How to use YouTube for studying without Shorts and recommendations (iPhone, 2026)
minulo opens YouTube with Shorts, Home recommendations and comments hidden for free, while Subscriptions, Watch later and search keep working, so you can open a lecture without ending up in the Shorts feed. In the YouTube app itself, Google's help offers a Shorts feed limit that can be set to zero, an Autoplay switch, and turning off watch history if you don't want recommendations on Home. None of these removes Shorts from the official app, and the Shorts limit is a reminder that you can dismiss.
Written by Ayumu Kitabayashi, the developer of minulo. Facts about YouTube come from YouTube Help, checked on 2026-10-27. Menu names can change with app updates.
| Method | What it changes | Catch |
|---|---|---|
| Shorts feed limit set to 0 (You, Settings, Time management) | A reminder appears when you reach the limit in the Shorts feed | Google says you can dismiss or ignore it |
| Autoplay off (profile picture, Settings, Autoplay) | Another video doesn't start by itself after a lecture ends | Settings can differ by device |
| Watch history off | Google says this is how to have no video recommendations on Home | Google suggests turning history back on when you're done |
| Show fewer Shorts, Don't recommend channel | Fewer Shorts or fewer videos from that channel | One grid or one channel at a time |
| minulo (free) | Opens YouTube with Shorts, Home recommendations, everything on Home but search, or comments hidden, item by item | Only inside minulo. The official app doesn't change |
Set the Shorts feed limit to 0
- Sign in to the YouTube app and tap the You tab, then Settings.
- Tap Time management, then Shorts feed limit.
- Choose a limit. Google says the list includes zero.
Google says that when you reach the limit in the Shorts feed, a message reminds you, and you can dismiss or ignore it. It is a speed bump, not a lock. For the details, see the Shorts feed limit.
Turn off Autoplay so one lecture doesn't roll into the next
- Tap your profile picture.
- Tap Settings at the top right.
- Tap Autoplay and switch it off.
Google says that when Autoplay is on, another related video plays after a video ends, and that you can also tap Cancel at the end of a video. You can set Autoplay differently on each device, so check your iPad or laptop too.
Keep Home quiet: history off and fewer Shorts
Google's help says that if you don't want video recommendations on Home, you can delete and turn off your watch history. Its own example of when to pause history is researching a school project you aren't personally interested in, and it suggests resuming history when you're done. See what happens to Home with history off.
On a grid of Shorts on Home, tap More and Show fewer Shorts. On a video from a channel you don't want, choose Don't recommend channel. Both work one grid or one channel at a time.
Study on YouTube inside minulo
- Install minulo, tap Add a service on the home screen and choose YouTube.
- Tap the gear next to YouTube and turn on Shorts and Home recommendations. Turn on Everything on home but search if you want Home empty, and Comments if you like.
- Open your lecture from Subscriptions, Watch later or search.
- To keep the official YouTube app shut while you study, choose it in the Block tab. Blocking is free for up to 2 hours per block.
Hiding is free with no time limit, and you can change what is hidden at any time. When YouTube changes its screens, something hidden can come back for a while until the hiding rules are updated.
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 is for iPhone, with a Mac version that works in Safari and Chrome, and there is no Android version yet. It is new, with few ratings. See what minulo can't do.
How do I watch YouTube for studying without seeing Shorts?
Open YouTube in minulo, which hides Shorts and Home recommendations for free and keeps Subscriptions, Watch later and search. In the YouTube app, a Shorts feed limit of 0 only shows a reminder, which you can dismiss.
Can I turn off Shorts in the YouTube app?
We couldn't find a switch for that in YouTube Help. The closest are the Shorts feed limit, which shows a reminder when you reach it, and Show fewer Shorts on a grid of Shorts on Home.
How do I stop YouTube from playing the next video after a lecture?
Tap your profile picture, then Settings at the top right, then Autoplay, and switch it off. Google says Autoplay can be set differently on each device.
Can I hide recommendations on YouTube Home?
Google's help says that if you don't want video recommendations on Home, you can delete and turn off your watch history. In minulo, Home recommendations is one of the items you can hide.
Will Subscriptions and Watch later still work?
Yes. In minulo, Subscriptions and Watch later open straight from the home screen, and search keeps working even if you hide everything else on Home.
Is minulo free for this?
Hiding Shorts, Home recommendations and comments is free with no time limit. Locking the official YouTube app is free for up to 2 hours per block. Schedules and longer blocks are part of minulo Pro.
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