YouTube has added a zero-minute Shorts limit in its Time Management settings, enabling users to hide or remove Shorts from the app.

When the limit is reached, a notification appears; adults can continue scrolling after dismissing the prompt, while Teens under Family Link are restricted from scrolling.

The zero-minute option is available to all users and builds on a prior update that introduced a minimum 15-minute limit and expanded parental controls to include zero minutes.

Rollout is gradual and not yet on all devices, but the feature is expected to become widely available.

The article includes sponsor posts and unrelated links that appear as promotional content rather than part of the Shorts feature.

This update serves as a practical tool to balance entertainment with productivity in a distraction-filled digital environment.

The piece links to related Digital Trends content on topics like YouTube Premium pricing and other entertainment news, indicating this is part of a broader tech-news roundup.

The author, a Digital Trends contributor with over five years in tech coverage, provides context for the story.

The feature functions as a behavioral nudge rather than a hard block and can be overridden by the user.

YouTube cites benefits such as reducing doomscrolling and aiding digital wellbeing, with emphasis on focus for students and professionals and safety for children.

The article explains doomscrolling as mindless, stress-inducing scrolling through short videos.

The story first published mid-April 2026 with coverage noting phased rollout and YouTube’s broader content-controls context.