YouTube is adding a batch of new tools to Shorts in the mobile app: Clear Screen mode, 2x playback, a mute button, and a heart reaction that takes over from the old thumbs-up and thumbs-down setup. Creators are losing the direct dislike signal on Shorts, too. Existing dislike data will still be visible in YouTube Studio, but YouTube says those numbers will stop updating at the end of June 2026.
Pause a Short now, and you’ll be able to clear away the text and on-screen icons for a cleaner full-screen look. The timing lines up with a milestone for the format. YouTube says Shorts is now five years removed from its 2020 beta debut in India, followed by the wider global rollout in 2021.
If Shorts is already part of your regular watching or posting routine, this update should feel pretty useful. YouTube says Shorts now reaches more than 2 billion monthly active users and generates over 200 billion views a day. Even so, plenty of creators still make less from Shorts than they do from long-form uploads. Current 2026 RPM estimates land between $0.01 and $0.07, alongside a 45% cut of the Shorts ad revenue pool.
These features will arrive through the YouTube mobile app as YouTube rolls them out across Shorts.
Author: Kimley Jone Erno
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