YouTube has introduced a daily time limit for Shorts to help users manage screen time and combat addictive scrolling. Users will be able to find this feature under Profile -> Settings -> General, likely alongside existing “take a break” and “bedtime” reminders.
You can set a daily limit of 15 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour, or more. Once the time is up, the main Shorts feed will pause with a “soft reminder” that you’ve reached your limit.
It’s important to note that the feature is a nudge, not a strict block. You can easily dismiss the reminder and continue watching, or find Shorts through other parts of the app like search results or playlists. The rollout is gradual for mobile users, with parent-lockable versions for kids expected in early 2026 via Family Link.
Why YouTube Introduced the Limit
The timing of this feature is a response to several growing pressures:
- Regulatory Scrutiny and Public Complaint: There has been increasing pressure from regulators and the public regarding apps that encourage endless scrolling and the significant amount of time, sometimes up to 90 minutes a day, that teens are spending on Shorts.
- Lawsuits: The feature follows recent lawsuits, notably one filed by New York City on October 9th against YouTube, Meta, TikTok, and Snapchat, claiming these apps are designed to be addictive and cause mental health issues in kids. Other states are joining in, alleging that short videos cause attention and focus issues.
- Keeping Up with Competitors: TikTok and Instagram have already added similar limit features.
By introducing this, YouTube is attempting to improve its public relations by positioning itself as a responsible company concerned with digital well-being. However, the author suggests YouTube may also be relying on user psychology—that most users will likely ignore the easy-to-override timer, thus keeping watch hours and ad revenue high.
Effectiveness and How to Make It Work
The author believes the feature can help, arguing that the greatest benefit is the moment of awareness it forces, which can be the first step in breaking the doomscrolling cycle. Research supports that excessively quick videos can reduce focus, and this new limit, when combined with other tools, could help build better habits.
The major limitation is that the reminder is too easy to skip. The author concludes that the new limit will only be effective if the user truly wants to change their habits.
To make the Shorts limit work, the author suggests:
- Start Tough: Set a strict limit, like 30 minutes, and commit to respecting it by stopping when the reminder appears.
- Layer Protections: Use phone-wide features like Apple’s Screen Time or Android’s Digital Wellbeing to set limits on the entire YouTube app.
- Use Other YouTube Reminders: Enable “Remind me to take a break” and “Remind me when it’s bedtime” within YouTube’s settings for additional safeguards.
- Block Completely (If Necessary): Use browsers like Brave to block Shorts entirely, or work on improving your YouTube recommendations to reduce the chance of falling into the doomscrolling trap.
Overall, the feature is seen as a positive first step that acknowledges the addictive nature of the Shorts feed and is worthwhile if it can help users pause and reflect.
