YouTube announced that Shorts will soon let viewers watch videos at twice the normal speed, a move aimed at letting users skim content faster or jump to favorite moments. The change arrives alongside a redesign of the reaction system: the traditional dislike button is gone, and users can now express approval with a heart emoji, while “Not Interested” and “Don’t recommend this channel” remain for negative feedback.
The update also includes a “Clear Screen mode,” which temporarily hides all on‑screen icons and text, giving a cleaner viewing experience. YouTube said these adjustments are part of an effort to make Shorts more intuitive, but it did not specify exact rollout dates, noting the features will be phased in over time.
Shorts, launched in 2024 after TikTok and Instagram Reels, now averages about 200 billion daily views, according to CEO Neal Mohan. A recent report highlighted growing consumption on TV screens, with roughly 2 billion hours watched each month. The new speed and UI options could help YouTube retain viewers by making short‑form videos quicker to consume and easier to navigate.
