YouTube Now Lets Users Set a Scrolling Time Limit for Shorts Videos

YouTube is introducing a new option to set a daily scrolling limit for its Shorts feed on mobile. This new Shorts feed limit will complement existing time management features such as Bedtime and Take a Break reminders, and it will also become integrated in YouTube’s parental controls later this year.

“Shorts are a core part of the YouTube experience. Setting a scrolling time limit on the Shorts feed allows for this exploration while helping users be more deliberate about their viewing habits and manage their time effectively,” the YouTube team said yesterday.

YouTube Shorts are Google’s answer to TikTok’s endless stream of vertical videos. Since its launch in 2021, the format has become really popular with Shorts now generating over 70 billion daily views (https://blog.youtube/inside-youtube/20-years-125-million-subscribers-lyor-cohen/).

Because watching Shorts videos can be quite addictive, users can now set a daily limit for how long they can scroll on the Shorts feed in the settings for the YouTube mobile app. “Once the set time limit has been reached, they will receive a dismissible prompt that scrolling on the Shorts feed is paused for the day.

Instagram and TikTok both offer similar time management features, so it’s good to see YouTube adding a new Shorts feed limit. When the feature comes to supervised accounts for kids later this year, parents will be able to make time limit notifications non-dismissable.