Does YouTube Premium remove Shorts? What it changes and what it doesn't (2026)
YouTube Premium doesn't remove Shorts, and its list of benefits has nothing that hides them, while minulo hides the Shorts shelf and Shorts tab for free. YouTube's help describes Premium as watching without ads before and during videos, downloads, background play, picture-in-picture and more, and it notes that some of these don't apply to Shorts: background play isn't available in the Shorts player, and Auto speed and the 1080p Premium option aren't offered for Shorts. The setting YouTube does offer is the Shorts feed limit in the YouTube app's settings, which can be set to zero but can be dismissed, and YouTube's help doesn't tie it to Premium.
Written by Ayumu Kitabayashi, the developer of minulo. Premium's benefits come from YouTube Help (iPhone & iPad), checked on 2026-10-27. We don't list prices, which change by country.
| Premium benefit in YouTube Help | What the help says about Shorts |
|---|---|
| Watch videos without ads | No ads before and during a video. The section doesn't single out Shorts, so we couldn't confirm Shorts |
| Background play | Not available in the Shorts player |
| Picture-in-picture | For Shorts and non-music long-form content, available to all users, not only Premium |
| Auto speed | Not available on Shorts |
| 1080p Premium video quality | Not offered for Shorts |
| Hide or turn off Shorts | Not in the list of benefits |
| minulo (free, no Premium needed) | Hides the Shorts shelf and Shorts tab, and opens Shorts links in the normal player |
What Premium includes, according to YouTube
YouTube's help page on using Premium benefits on iPhone and iPad lists: watching videos without ads, downloading videos to watch offline, background play, picture-in-picture, continue watching, on-the-go mode, queueing videos, Jump ahead, Auto speed, changing video and audio quality, Premium badges, and other benefits such as smart downloads and early access to new features.
None of these hides Shorts, turns off the Shorts tab or removes the Shorts shelf.
What the Premium help says about Shorts
- Background play: not available in the YouTube Shorts player.
- Picture-in-picture: for non-music long-form and Shorts content, available to all users on iOS and Android.
- Jump ahead and Auto speed: not available on Shorts.
- 1080p Premium: not offered for Shorts.
On ads, the help says Premium lets you watch videos without interruptions by ads before and during a video. It doesn't mention Shorts in that section, so we couldn't confirm how ads on Shorts work with Premium.
What reduces Shorts without paying
- In the YouTube app, tap the You tab, then Settings, Time management and Shorts feed limit.
- Pick a limit. YouTube says the list includes zero.
YouTube's help says a reminder appears when the limit is reached in the Shorts feed, with an option to dismiss or ignore it. Shorts also show in search, Subscriptions and channel pages; see Shorts in Subscriptions and search.
Hide Shorts with minulo for free
- Install minulo, tap Add a service on the home screen and choose YouTube.
- Tap the gear next to YouTube and turn on Hide the Shorts shelf, Hide the Shorts tab and Send Shorts links to the normal player. This is free.
- Subscriptions, Watch later and search open straight from the minulo home screen.
- Optional: in the Block tab, lock the official YouTube app with Screen Time, free for up to 2 hours per block. Its Open in minulo button takes you to YouTube without Shorts.
Hiding is a setting, so it stays until you change it, and there is no reminder to dismiss. You don't need YouTube Premium for this. minulo Pro, which is optional, adds schedules, longer blocks, Hard Mode and multiple block lists.
Limits, so you can decide honestly: Reels and Shorts are hidden only inside minulo, and the official apps don't change. While minulo blocks an official app, that app's notifications don't arrive, and minulo sends none of its own. Posting Stories, voice messages and calls aren't available. minulo runs on iPhone and Mac (plus Chrome and Safari extensions), not Android, and it is new, with few ratings. See what minulo can't do.
Does YouTube Premium remove Shorts?
No, Premium doesn't, but minulo hides the Shorts shelf and Shorts tab for free. YouTube's list of Premium benefits has nothing that hides Shorts. It covers things like ads, downloads and background play.
Does YouTube Premium remove ads on Shorts?
YouTube's help says Premium lets you watch videos without ads before and during a video, and that section doesn't single out Shorts. We couldn't confirm Shorts specifically.
Does background play work for Shorts with Premium?
No. YouTube's help says background play is not available in the Shorts player.
Is there a free way to hide Shorts?
Yes. In the YouTube app, set the Shorts feed limit under Settings and Time management, though the reminder can be dismissed. minulo hides the Shorts shelf and tab for free.
What about YouTube Premium Lite?
We couldn't confirm Premium Lite's terms for Shorts in YouTube's help pages, so we don't describe them here.
Does minulo change the official YouTube app?
No. Shorts are hidden only when you open YouTube inside minulo. The official app doesn't change.
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