow a few Shorts a day?

Yes, with Pawse Pro: set an allowance like 15 minutes a day. Time only counts while YouTube is on screen or playing.

How do I block Shorts on my phone?

Browser extensions don't work on phones. On a phone, the YouTube app has no Shorts switch, so people use app timers (Screen Time or Digital Wellbeing) or watch YouTube in the browser instead.

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