How to Block YouTube Shorts on iPhone in 2026
Key Takeaways
- iPhone is more restrictive. iOS does not allow in-app blocking, so it is not possible to remove Shorts from inside the native YouTube app itself.
- YouTube's own controls only reduce Shorts. "Show fewer Shorts" can cut down the Shorts shelf on Home, and signing out reduces personalized recommendations, but the Shorts tab is still there.
- ScrollGuard works around iPhone's limits by redirecting you into a filtered web app using Apple Shortcuts.
- The goal is to block distractions, not YouTube. You can still watch normal videos, search, and use subscriptions, while cutting off the infinite short-form feed that keeps pulling you sideways.
If you already read our main guide on how to block YouTube Shorts without deleting YouTube, the short version is this: iPhone needs a different solution than Android. On Android, apps can sometimes use deeper system hooks to react to what is happening on screen. On iPhone, they cannot.
Apple locks apps into their own sandboxes. That is good for security, but it means you need a workaround if you want to remove one addictive feed while keeping the useful parts of an app.
Why Blocking Shorts on iPhone Is Different
On Android, content blockers can sometimes detect that a specific screen has opened and immediately intervene. That is possible because Android exposes system capabilities that iOS does not.
On iPhone, apps are isolated from each other. An app cannot see another app's screen contents, cannot draw on top of it, and cannot rewrite its interface. So if someone claims they can directly edit the native YouTube app on iPhone and strip out Shorts from inside it, that claim deserves skepticism.
This is the core difference from Android. The Android version of ScrollGuard can be more direct. The iPhone version has to be more creative. It works around the native app instead of modifying it.
Your Options for Blocking Shorts on iPhone
There are a few approaches you can try, each with different trade-offs.
Option 1: Tap "Show fewer Shorts"
YouTube lets you reduce Shorts recommendations from the Home feed. If you tap the three-dot menu on a Shorts shelf and choose Show fewer Shorts, YouTube takes that as feedback and may show that shelf less often.
That is useful, but only partially. It does not remove Shorts from the app, and it does not eliminate the Shorts tab. It just lowers the amount of Shorts YouTube chooses to push toward you from Home.
Option 2: Use YouTube signed out
Signing out weakens recommendations because YouTube has less account history to personalize around. That can make the Home feed quieter. But again, this is not the same as blocking Shorts. The Shorts tab is still accessible, and you also give up convenience like subscriptions, playlists, and history.
What these built-in options are good for
- Reducing how often Shorts appear on Home
- Adding a bit of friction without installing anything
- Testing whether Shorts are the main trigger for you
What these built-in options do not do
- They do not remove the Shorts tab from the native iPhone app
- They do not stop one accidental tap from becoming another scroll session
- They do not give you precise control over what parts of YouTube stay and what parts go
So if your goal is "make Shorts less common," YouTube's settings can help. If your goal is "I want YouTube on my phone without the Shorts trap," you need a third option.
Option 3: Use ScrollGuard
Since iOS does not allow any app to rewrite the native YouTube app, ScrollGuard takes a different approach: a web app plus Apple Shortcuts flow.
Here is how it works:
- You keep YouTube installed. The native app can stay on your phone for account access and notifications.
- ScrollGuard helps you set up an Apple Shortcut automation. The automation runs when you open YouTube.
- You are redirected into a filtered YouTube web app inside ScrollGuard. This is where the actual blocking happens on iPhone.
- The filtered web app removes Shorts while keeping the useful parts. You still use YouTube, but without the short-form feed that keeps hijacking your attention.
Unlike the first two options, ScrollGuard actually removes Shorts from your experience rather than just reducing them. It works within Apple's rules by redirecting you to a filtered environment instead of trying to modify the native app.
If you want the broad version of the Shorts problem first, read the main post on blocking YouTube Shorts without deleting YouTube. This iPhone guide is the platform-specific layer on top.
Step by Step Setup
Getting started takes a few minutes. Download ScrollGuard from the App Store and follow the onboarding instructions:
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Enable the Safari extension.
This lets ScrollGuard filter content inside the web app experience.
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Enable the YouTube Shorts filter.
Turn on blocking for Shorts while keeping the rest of YouTube available.
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Download the YouTube web app.
This gives you a filtered YouTube experience that lives on your home screen.
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Enable the automations.
Set up Apple Shortcuts so that opening the native YouTube app automatically redirects you to the filtered web app.
Everything is explained step by step on the onboarding screen inside the app.
How the Automation Works
The Apple Shortcuts automation redirects you seamlessly to the Shorts-free web app.
If you have already set this up for Instagram, the logic will feel familiar. The difference is the content being filtered, not the iPhone mechanism.
Screen Time vs ScrollGuard
Apple's Screen Time is useful if you want to cap the total amount of YouTube you use. But it treats all YouTube usage the same.
- Screen Time blocks or limits the entire app. If your time is up, you lose everything, including search, subscriptions, tutorials, and long videos you intentionally wanted to watch.
- ScrollGuard aims to block only the addictive part. If Shorts are the trap, you keep the useful side of YouTube and remove the feed designed to keep you flicking upward.
That is why ScrollGuard fits better if your problem is not "YouTube as a whole," but "I opened YouTube for one useful thing and got pulled into Shorts."
If Shorts are only one piece of a bigger problem, our guide on how to make your phone less addictive in 15 minutes is the broader reset.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I block YouTube Shorts inside the native YouTube app on iPhone?
Not directly. iOS does not let one app modify another app's interface or behavior, so ScrollGuard cannot edit the native YouTube app on your iPhone. On iPhone, the workable approach is to redirect you into a filtered web app using Apple Shortcuts.
Does YouTube have a built-in setting to remove Shorts completely on iPhone?
No. You can tell YouTube to show fewer Shorts on Home, and you can sign out to reduce personalized recommendations, but the Shorts tab still exists in the native app.
How is iPhone different from Android for blocking Shorts?
Android allows deeper app-level integrations, including accessibility-based approaches in some cases. iPhone is more locked down. Apps are sandboxed, so ScrollGuard cannot watch or modify what the YouTube app is showing on screen. That is why the iPhone setup uses a web app plus Shortcuts instead.
Will I still be able to watch regular YouTube videos on iPhone?
Yes. The goal is to remove Shorts, not YouTube. With ScrollGuard's iPhone approach, you can still use search, subscriptions, playlists, comments, and full-length videos inside the filtered web app.
Is ScrollGuard better than just using Screen Time for YouTube?
Usually yes, if your problem is Shorts specifically. Screen Time limits or blocks the whole app. ScrollGuard is designed to block distractions, not apps, so you keep the useful parts of YouTube available.
Is ScrollGuard free on iPhone?
ScrollGuard uses a freemium model. Core features like blocking Shorts are available for free. Advanced customization options are available with a paid plan.
Sources
Keep YouTube on iPhone. Lose the Shorts Feed.
ScrollGuard gives iPhone users a practical way to filter Shorts while keeping the useful parts of YouTube available.
