I can’t go without these features after spending countless hours on YouTube Shorts.

      I'm a frequent viewer of YouTube Shorts. I won't pretend to be proud of it, as the habit of doomscrolling has taken a strong hold of me, and I'm uncertain if there's an escape.

      However, my extensive time spent on Shorts has led me to notice the little annoyances. I've never been fond of the dislike button or the persistent appearance of the bottom bar while I'm trying to enjoy videos. These disruptions can accumulate when you’re scrolling continuously. Fortunately, this has improved — and for the better. YouTube has introduced several new features for Shorts that have truly transformed my experience with the app.

      Shorts shouldn't be long

      After the update, my first step was to start watching Shorts on my own terms. I'm not a fan of Shorts that run for two or three minutes. They’re meant to be short, yet some creators seem intent on pushing that boundary. To be fair, many of these lengthier videos are genuinely engaging. I hesitate to skip them mid-way for fear of missing something significant, but I also don't want to watch them at normal speed when I'm in full doomscroll mode.

      This is where the new double-speed playback proves beneficial. More often than not, I watch longer Shorts at double speed. It allows me to consume the content more quickly without losing the essence. For someone who watches an embarrassing volume of Shorts daily, this has been one of YouTube’s most valuable enhancements. It feels like I'm receiving the same information without the unnecessary delays.

      Not interested does not equal dislike

      One aspect of YouTube Shorts that has never appealed to me is the dislike button, as I seldom use it correctly. Most times, I don’t dislike a video; I’m merely… not interested. It might be another football edit, celebrity gossip, or a video discussing how a random gadget transformed someone’s life. While someone else may love it, it does nothing for me. That doesn’t mean the creator deserves a dislike; it indicates that YouTube misjudged my interests.

      That's why I'm okay with the dislike button being removed from Shorts. It reflects how I’ve been using the app all along. If a video doesn’t pique my interest, I simply scroll past. Additionally, having one less button on the screen makes the interface feel somewhat cleaner while I’m watching.

      What I value is the alternative YouTube has introduced. Instead of forcing me to choose between liking or disliking content, I can now specify my feelings with options like Not Interested or Don’t recommend this channel. This is much more beneficial for someone like me, whose interests fluctuate day by day.

      As for the new heart icon replacing the traditional thumbs-up, I don't have any strong opinions about it. I still tap it for videos I enjoy, just as I always have. Whether it’s a thumbs-up or a heart doesn't alter my usage of Shorts. If anything, it makes the app feel more similar to other short-video platforms.

      The most significant improvement from YouTube is the disappearance of distractions

      This is the feature I've been eagerly anticipating. When I’m watching a Short, I want to focus on the video itself, not a screen cluttered with buttons, captions, channel names, and various UI elements vying for my attention. There have been countless occasions when a creator points out something at the frame's edge or adds small text, only for it to become obscured by YouTube’s controls. This is precisely why the new Clear Screen mode is such a welcome addition. With a quick tap, it temporarily conceals all icons and text, displaying only the video.

      Whether I’m viewing a travel clip showcasing stunning landscapes or a recipe where every ingredient is crucial, the distraction-free display enhances the experience. It allows the content to take precedence over YouTube’s controls. This is one of those quality-of-life improvements that may not sound thrilling, but once you start using it, you’ll wonder why it wasn’t available from the beginning.

      Who could have imagined that less could feel like more?

      As someone who spends quite a bit of time scrolling through YouTube Shorts daily, even the tiniest improvements in quality of life make a significant impact. Even if you're not someone who loses hours to doomscrolling as I do, you'll appreciate these changes the moment you dive into Shorts. Sometimes, enhancing an app isn't about adding more features — it's about removing obstacles from your path.