youtube app opening to shorts Explained and Fixed

The YouTube app opening to Shorts can be frustrating, especially if you're looking for your favorite long-form videos. This issue can be caused by a setting in the YouTube app that defaults to opening videos in the Shorts section.

To fix this, you can try adjusting the "Default playback quality" setting in the YouTube app. This setting can be found in the app's settings menu, under the "General" tab.

If adjusting the default playback quality doesn't work, you may need to check your app's storage space. Running low on storage can cause the app to default to the Shorts section, as it may be trying to conserve space by prioritizing shorter videos.

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If you're an Android user experiencing the YouTube app opening directly to Shorts, there's a solution for you. Clearing the app's stored data and cache will have YouTube launch normally.

The issue is not unique to one device, as it has been observed on various Android devices, including the Nothing Phone (3a) and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

However, a full uninstall of the app isn't possible since it's pre-installed on Android, but "uninstall updates" via the Play Store can work as a reset.

Forcing stopping the app won't solve the problem, but clearing the storage and cache will.

Unfortunately, the issue will return when Shorts are opened again.

YouTube Shorts is the platform's attempt to take on TikTok, the hugely popular short-form video app.

You can access YouTube Shorts within the YouTube app on your smartphone by scrolling down slightly and looking for a "Shorts" section.

The "Shorts" section replaces the "Explore" tab at the bottom of the screen, alongside "Home", "Subscriptions", "Library", and the create button.

The "Explore" tab has moved up to the list of options at the top of the app's screen.

YouTube Shorts brings two main features to your mobile app: a platform to watch short-form video and a tool to create your own short-form videos.

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Watching Shorts is a breeze on the YouTube app. You'll find the YouTube Shorts section on the app's homepage.

Clicking on any of the thumbnails brings you into the vertical video player, where you can watch the clip. You can like or dislike the video while it's playing by tapping the thumbs up or thumbs down icon.

You can share the Short or comment on it from within the player, although that will pause the video. The thumbs up and thumbs down icons are there to help you quickly give feedback.

At the bottom of the clip, you can subscribe to the Short creator's channel. This is a great way to stay up-to-date with their latest content.

Recommended read: Turn on Youtube Mini Player Android

Get started making YouTube Shorts by heading to the YouTube app and clicking the middle button on the bottom of the screen, which is also known as the create tab.

You'll be taken to a number of options, but look for "Create a Short" to access the Shorts creator tool.

Consider reading: Create Youtube App

The Shorts creator tool is similar to other camera tools, but it has some unique features like the ability to slow down or speed up a recording, set a countdown timer for hands-free recording, and apply basic color correction filters.

Creators can make videos up to 60 seconds long, which is the maximum length of a YouTube Short video.

To add music to your video, tap the Add Music tab in the Shorts creator tool camera, which will bring you to a library of songs from popular artists.

You can also take inspiration from the music used in other Shorts videos by tapping on the waveform icon on the bottom right hand side of the screen when watching a video.

To use the audio from another Shorts video, tap "Use This Sound" at the bottom of the screen and you'll be taken to the Shorts creator tool with the chosen audio ready to go.

Once you've recorded or uploaded your video, you can edit it on a timeline and make any changes.

After giving your video a title, it's ready to upload and live on the home screen of your channel page under the new "Shorts" section.

Note that fans can easily find your YouTube Shorts videos, and creators with monetized channels should be aware that Shorts videos are currently not monetizable.

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The YouTube app bug causing Shorts to auto-play is frustrating, but don't worry, I've got you covered.

Closing and force stopping the app has no impact on this behavior.

If you're experiencing the issue on an Android device, you can try "uninstall updates" via the Play Store, but be aware that this won't completely uninstall the app.

Reports on Reddit show that this issue is happening to more and more users in the past couple of weeks.

A "reset" (clear storage/cache) does revert this problem, but once Shorts are opened again, the issue returns.

We've noticed on a Nothing Phone (3a) and a Pixel 9 Pro Fold that, with the current YouTube app version, Shorts will open by default if the Shorts experience has been opened at all.

It's worth noting that we've not been able to confirm if this is happening on iOS.

For another approach, see: Youtube Background Playing App