How to stop watching YouTube Shorts in bed: settings that apply at night (iPhone, 2026)
YouTube has no Shorts setting that switches on only at night. Three things in the YouTube app help: the bedtime reminder (profile picture › Settings › General › Remind me when it's bedtime), which shows a reminder between the times you set; the Shorts feed limit (You › Settings › Time management › Shorts feed limit), which can be set to 0 but applies all day; and the sleep timer in the player, which pauses a video after a set time. All of them can be dismissed or reset. For a stop you can't tap past, schedule iPhone Downtime with Block at Downtime (iOS 26) or a Screen Time Schedule (iOS 27), which blocks the whole YouTube app. If you still want YouTube without Shorts, minulo hides Shorts for free, and minulo Pro's Sleep mode blocks apps every night at your bedtime.
Written by Ayumu Kitabayashi, the developer of minulo. Facts about YouTube and iPhone settings come from the sources listed below, checked on 2026-10-25. Menu names can change with app and iOS updates.
| Method | What it does | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Bedtime reminder (YouTube) | Shows a reminder to stop watching between a start and end time you choose. It can interrupt the video or wait until it ends. | Dismiss it with one tap, or snooze 15 minutes with Remind Me Again. YouTube's help does not say how it behaves in the Shorts feed. |
| Shorts feed limit (YouTube) | Shows a reminder when your time in the Shorts feed reaches the limit. 0 is one of the options. | Applies all day, not just at night. You can dismiss or ignore it. |
| Sleep timer (YouTube player) | Pauses the video you are watching after the time you pick. | You can reset it if you are still awake. |
| Downtime (iOS 26) | Makes most apps unavailable between set times. With Block at Downtime, blocked apps can't be opened. | Needs a Screen Time passcode. Blocks the whole YouTube app. |
| Screen Time Schedule (iOS 27) | Splits the day into time windows and sets which app categories are available in each. | Needs iOS 27 or later on all your Apple devices. Works on whole apps. |
| minulo | Hides the Shorts shelf and tab in YouTube for free. Pro's Sleep mode blocks apps every night at your bedtime. | The official YouTube app itself does not change. Sleep mode is Pro. |
Set YouTube's bedtime reminder
- In the YouTube app, tap your profile picture.
- Tap Settings, then General.
- Turn on Remind me when it's bedtime, choose a start and end time, and tap OK.
- If you want to finish the current video first, choose Wait until I finish video to show reminder.
When the reminder appears you can close it or tap Remind Me Again for another reminder in 15 minutes. YouTube says this is on by default for users aged 13 to 17 and off for adults, and that it works on iPhone but not iPad. You can also reach it from your profile picture › Time Watched.
Set the Shorts feed limit to 0
- Sign in to the YouTube app.
- Tap the You tab, then Settings.
- Tap Time management, then Shorts feed limit.
- Pick a limit. 0 is in the list.
When you reach it, YouTube shows a message and lets you dismiss or ignore the limit. There is no time of day setting, so a limit of 0 also applies in the daytime. More on this in our Shorts feed limit guide.
Use the sleep timer if you fall asleep watching
While a video is playing, tap Settings in the player, tap Sleep timer and choose how long it runs. When the time is up the video pauses and you get a silent notification. It stops a video from running all night, but it does not stop you from scrolling.
Block YouTube at night on iPhone
iOS 26: go to Settings › Screen Time › Downtime, tap Scheduled, choose Every Day or Customize Days and set the times. Apple sends a reminder 5 minutes before Downtime starts. By default you can keep using apps after the reminder. To stop that, set a Screen Time passcode and turn on Block at Downtime. Then restricted apps appear dimmed with an hourglass and won't open. Anything in Always Allowed stays open.
iOS 27: go to Settings › Screen Time › Screen Time Schedule, turn on Schedule, tap Add Schedule, pick the days and set a night time window. Choose which Time Allowance categories are available in it. Apple notes this needs iOS 27 or later on all your Apple devices.
Both work on the whole YouTube app, so long videos and subscriptions are blocked too. For a wider night routine, see how to stop doomscrolling at night.
Keep YouTube but drop Shorts with minulo
minulo is an iPhone app that opens YouTube's website inside the app. Tap the gear next to YouTube to turn on Hide the Shorts shelf, Hide the Shorts tab and Send Shorts links to the normal player. Home recommendations can be hidden too, and subscriptions stay. Hiding is free and has no reminder to tap past.
If you open the official YouTube app in bed out of habit, minulo can lock it with Screen Time. That is free for up to 2 hours per block, so you can start one when you get into bed. With minulo Pro, Sleep mode starts on its own every night at the time you set, and during Sleep mode social media won't open even in minulo. You choose the apps you still need at night, and you can skip a single night. While the official app is locked its notifications don't arrive, and minulo sends none of its own. minulo is iPhone only.
Can I turn off YouTube Shorts only at night?
YouTube's help describes no Shorts setting tied to a time of day. The bedtime reminder works on a schedule but can be dismissed, and the Shorts feed limit applies all day. To block YouTube only at night, use iPhone Downtime with Block at Downtime, or a Screen Time Schedule on iOS 27.
How do I set a bedtime reminder on YouTube?
Tap your profile picture, then Settings, then General. Turn on Remind me when it's bedtime, choose a start and end time and tap OK. You can choose to wait until the current video ends before the reminder shows.
Does the Shorts feed limit stop me from watching?
No. When you reach the limit, YouTube shows a reminder and lets you dismiss or ignore it. Setting it to 0 makes the reminder show as soon as you open the Shorts feed, but you can still tap past it.
How do I block YouTube at night on iPhone?
On iOS 26, schedule Downtime in Settings, Screen Time, Downtime, set a Screen Time passcode and turn on Block at Downtime. On iOS 27, use Screen Time Schedule with a night time window. Both block the whole YouTube app.
Can I watch YouTube at night without Shorts?
Yes, in minulo. It opens YouTube with the Shorts shelf and tab hidden for free, at any hour. If you want nothing at all at night, minulo Pro's Sleep mode blocks social media at your bedtime, even inside minulo.
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