YouTube Shorts Adds 2x Speed and New Interface Features

YouTube is refining its short-form video experience with a suite of updates aimed at increasing user control and streamlining the interface. The platform announced on Thursday that it is introducing playback speed adjustments, a cleaner visual mode, and modifications to how viewers interact with content.

New Playback and Interface Controls

The most significant functional change is the addition of a 2x playback speed option. By allowing users to double the speed of a video, the platform aims to help viewers digest information more efficiently or navigate directly to specific segments of a clip.

Complementing this is the new “Clear Screen mode.” This feature allows users to temporarily strip away all text and icons from the playback interface. The goal is to provide an unobstructed view of the content, removing the distraction of floating UI elements.

Interaction Redesign

YouTube is also altering the way users provide feedback on Shorts. The platform is removing the dedicated dislike button for short-form content. Instead, viewers are encouraged to use the “Not Interested” and “Don’t recommend this channel” options to curate their feeds and reduce the presence of unwanted content.

Additionally, the traditional thumbs-up interaction is being replaced by a heart emoji, signaling a shift in how the platform visualizes positive engagement.

Growth and Reach

These updates arrive as Shorts continues to be a major pillar of YouTube’s growth. During a keynote in Cannes, CEO Neal Mohan confirmed that the feature was averaging 200 billion daily views as of June 2025. The platform, which officially launched the service in 2020, has also seen a rise in consumption on larger screens, with reports indicating that users watch as much as 2 billion hours of Shorts content on TVs monthly.

According to the company, these latest interface and playback adjustments will roll out to all users over the coming weeks.