YouTube is tweaking how we search on the platform, making filters smarter and more user-friendly.
Shorts can finally be filtered out
Google’s video platform rolls out some updates to its advanced search today, and I think one change really stands out: Shorts are now treated as their own content type. That means you can exclude those quick three-minute-or-less clips from your search results. And honestly, I’m pretty happy about that – I’ve never been a fan of Shorts.
For anyone who’s ever been hunting for a detailed, long-form explanation, this is a small but meaningful improvement. Before, you’d have to scroll through dozens of tiny clips before landing on something useful. Plus, with AI-generated videos becoming more common, the ability to filter out Shorts feels like a timely and welcome addition.
Shorts were introduced in 2020. | Image by PhoneArena
Other tweaks include a couple of renamed features in advanced search. For starters, “Sort By” is now called “Prioritize,” and “View Count” has been replaced with “Popularity.”
The switch to Popularity isn’t just a new label – it means YouTube can now consider things like watch time alongside view count, giving a better sense of how much a video actually engages viewers.
Recommended For You
Two old filters have also been removed: “Upload Date – Last Hour” and “Sort by Rating” are no longer available. But you can still discover widely watched and trending videos using the new Popularity filter.
Why this update matters
It may seem like a small tweak, but for many users, it’s a welcome one. YouTube is slowly turning into something more like Instagram or TikTok with its emphasis on Shorts, and for those of us who prefer longer videos, that shift can be frustrating. Now, at least in search results, we have the option to avoid Shorts entirely.
Are you happy YouTube finally lets you filter out Shorts?
Absolutely, I’ve been waiting for this.
68.42%
Kind of, but I don’t mind Shorts.
21.05%
Not really, I like Shorts.
5.26%
Meh, I rarely search anyway.
5.26%
19 Votes
Giving users more control is always good
I like seeing big platforms listen to user feedback and give us more choices. Sure, YouTube serves billions of people and can’t make everyone happy, but adding options like this makes the experience feel more flexible and personal.
Tsveta, a passionate technology enthusiast and accomplished playwright, combines her love for mobile technologies and writing to explore and reveal the transformative power of tech. From being an early follower of PhoneArena to relying exclusively on her smartphone for photography, she embraces the immense capabilities of compact devices in our daily lives. With a Journalism degree and an explorative spirit, Tsveta not only provides expert insights into the world of gadgets and smartphones but also shares a unique perspective shaped by her diverse interests in travel, culture, and visual storytelling.
A discussion is a place, where people can voice their opinion, no matter if it
is positive, neutral or negative. However, when posting, one must stay true to the topic, and not just share some
random thoughts, which are not directly related to the matter.
Things that are NOT allowed:
Off-topic talk - you must stick to the subject of discussion
Offensive, hate speech - if you want to say something, say it politely
Spam/Advertisements - these posts are deleted
Multiple accounts - one person can have only one account
Impersonations and offensive nicknames - these accounts get banned
To help keep our community safe and free from spam, we apply temporary limits to newly created accounts:
New accounts created within the last 24 hours may experience restrictions on how frequently they can
post or comment.
These limits are in place as a precaution and will automatically lift.
Moderation is done by humans. We try to be as objective as possible and moderate with zero bias. If you think a
post should be moderated - please, report it.
Have a question about the rules or why you have been moderated/limited/banned? Please,
contact us.
Things that are NOT allowed:
To help keep our community safe and free from spam, we apply temporary limits to newly created accounts: