New YouTube Feature Lets Users Control How Long They Watch Shorts

YouTube has added a new feature for mobile users that will allow them to set custom daily viewing limits for Shorts. Once a user sets their limit, Shorts will automatically pause, displaying a reminder that viewing has been stopped for the day. This new feature is a part of YouTube’s effort to encourage more intentional viewing habits and reduce the kind of endless scrolling common on short-form video platforms. The company noted that Shorts remain a core part of YouTube too, but that it wants to give people more ways to manage their time.

The new limit option can be accessed in the YouTube account settings, where users can choose and adjust their daily limit preferences. When that limit is reached, users receive a pause notification, though it can be dismissed if they choose to keep watching. YouTube did confirm that the update is rolling out gradually, starting yesterday, meaning it may not appear right away for all users. Similar screen time controls are already available on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, which shows how much more prevalent digital well-being tools have become.

YouTube says it plans to extend the features to parental controls later this year, allowing parents to set non-dismissive limits for kids or teens. This update is another step in YouTube's broader effort to combine entertainment and responsibility, giving users and families control over how much time they spend watching stuff on YouTube.

Do you think this feature will actually work, or will people just tap dismiss? Will you set your own time limit? What do you think it will be? Let us know in the comments!

Source: The Verge Image: Adam96