Block Shorts for kids on YouTube
What YouTube's parental controls cover, what UnLoop covers, and where each one stops.
UnLoop hides YouTube Shorts in Chrome and in Safari on iPhone and Mac. It can work as a second tool next to YouTube's own parental controls. It does not change the YouTube app, it is not a parental lock, and it does not replace supervision.
On 14 January 2026 YouTube announced Shorts controls for a child's connected account, as TechCrunch reported. This page sets out what each option covers and what it leaves out, so you can decide what fits how your child watches.
Free, in Chrome.
Free to hide Shorts in Safari. Pro adds focus mode and schedules.
Free to hide Shorts in Safari. One Pro subscription covers iPhone and Mac.
What YouTube's parental Shorts controls cover
YouTube announced these controls on 14 January 2026. This section describes them from a news report, not from our own testing.
According to TechCrunch:
- A parent can set a timer for how long a child's connected account can spend on Shorts.
- A parent can block that account from Shorts altogether, either permanently or for a set time. The article's example of a temporary block is a child studying for a test.
- YouTube also lets parents set Bedtime and Take a Break reminders. Adults can use them for themselves too.
What the report does not say
The article does not say which devices or parts of YouTube the controls apply to, how a block is enforced, whether a child can change it, or whether teen accounts get the same Shorts controls. YouTube may have changed its controls since January. YouTube has its own parental controls, so check YouTube Help for what they cover today.
What UnLoop covers, and what it does not
UnLoop is a Chrome extension, an iPhone app and a Mac app. For YouTube, it works in Chrome and in Safari.
What it covers
- Hide Shorts from feeds. Removes Shorts shelves and videos that link to Shorts from the lists YouTube shows, such as home, search results and subscription grids. Free in Chrome and in Safari on iPhone and Mac.
- Open Shorts links in the normal player. Redirects a Shorts link to the regular watch page so the video plays like any other. Free in Chrome and in Safari on iPhone and Mac.
- Hide the Shorts tab. Hides YouTube's sidebar Shorts entry and the Shorts tab on YouTube's mobile site. It is off until you turn it on in the popup. Free, Chrome only.
- Pro, on iPhone and Mac: hide recommendations and comments (on YouTube in Safari only), focus mode, schedules, block Reels on Instagram and Facebook, block TikTok, streaks and time-saved stats. See what Pro includes.
What it does not cover
- It does not work inside the YouTube app. Safari extensions work in Safari, not inside the YouTube app, so UnLoop does not change what the app shows. Check YouTube Help for what YouTube's own controls cover there.
- It is not available on Android. The extension is for Chrome, and the apps are for iPhone and Mac. There is no Android app.
- It is not a parental lock. A person with access to the device can turn off or remove an extension.
- It is not a child-safety guarantee and it does not replace supervision.
YouTube's controls and UnLoop side by side
Where the TechCrunch report does not state something, the table says so.
| Your question | YouTube's own controls | UnLoop |
|---|---|---|
| Who sets it up? | YouTube's own controls: A parent, in YouTube, for a child's connected account. | UnLoop: Whoever installs it. UnLoop is installed on each browser and device that is used. |
| Is there a Shorts timer? | YouTube's own controls: Yes, a limit on time spent on Shorts, per TechCrunch. | UnLoop: No timer. Pro schedules turn blocking on and off at the times you choose. |
| Can Shorts be blocked altogether? | YouTube's own controls: Yes, permanently or for a set time, per TechCrunch. Check YouTube Help for what is available today. | UnLoop: Free: hides Shorts from feeds and opens Shorts links in the normal player, in Chrome and in Safari on iPhone and Mac. |
| What about the YouTube app? | YouTube's own controls: The article does not say which parts of YouTube are covered. Check YouTube Help. | UnLoop: Not changed. Safari extensions work in Safari, not inside the YouTube app. |
| What about a computer or a browser? | YouTube's own controls: The article does not say. | UnLoop: Chrome on a computer (free). Safari on iPhone and Mac. |
| What about Instagram, Facebook and TikTok? | YouTube's own controls: YouTube only. TechCrunch says TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook have similar controls of their own. | UnLoop: Pro, on iPhone and Mac: Block Reels on Instagram and Facebook and Block TikTok. |
| What else is included? | YouTube's own controls: Bedtime and Take a Break reminders. | UnLoop: Pro: focus mode, hide recommendations and comments (YouTube in Safari only), streaks and time-saved stats. |
| Can a child change it? | YouTube's own controls: The article does not say. | UnLoop: UnLoop is not a parental lock. A person with access to the device can turn off or remove an extension. |
Using both
Which one does the work depends on where your child watches.
In the YouTube app
Use YouTube's own controls. UnLoop does not change the YouTube app.
In Chrome or Safari
UnLoop hides Shorts from feeds and opens Shorts links in the normal player. In Chrome, add the extension. On iPhone or Mac, install the app and turn on its Safari extension. The setup steps are on the pages for UnLoop on iPhone Safari and UnLoop on Mac Safari. To see every way to remove Shorts, read remove Shorts from YouTube, or hide the Shorts tab in Chrome.
Reels and TikTok
YouTube's controls apply to YouTube. UnLoop Pro adds Block Reels on Instagram and Facebook and Block TikTok, on iPhone and Mac. Instagram, Facebook and TikTok may have controls of their own, as TechCrunch notes.
What UnLoop collects
The extension and apps collect no data and use no third-party tracking.
In Chrome, the extension asks for:
- storage. Saves your settings on your device so your choices are remembered between visits.
- Access to YouTube pages. Lets the extension hide Shorts on YouTube.
This website is separate. This website uses Vercel Web Analytics, which records anonymous page views and install-button clicks, without cookies.
Questions from parents
Does UnLoop block Shorts inside the YouTube app?
What do the extension and apps collect?
Does UnLoop replace YouTube's parental controls?
Is UnLoop a parental lock?
Install UnLoop for your family's devices
Hiding Shorts is free in Chrome and in Safari on iPhone and Mac.
Pro adds more tools on iPhone and Mac, and one Apple subscription covers both.
Free, in Chrome.
Free to hide Shorts in Safari. Pro adds focus mode and schedules.
Free to hide Shorts in Safari. One Pro subscription covers iPhone and Mac.