YouTube Shorts player adding Clear Screen mode & 2x playback, removes dislike

First reported on 9to5google on June 25, 2026.

YouTube is changing the Shorts player to make it easier to use. You'll now be able to clear the screen and watch videos at 2x speed, but the dislike button is being removed.

What it looks like

  • Clear Screen mode added
  • 2x playback added
  • Dislike button removed

How to fix it

  1. Open the YouTube app.
  2. Play a YouTube Shorts video.
  3. Check if the Clear Screen mode is available.
  4. If the Clear Screen mode is available, try enabling it.
  5. If you're experiencing issues with the new features, try restarting the app.

Affected products

  • YouTube Shorts

Sources

Search terms covered: youtube shorts clear screen, youtube shorts 2x playback, youtube shorts dislike button removed