YouTube rolls out new Shorts features including Clear Screen mode, faster playback

3 min readNew DelhiJun 26, 2026 12:59 PM IST

YouTube is rolling out new Shorts features, including Clear Screen mode, 2x playback speed and updated recommendation controls. (Image: YouTube blog)

YouTube has announced a set of updates for Shorts that aim to make the short-form video experience cleaner and more intuitive. The changes include a new distraction-free viewing mode, faster playback controls, revised engagement buttons and updated recommendation tools. The company said the features will begin rolling out from June 25 and will become available to users over time.

According to YouTube, the updates are based on user feedback gathered since Shorts was introduced more than five years ago. The company said changing viewing habits and evolving user preferences prompted the redesign of the Shorts player.

Among the biggest additions is Clear Screen mode, which temporarily hides interface elements such as icons, buttons and text overlays while a Short is playing. The feature is designed to provide a less cluttered viewing experience and allow users to focus entirely on the video content.

YouTube has also introduced support for 2x playback speed in Shorts, one of the platform’s most requested features. Users can now watch short videos at double speed to consume information more quickly or skip to specific moments.

The company has also added more playback controls. Users can mute a Shorty by tapping the screen to pause playback and then selecting the mute icon. Additionally, the Shorts time can now be adjusted, including being set to zero, giving viewers more control over how videos play.

As part of the interface redesign, YouTube is replacing the traditional thumbs-up icon on Shorts with a heart icon. The company said the change is intended to offer a more meaningful way for viewers to express appreciation for videos they enjoy.

At the same time, YouTube is retiring the ‘dislike’ button from Shorts. Instead, users will be encouraged to use the existing ‘Not Interested’ and ‘Don’t recommend this channel’ options to personalise their recommendations. According to the company, these tools provide clearer signals about viewing preferences, as a dislike can reflect anything from poor production quality to a viewer simply not enjoying a particular topic.

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YouTube said the new Shorts features are rolling out gradually, although it has not shared a detailed timeline for global availability. The company did not specify when all users, including those in India, will receive the updates.

The changes come as YouTube continues to expand Shorts, which has grown into one of the platform’s largest content formats. The company previously said Shorts was averaging around 200 billion daily views, while viewing on connected TVs has also increased in recent years.

(This article has been curated by Shivani P Menon, who is an intern with The Indian Express)