YouTube Adds Clear Screen Mode and 2x Speed Option for Shorts Videos

YouTube is looking to improve the viewing experience for the TikTok-like Shorts videos that have been contaminating the app for a couple of years. While it’s now possible to completely hide Shorts videos on mobile, YouTube users who are still interested in them can now benefit from a cleaner experience.

First of all, a new Clear Screen mode can now remove all distracting UI elements by hiding all icons and text from the playback view. This is something that TikTok and Instagram already offer for their vertical videos, so YouTube is just playing catch-up.

Moreover, YouTube users on mobile can now hold down the edge of the screen to make Shorts videos play at 2x speed. It’s also possible to lock the speed at 2x by swiping down on the screen while pressing on the player. “This has been a top-requested feature from our community, and we’re excited to finally get it into your hands,” the YouTube team explained.

Lastly, YouTube is replacing the thumbs icon on Shorts with a heart icon, and the “Dislike” button is going away. YouTube users are invited to use the “Not Interested” and “Don’t recommend this channel,” to curate their feed.

“We’re making this change because we’ve heard that it wasn’t always clear which option to choose when content just wasn’t right for you or when you thought it may not meet our Community Guidelines,” the YouTube team explained. The option to report a video that may violate the aforementioned guideline remains available.