- New filter on YouTube to exclude Shorts from search results and prioritize long videos.
- The changes come alongside a complete reorganization of the filters, with new names such as "Priority" and "Popularity".
- Infrequently used options are removed, but filters by duration and upload date are maintained to continue finding recent content.
- The update is being rolled out gradually in Spain and the rest of Europe, with a direct impact on users and creators.
Google's video platform has taken a step that many users have been requesting for some time: it's now possible Filter search results to exclude Shorts and focus solely on traditional videos. This change is beginning to be noticeable in Spain and other European countries, and comes as part of a broader overhaul of YouTube's filtering system.
Until now, searches mixed short vertical clips with longer content, which was annoying for those looking for a A complete tutorial, an in-depth review, or a lengthy analysisWith the new configuration, YouTube is trying to better tailor the experience to what each person wants to watch at any given time, without needing to resort to extensions or external tricks.
A specific filter to exclude Shorts from the results
The most notable new feature is the addition of a New filter within the "Type" section of the searchThis allows you to choose which formats you want to see in the results. In this menu, YouTube clearly differentiates between "Videos" (horizontal format and variable duration) and "Shorts" (vertical clips of up to three minutes).
When you make a query and click on the button "Filters" located below the search barThe user can choose whether to view only traditional videos or prioritize Shorts. If the long video option is selected, Shorts disappear from the results page and only classic format content is displayed.
This possibility of Exclude Shorts directly from the search This responds to a recurring demand on the platform's own help forums and social media. Many users complained that the results page had become filled with short clips, often unrelated to the original query, forcing them to sift through videos that didn't match what they were looking for.
It's important to note that the adjustment is not permanent: The content type selection applies only to each specific search.In other words, on the next query, users will have to choose again whether or not they want to see Shorts. This detail has generated some criticism, as many would have preferred a global option to permanently disable this format.
Even so, the addition of this filter marks the first time that YouTube It explicitly recognizes the need to separate short and long formats. within its search engine, without forcing everyone to consume the same type of content.
Shorts as an independent content type and the problem of saturation
With the update, Shorts are now considered a separate type of content within the YouTube ecosystemIn practice, the search engine treats them as their own category, at the same level as standard videos, channels, playlists, or movies.
This change comes after several years in which the short format has multiplied exponentially on the platform, driven by the algorithm and by direct competition with filters on TikTok and Instagram Reels. The consequence has been a very high presence of vertical clips, even when the user was specifically looking for more elaborate content.
Part of this surge comes from creators reusing videos from other networks, but another growing fraction is due to the mass production of content assisted by artificial intelligenceVarious analyses indicate that a significant proportion of the clips suggested by YouTube are automated pieces, with repetitive structures, little informational value, and designed primarily to accumulate views.
This phenomenon, which some describe as a kind of low-quality “filler,” has fueled the feeling of saturation among those who use YouTube as a tool for study, work, or informationFor this user profile, the ability to exclude Shorts when performing a search means regaining some control over what appears on the screen.
Despite the arrival of the new filter, it is important to note that short videos They will remain visible in other sections such as the Subscriptions tab or the main feedCurrently, there is no single button to completely disable them across the entire platform, so the coexistence of both formats remains part of YouTube's overall strategy.
Menu reorganization: from "Sort" to "Priority" and the arrival of "Popularity"
The inclusion of the Shorts filter didn't come alone. YouTube has taken advantage of the update to reorder and rename several of your search menus, with the idea of simplifying the interface and making it more understandable for most users.
The menu that previously appeared as "Sort by" is now called "Priority" or "Prioritize"According to the translation displayed by each device, the intention is to better reflect that the user not only orders results but also indicates what type of criteria they want the system to consider first.
Within this section there is also a significant change: the classic "Number of views" option is replaced by "Popularity" as a new benchmarkThis label is not limited to counting how many views a video accumulates, but also takes into account other factors, such as average viewing time or audience retention.
In practice, this means that a video with fewer absolute views, but with viewers who stay to watch for a longer portion of its duration, can gain positions against other content with quick clicks but early abandonmentYouTube is thus trying to reward material that generates real and sustained interest, instead of focusing solely on the volume of clicks.
For European audiences, where it is common to use YouTube to train, stay up to date, or consult technical analysesThis approach can help more robust videos appear in the top positions, not just those that get instant attention.
