YouTube adds cleaner viewing and 2x playback to Shorts
YouTube is giving Shorts a cleaner screen option, faster playback and other controls that bring the format closer to TikTok.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
2 min read
YouTube is adding several controls to Shorts, including a viewing mode that clears interface elements from the video screen. The update matters for creators and viewers because it changes the basic controls around YouTube’s short-form video feed and brings more of TikTok’s familiar behavior into Shorts.
YouTube said in a support post Thursday that a new “clear screen” option will remove icons and text while a Short is playing. The company also said it is changing the Shorts reaction button from a thumbs-up icon to a heart.
The update adds a way to watch Shorts at 2x speed, according to YouTube. Viewers can speed up a Short by holding down the edge of the screen, then release to return playback to normal speed. YouTube said users can also lock a Short at 2x speed by pressing on the player and swiping down.
YouTube is also adding a mute control for Shorts. The company said viewers can tap the video and choose the mute button to silence playback.
Shorts moves closer to TikTok controls
The changes make Shorts look and feel more like TikTok in several ways, according to The Verge. TikTok has offered a feature called “clear mode” for years, and The Verge reported that it similarly removes captions, icons and usernames from the screen.
TikTok also already lets users speed up videos, The Verge noted. Its like button uses a heart icon, a design YouTube is now adopting for Shorts reactions.
The clear-screen change addresses a common issue in short-form video apps: interface clutter can sit on top of captions, visual details or other parts of a clip. YouTube described its version as a way to remove the icons and text from the video a viewer is watching.
Dislike button removed from Shorts
Alongside the new features, YouTube is removing the dislike button from Shorts, according to the company. YouTube said viewers who want to give negative feedback should use options in the three-dots menu instead.
Those menu options include “Not interested” and “Don’t recommend this channel,” YouTube said. The company is steering feedback about unwanted Shorts toward those controls rather than a public-facing dislike action.
The update continues YouTube’s effort to refine Shorts as a direct competitor in short-form video. YouTube’s own announcement centers on playback, reaction and feedback controls, while The Verge reported that several of the changes match features already available on TikTok.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.