Can I Disable YouTube Shorts for My Child?
Yes. Google now offers a daily Shorts feed limit that can be set to zero minutes for supervised child and teen accounts. For younger kids on YouTube Kids, Shorts don't appear at all. And tools like WhitelistVideo can block Shorts entirely on regular YouTube.
Your options by account type
| Account type | Shorts control | How to set it up |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube Kids | Not needed — no Shorts feed | YouTube Kids doesn't include Shorts at all |
| Supervised child account | Daily limit → set to 0 | Family Center → child → YouTube → Shorts limit → 0 min |
| Supervised teen account | Daily limit → set to 0 | Same path as above |
| Regular YouTube | Reduce only (not block) | "Show fewer Shorts" on Home — soft preference, not a lock |
| WhitelistVideo | Full block | Player Controls → Block YouTube Shorts toggle |
Option 1: Set the Shorts limit to zero (supervised accounts)
Google added a daily Shorts feed limit to Family Center. Parents can set this to zero, effectively removing the Shorts feed from their child's YouTube experience.
- Open Google Family Center or the Family Link app
- Select your child's profile
- Go to YouTube settings
- Find Daily Shorts limit
- Set it to 0 minutes
This applies across all devices where your child is signed in with their supervised account.
Limitation: This only works on supervised accounts managed through Family Link. It won't affect signed-out browsing, adult profiles on shared devices, or Shorts links sent through messaging apps.
Option 2: "Show fewer Shorts" (any account)
On the YouTube Home feed, tap the three-dot menu on the Shorts shelf and choose Show fewer Shorts. This tells YouTube's recommendation system to reduce Shorts suggestions on Home and Watch Next.
Important: This is a preference signal, not a parental control. It reduces Shorts recommendations but your child can still access Shorts through search, direct links, and channel pages. Don't promise a complete block based on this setting alone.
Option 3: Block Shorts entirely with WhitelistVideo
If you need Shorts completely gone — not just reduced — WhitelistVideo has a dedicated Block YouTube Shorts toggle. When enabled, Shorts are hidden from every YouTube page your child visits through the protected browser.
WhitelistVideo also lets you:
- Approve specific channels only (everything else is blocked)
- Hide all comments
- Block video downloads
- Block ads (best-effort)
Works on Chrome, Edge, and mobile devices. Block Shorts requires a Basic or Premium plan.
What about YouTube Kids?
If your child is young enough for YouTube Kids (generally under 8), Shorts simply aren't part of the experience. YouTube Kids uses a separate curated catalog without a Shorts feed — making it the simplest solution for younger children.
Quick decision guide
- Child under 8: Use YouTube Kids — Shorts aren't there
- Child 8–13 (supervised account): Set daily Shorts limit to 0 in Family Center
- Supervised teen: Same — set the 0-minute limit
- Any age, regular YouTube: Use WhitelistVideo's Block Shorts for full removal, or "Show fewer Shorts" for a softer reduction
Troubleshooting
- The Shorts limit setting isn't showing up
- Check that you're in the child's YouTube settings within Family Center (not the device settings section). This feature requires a supervised Google account — it won't appear for regular accounts.
- My child still sees Shorts after setting the limit to 0
- Verify they're signed into their supervised account on that device. Shorts can still appear if they switch to an adult profile or browse signed out.
- "Show fewer Shorts" didn't remove them
- That's expected — it's a soft preference, not a block. For complete removal, use the 0-minute daily limit (supervised accounts) or WhitelistVideo's Block Shorts control.
- Shorts are gone on the phone but still show on the TV
- Smart TVs often use a different profile or sign-in. Check which account is active on the TV's YouTube app — it may be using an adult or shared profile rather than the child's supervised account.
Sources
- Parental controls for supervised accounts — Google YouTube Help
- Managing teen supervision settings — Google YouTube Help
- Manage your recommendations and search results — Google YouTube Help
- Supervised experiences on YouTube — Google YouTube Help
- WhitelistVideo Player Controls