Filters that disappear and options that remain
As part of this interface cleanup, YouTube has decided remove some filters considered underutilized or redundantAmong them, the "Upload date: last hour" option disappears, which allowed limiting the results only to videos published in the previous sixty minutes.
The criterion is also eliminated. "Sort by rating"which ordered the results based on the ratings users gave to each piece of content. According to the company itself, the use of this type of filter was very limited and added complexity to the menu without translating into a real improvement in the search experience.
This does not mean losing the ability to find recent content. The filter of "Upload date" is still available with the options "today", "this week", "this month" and "this year", sufficient for those who need to locate current videos or a broader chronological tracking.
The underlying idea is to offer a set of tools that most users can use. understand and use without feeling overwhelmed by too many combinationsBy focusing on the most common options, YouTube seeks to reduce errors, complaints, and seemingly inconsistent results caused by very specific settings.
In this context, the company emphasizes that removing filters does not mean giving up on finding specific content, but opt for a clearer and more manageable panelwith features that truly make a difference in everyday life.
How to use the new filter to hide Shorts in practice
The operation of the Shorts filter is relatively simple and doesn't require adjusting advanced settings. Simply... perform a normal search from the main bar, both in the desktop web version and in the mobile application for Android or iOS.
Once the first results appear, below the text box The "Filters" button is displayed. Pressing it opens a menu with different sections: among them, "Type," where options such as videos, Shorts, channels, playlists, or movies are now listed.
To exclude short content, the user can Select only long videos or uncheck the Shorts categoryDepending on how the interface is displayed in your region, the results will only show the type of content chosen for that specific query.
This filter can be combined with the other advanced parameters, such as the duration (less than 3 minutes, between 3 and 20, or more than 20), the upload date or the different priority criteria. Thus, for example, it is possible to search for videos longer than twenty minutes, published this month and ordered by popularity, without short vertical clips of just a few seconds getting mixed in.
Although it may seem like a small change to the interface, this combination of filters offers a much greater level of control over the type of content you want to findThis is especially useful for students, professionals, or anyone who uses YouTube as a repository of information.
Who benefits most from the change, and what happens to the creators?
The main beneficiaries are those users who need Extensive, well-structured, and easy-to-find contentStudents looking for full classes, teachers using videos to prepare lessons, journalists tracking down archive footage, or professionals using technical tutorials will notice a clear improvement by reducing the presence of Shorts in their searches.
For this type of audience, having to navigate through dozens of short clips without much context made the experience... slower and, at times, frustratingThe new filter allows you to get straight to the point when looking for a detailed explanation or in-depth analysis of a specific topic.
From the creators' perspective, the update forces them to rethink the format strategy within each channelLong videos gain visibility in searches when the user chooses to exclude Shorts, while the latter remain important for achieving quick reach in the main feed and recommendations.
In Spain and the rest of Europe, it is already common to see channels that combine Long pieces with shorts that act as a preview, summary, or hook.The existence of such a specific filter reinforces the need to design content considering not only the recommendation algorithm, but also how users behave within the search engine.
Furthermore, the new approach to "Popularity", which takes into account the viewing time and other engagement indicatorsThis encourages greater attention to audience retention. Simply attracting clicks isn't enough: viewers need to stay and watch the video for it to rank higher when someone searches for related content.
Gradual deployment and European context
As the company itself has detailed on its official blog and in the Help section, The update is being rolled out gradually by region.This means that some users already have all the changes, while others will see them appear over the next few days or weeks.
In the case of Spain and the rest of Europe, YouTube is implementing the new filter organization by taking advantage of the customary phased update of its interfaceThis approach allows you to gather feedback and correct potential problems before rolling out the same version to the entire user base.
The company insists that the overall objective is Reduce menu complexity, improve the relevance of results, and provide more control over content type. that appears when you perform a search. In an environment where the volume of videos continues to grow, refining these tools becomes key to preventing finding something from becoming an endless task.
Although the move doesn't change YouTube's overall commitment to short-form content, it does make it clear that community pressure is starting to mount. to influence decisions about the user experienceOffering a native filter to hide Shorts, renaming criteria to make them clearer, and removing residual options are all part of the same attempt to make the search engine more manageable.
With these adjustments, the platform introduces a slightly more flexible balance: those who want to continue enjoying a The endless chain of Shorts will continue to have it just a click away.Meanwhile, those who prefer long and elaborate videos now have a simple way to organize their searches without giving up the rest of the service's features.
