YouTube has started rolling out a new 2x playback feature for Shorts, giving users a faster way to watch short-form videos. According to the company, playback speed was one of the most requested features from Shorts viewers.
The new feature works similarly to YouTube’s long-form videos. Users can tap and hold a Short to activate 2x playback, then drag down to lock the speed for the remainder of the video. The feature is expected to be especially useful for longer Shorts of up to 3 minutes, allowing viewers to skip slower sections and reach key moments more quickly.
Alongside the faster playback option, YouTube has introduced several other updates to improve the Shorts viewing experience.
A new Clear Screen mode removes all on-screen overlays, providing a cleaner and distraction-free viewing experience. The platform has also simplified the mute function. Users can now pause a Short and tap the mute icon instead of navigating through multiple options.
Another notable change is the removal of the dislike button from Shorts. Instead, YouTube is encouraging users to use the “Not Interested” and “Don’t recommend this channel” options to personalise their recommendations. The platform has also replaced the traditional thumbs-up icon with a heart.
Many of these features are already available on competing short-video platforms, making YouTube’s latest update more of a feature expansion than a new industry trend. Despite this, Shorts continues to be one of YouTube’s fastest-growing products, recording 200 billion daily views last year.
The company said the rollout is gradual, so the new 2x playback feature and other updates may take some time to become available to all users.
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