How to watch YouTube Shorts as a normal video, without the swipe feed (iPhone, 2026)
minulo's free setting Send Shorts links to the normal player plays Shorts in YouTube's regular video player on iPhone, so a Short plays like any other video instead of in the swipe-up Shorts feed.
We found no YouTube setting that opens Shorts in the regular player. YouTube's Shorts feed limit can be set to 0, but YouTube Help says you can dismiss the reminder or ignore the limit. minulo's settings work only inside minulo, so the official YouTube app still opens Shorts in the Shorts feed.
- Install minulo, tap Add a service and choose YouTube.
- Tap the gear next to YouTube and turn on Send Shorts links to the normal player. Hide the Shorts shelf and Hide the Shorts tab are in the same menu.
- Normal videos, search and subscriptions work inside minulo as usual.
- In the Block tab, choose the official YouTube app, free for up to 2 hours per block.
Written by Ayumu Kitabayashi, the developer of minulo. The Shorts feed limit and autoplay settings come from YouTube Help, checked on 2026-11-02. Menu names can change with updates.
What YouTube's own settings do
YouTube Help's page on the Shorts feed limit says a reminder appears when you reach your limit while in the Shorts feed, and that you can set the limit to 0. The same page says you can dismiss the reminder or ignore the limit, so it is a nudge rather than a lock.
For normal videos, you can stop the next video from starting by itself: tap your profile picture, then Settings, then turn off Autoplay. YouTube Help says autoplay can be set differently on each device. We found no setting in YouTube Help that plays Shorts in the regular player.
How minulo plays Shorts
minulo opens YouTube's own website inside the app and changes only what you turn on. With Send Shorts links to the normal player on, a Short opens in the same player as any other video. Hide the Shorts shelf and Hide the Shorts tab remove the places where Shorts usually lead you into the feed. Normal videos, search and subscriptions keep working, and all of this is free with no time limit.
This is useful when you still want the one Short a friend or a channel you follow made, but not the next fifty.
If you also want to stay out of the app
In minulo's Block tab, allow Screen Time and choose the official YouTube app. Its icon then shows a blocked screen with Open in minulo, which takes you to YouTube without the Shorts feed. Blocking is free for up to 2 hours per block. Schedules and Hard Mode are in minulo Pro.
Limits, so you can decide honestly: hidden parts 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.
Is there a YouTube setting to watch Shorts in the normal player?
We found none in YouTube Help. minulo's free setting Send Shorts links to the normal player plays Shorts in the regular player on iPhone.
Does setting the Shorts feed limit to 0 stop Shorts?
Not fully. YouTube Help says you can dismiss the reminder or ignore the limit.
Can I still watch a Short when I want to?
Yes. With the setting on, a Short opens in the normal player inside minulo, so you watch that one video.
Does it change the official YouTube app?
No. minulo can't change the official app. You can lock it in the Block tab, free for up to 2 hours per block.
Can I hide Shorts completely instead?
Yes. Hide the Shorts shelf and Hide the Shorts tab are in the same menu, and hiding them is free too.
Is it free?
Yes. The Shorts settings are free with no time limit. Schedules and Hard Mode are in minulo Pro.
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