YouTube is refining Shorts with a set of updates designed to make short-form viewing faster and more streamlined. The platform now offers a 2x playback speed option, giving users a quicker way to move through clips or jump to key moments.
Alongside the speed control, YouTube is replacing the dislike button in Shorts with lighter engagement tools. Viewers can now use Not Interested and Don't recommend this channel to shape what appears in their feed, while a heart icon is taking the place of the traditional like button.
The company is also introducing Clear Screen mode, a cleaner layout that temporarily removes icons and text from the viewing area. The goal is to keep attention on the content itself and reduce visual clutter during playback.
YouTube says the changes are part of a broader effort to make Shorts more intuitive and easier to navigate. The rollout will happen gradually, with no exact release date announced yet. As short-form video continues to evolve, these design choices may help define the next phase of mobile and screen-based storytelling.