YouTube updates Shorts to make it even more like TikTok

Jun 26, 2026 05:08 AM - 3 hours ago 106

Emma Roth

is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, user tech, crypto, societal media, and overmuch more. Previously, she was a writer and editor astatine MUO.

YouTube is adding moreover much TikTok-like features to Shorts, including a caller “clear screen” mode that removes the icons and matter from the video you’re watching. In a blog station connected Thursday, YouTube says it’s besides replacing the “thumbs-up” fastener pinch a “heart” icon, and is introducing a caller action that lets you watch Shorts astatine 2x speed.

You tin now velocity up a short by swiping down connected your screen.

As noted by YouTube, you tin velocity up a video by holding down the separator of your surface and lifting your digit erstwhile you want it to return to normal speed. You tin fastener the velocity astatine 2x by pressing the subordinate and swiping down. Another alteration allows you to shut up watching by tapping the video and selecting the “mute” button.

These caller additions make Shorts moreover much for illustration TikTok, which has had the similarly-named “clear mode” for years — a characteristic that besides removes captions, icons, and usernames from your screen. TikTok already offers a measurement to velocity up videos arsenic well, and lets users “like” a video by pressing a “heart” button.

Along pinch these updates, YouTube is removing the “dislike” button. It’s encouraging users to stock their feedback pinch the level by selecting the “Not interested” and “Don’t urge this channel” options from the three-dots paper instead.

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