YouTube Shorts Gets 2x Playback Speed Option
Original: YouTube Shorts are getting even shorter with an update that lets you double the playback speed
Why This Matters
YouTube continues refining Shorts to compete with TikTok and Instagram Reels in the competitive short-form video market.
YouTube rolled out new features for Shorts on June 25, 2026, including double playback speed to help users absorb content faster, plus a heart emoji replacement for likes and removal of the dislike button.
YouTube announced Thursday a series of updates to its Shorts platform aimed at improving user experience. The primary new feature allows users to double the playback speed of short-form videos, enabling faster content consumption. YouTube stated the feature helps users "absorb information more quickly or find your favorite part faster." Additionally, YouTube removed the dislike button from Shorts, replacing it with "Not Interested" and "Don't recommend this channel" options to provide more nuanced content feedback. The platform also introduced a heart emoji as the new like button and launched "Clear Screen mode," which temporarily hides all icons and text for an uncluttered viewing experience. The company described these changes as part of efforts to create "a more intuitive Shorts experience," though exact rollout dates were not specified. YouTube Shorts, launched in 2024, has grown significantly, averaging 200 billion daily views as of June 2025 according to CEO Neal Mohan. A recent report indicated that 2 billion hours of Shorts content are consumed monthly on TV screens.