The quick answer
In the YouTube app, open You → Settings → Time management → Shorts feed limit, then choose a daily limit. YouTube currently includes zero as an option. On an adult account the message at the limit can still be dismissed or ignored, so this preserves access to longer videos but is not an unbreakable block.
A Shorts-only limit is useful when YouTube’s longer videos still serve a purpose. It changes the Shorts feed rather than spending one Screen Time allowance across lectures, music, tutorials, and short videos together. The tradeoff is deliberate: on a regular adult account, YouTube says you can dismiss or ignore the limit message.
Set a daily Shorts feed limit
- Sign in to the YouTube app.
- Tap You, then open Settings.
- Open Time management.
- Tap Shorts feed limit.
- Choose a daily duration. The current list includes zero.
These steps come from YouTube’s current help page. When the selected time is reached, YouTube shows a reminder and offers a way to dismiss or ignore it. Choose zero when you want the reminder before spending time scrolling, then check the result on your own account and current app version.
Use the narrowest rule that solves the problem
| Control | What remains available | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube Shorts feed limit | Normal YouTube viewing | A Shorts reminder that an adult can dismiss or ignore. |
| Screen Time limit for YouTube | Other iPhone apps | All time in the YouTube app contributes to the app allowance. |
| Timed YouTube app-and-site block | Other selected apps and sites | YouTube videos and Shorts are both unavailable during the block. |
Do not describe the Shorts control as a permanent switch that removes every short video from every YouTube surface. Google names it a Shorts feed limit and documents the reminder behaviour. It is still a useful first step when the goal is fewer Shorts without losing long-form access.
Add a stronger boundary only when you need one
If you repeatedly ignore the reminder during one predictable part of the day, protect that period instead of giving up long-form access all day. Atten, the product available now while Remind is coming, can block selected apps and websites for a focus session or recurring schedule. It does not promise a Shorts-only control in this guide.
- Choose a defined work or study period.
- Add the YouTube app and website if both distract you.
- Leave course, communication, and accessibility tools available.
- Test the block briefly, including a shared YouTube link.
That broader rule also removes long videos for the duration. If this is the boundary you want, follow the whole YouTube blocking guide. The Screen Time comparison explains when a daily allowance differs from a scheduled focus session.
Keep an assigned video in the plan
A Shorts limit is the first option to try when a class or training course depends on YouTube. Open the assigned long video from its direct link, take notes while you watch, and keep the Shorts feed limit active. If the direct link leads you into the feed afterwards, close YouTube when the video ends and start the next task from your notes or course page.
For a stricter suggested workflow, watch the assigned video first and then begin a short app-and-site block for the independent work that follows. Schedule its end before another required video. This is a workflow suggestion, not a claim that Atten can allow one YouTube video while blocking every other video.
Do not apply the adult instructions to a supervised teen account
YouTube documents a separate Family Center path for supervised teens. A linked parent can select the teen’s account, open Time management, and set a daily Shorts feed limit. YouTube says the supervised limit stops feed scrolling for the rest of the day and resets the next morning. That behaviour differs from the dismissible adult reminder, so use the supervised-teen instructionsrather than assuming the menus or enforcement are identical. Account linking and family rules should be agreed and configured through the documented Google controls.
Common questions
Can I set the YouTube Shorts limit to zero?
Yes. YouTube’s current help page includes zero among the available Shorts feed limits. For an adult account, zero still leads to a reminder that can be dismissed or ignored.
Will an iPhone Screen Time limit target only Shorts?
No. Screen Time’s App Limits apply to an app or category. A YouTube app limit therefore counts use of the app, including long videos, rather than identifying one format inside it.
Does this affect YouTube in Safari?
Google describes the setting in the YouTube app and as a Shorts feed limit. Test the routes you actually use. If youtube.com remains a distraction during work, use a separate website rule; see the iPhone website guide.
Can I keep the limit and still use YouTube on Mac?
Check the account and browser experience on the Mac separately. For a work-period website block across your computer, review the Mac app blocker page and verify the selected site in your usual browser.
Sources
Instructions checked 31 August 2026. App menus and account features can change, so verify the visible setting before depending on it.