How to set a time limit on short videos: Reels, Shorts and TikTok in one place (iPhone, 2026)
There are fewer ways to time-limit only short videos than you might expect. YouTube's Shorts feed limit is a reminder you can ignore, Instagram has no Reels-only limit, and TikTok's limit and iPhone Screen Time apply to the whole app.
So if you want to watch fewer short videos, removing the places they show up works better than timing them. minulo is an iPhone app that hides Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts and TikTok For You while DMs and regular videos keep working. Hiding is free and has no time limit.
This page is written by the developer of minulo, Ayumu Kitabayashi. One of the options compared is my own app, so keep that in mind. YouTube and iPhone details were checked on 2026-11-02 against YouTube Help and Apple's iPhone User Guide (iOS 27 and iOS 26). Instagram and TikTok details come from TikTok's newsroom and from the other minulo guides linked below, which list their own sources. Menu names can change with app and iOS updates.
| Option | Short videos only? | When time is up | Messages |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube Shorts feed limit (0 is an option) | Yes, the Shorts feed | A reminder appears and you can dismiss or ignore it | Not affected |
| Instagram daily limit | No, all of Instagram | Only a reminder | Keep working |
| TikTok daily screen time | No, all of TikTok | Entering the passcode shown on screen lets you keep watching | Keep working |
| iPhone Screen Time | No, the whole app (categories on iOS 27) | Blocks if you use a passcode | Blocked too |
| minulo (free) | Hides Reels, Shorts and For You instead of timing them | They never show up | Keep working |
YouTube: Shorts feed limit
According to YouTube Help, sign in to the YouTube app, tap the You tab, then Settings › Time management › Shorts feed limit, and select your time limit. The list includes the option to set it to zero. When you reach the limit, a message appears reminding you, and you can dismiss or ignore your set limit. What happens to Shorts in Subscriptions and search when you set it to 0 is covered in YouTube's Shorts feed limit explained.
Instagram: no Reels-only limit
We couldn't find a setting in Instagram's official help that limits only Reels. Its daily limit is a reminder for all of Instagram and doesn't lock the app. More in How to limit only Instagram Reels time.
TikTok: daily screen time
TikTok's daily screen time limit covers all of TikTok, and when time is up you can keep watching by entering the passcode shown on screen. TikTok says every account belonging to a user under 18 is automatically set to a 60-minute daily limit. The steps are in TikTok screen time limit: how to set it and make it stick.
iPhone Screen Time: it blocks the whole app
In Apple's iOS 26 guide, App Limits sets a daily time for a category of apps (for example, Games or Social Networking) or for individual apps. In the iOS 27 guide, Time Allowances set a daily time for categories like Entertainment, Games or Social Media, and if an app declares an associated website, the Time Allowance applies to both. Either way you can't pick out Reels, and when the app is blocked your DMs are blocked too.
The iOS 26 guide also notes that by default, Screen Time limits can be ignored once reached. A passcode you chose yourself is easy to type back in, so see What Ignore Limit does in Screen Time, and how to remove it.
Remove the short-video feeds instead of timing them (minulo)
- Install minulo from the App Store.
- On the home screen, tap Add a service and choose Instagram. You log in on Instagram's own login page. Inside minulo, the Reels and Explore tabs and suggested posts are hidden.
- If you use YouTube, open it in minulo too. The Shorts shelf and Shorts tab are gone, while regular videos, search and subscriptions stay.
- Open the Block tab and choose the official Instagram, YouTube or TikTok app to start a block. Free blocks last up to 2 hours each.
- If you open the official app during a block, a Blocked screen appears. Tap Open in minulo to switch to a version without Reels and reply to your DMs.
Hiding is free and has no time limit. Locking the official apps is free for up to 2 hours per block. minulo Pro (US $9.99 a month or $39.99 a year) adds schedules by day and time, longer blocks and Hard Mode.
Here are minulo's weak points too. Reels and Shorts are hidden only inside minulo, and the official apps don't change. While minulo blocks an official app, its notifications don't arrive, and minulo sends none of its own. You can't post Stories, send voice messages or make calls. minulo is an iPhone app, with a Mac version that works with Safari and Chrome. There is no Android version yet. Details are in What minulo can't do.
Can I set a time limit only on short videos?
YouTube's Shorts feed limit sets a time for the Shorts feed only, but when you reach it a reminder appears and you can dismiss or ignore the limit. Instagram's and TikTok's limits cover the whole app.
Where do I set a time limit for Instagram Reels?
We couldn't find a Reels-only time limit in Instagram's official help. Its daily limit is a reminder for the whole app.
If I set the YouTube Shorts feed limit to 0, will Shorts disappear?
According to YouTube Help, when you reach the limit in the Shorts feed a reminder appears and you can dismiss or ignore your set limit. It makes you pause rather than stopping you.
Can Screen Time block only short videos?
No. Screen Time works on whole apps or categories, so blocking Instagram blocks your DMs too.
What can I do instead of a time limit?
Open Instagram, YouTube and TikTok inside minulo. Reels, Shorts and For You are hidden while DMs and regular videos keep working. Hiding is free.
Sources
- YouTube Help: Set a Shorts feed limit
- Apple: Set Screen Time Schedules and Time Allowances in Screen Time on iPhone (iOS 27)
- Apple: Set schedules with Screen Time on iPhone (iOS 26)
- TikTok Newsroom: New features for teens and families on TikTok
- minulo: How to limit only Instagram Reels time
- minulo: TikTok screen time limit