YouTube Lets You Ditch Shorts for Good

YouTube Finally Lets Users Escape Shorts

YouTube has heard the cries of users who either dislike YouTube Shorts or simply spend too much time watching them. The platform is rolling out a new feature that allows all users to set their Shorts viewing time to zero minutes. This move is a significant change for the video giant, offering a way to reclaim your attention from the endless scroll.

While the feature is being called a way to ‘hide’ Shorts, early reports suggest it might not completely remove them from the interface. Instead, Shorts may be treated more like regular videos, meaning you won’t be able to swipe endlessly through them. For those who want them completely gone, the hope is that setting the limit to zero and restarting the app will make them disappear.

Testing the New Feature: A Mixed Bag

During the show, the team attempted to test this new feature live, but encountered some difficulties. One host couldn’t find the option in their YouTube app, even after checking the ‘Time management’ settings. This suggests the rollout might be slow or inconsistent across different devices and operating systems.

Viewers in the chat reported similar issues, with many unable to find the option. However, some users on specific devices, like a Pixel 10 Pro XL, claimed it was working for them. This inconsistency has led to speculation that it could be a regional rollout or a gradual percentage-based release by Google.

Google often uses these phased rollouts to prevent widespread issues. By releasing a new feature to a small percentage of users first, they can catch and fix bugs before they affect everyone. This approach allows for more control and less risk of breaking the entire platform.

The Real Impact: Self-Control vs. Design

The effectiveness of this new limit for those struggling with Shorts addiction is debatable. As one host pointed out, time limits on apps can often be easily bypassed. Uninstalling the app entirely has been a more effective solution for some users in the past.

The move might also be influenced by recent rulings that found Google intentionally designed apps to harm user development. By offering this new control, YouTube could be trying to swing the pendulum back and appear more user-friendly. Regardless of the reason, the ability to limit Shorts is a positive step for user well-being.

DaVinci Resolve 21: A Powerful Lightroom Alternative

In other exciting tech news, DaVinci Resolve 21 is emerging as a serious competitor to Adobe Lightroom, especially for photographers. Blackmagic Design announced this update at NAB 2026, adding a dedicated photo editing page to their already powerful video suite.

This new photo page brings Resolve’s renowned color grading tools to still images. It supports RAW files from major camera brands like Canon, Sony, Nikon, and Fujifilm. The update also includes features like album management, AI-powered subject selection, and even tethered shooting capabilities.

What makes this particularly compelling is that most of these new photo features are available in the free version of DaVinci Resolve. Only advanced tools like AI Magic Mask and Film Look Creator require the one-time purchase of the Studio version, which costs $295. This is a stark contrast to Adobe’s subscription model.

Lightroom vs. DaVinci Resolve: The Price Difference

Adobe Lightroom typically costs around $10 per month, adding up to $120 per year. For creative professionals, the total cost of Adobe’s software suite can reach tens of thousands of dollars annually. This high cost has long been a point of frustration for many users.

DaVinci Resolve offers a compelling alternative. The free version covers many of Lightroom’s core functions.

The Studio version, with its one-time purchase, provides a permanent license. For hybrid shooters who work with both video and photos, having these matching color tools in one application could significantly streamline their workflow.

This competition is something many have been waiting for. For years, Adobe has faced criticism for its pricing and subscription practices. The arrival of a powerful, affordable alternative like DaVinci Resolve could finally push Adobe to reconsider its approach to pricing and customer service.

California Bill Aims to Protect Server-Connected Games

A new bill in California, AB1921, known as the Protect Our Games Act, aims to ensure long-term support for server-connected video games. The bill, backed by the group Stop Killing Games, is set for debate soon and would apply to games released after December 1st, 2026.

Under this act, game companies would be required to give 60 days’ notice before shutting down servers essential for a game’s operation. This notice must include details about which features will stop working and how players can continue to access the game afterward. Warnings about potential security issues from shutdowns would also be mandatory.

The bill also requires game operators to offer at least one of the following options upon shutdown: a new version of the game that works offline, a patch for the existing version to function without servers, or a full refund of the purchase price. This provides players with recourse when online-only games become unplayable.

Exceptions and Future Considerations

There are some exceptions to this bill. It does not apply to subscription-based services that are clearly advertised as only offering access for a limited time, such as World of Warcraft. Free-to-play games are also excluded, which could be a grey area given the significant amount of money players can spend on in-game items.

The bill also includes a clause about games that sellers cannot revoke access to after a sale. The exact meaning of this is still a bit unclear, especially for games that rely on server connections. The bill’s progress will be closely watched by both gamers and the industry.

LTT Labs Tests Minimum Display Brightness

In a recent LTT Labs article, the team investigated the minimum display brightness of common smartphones. This feature is becoming a key selling point for many brands, with users wanting screens that are dim enough for comfortable nighttime viewing.

The testing revealed that most modern phones can achieve impressively low brightness levels, often at or below one nit. In some cases, a phone was even able to reach a minuscule brightness of just one-thousandth of a nit. This level of dimness can be crucial for reducing eye strain and improving sleep quality.

The article details the testing equipment and methodology used, and the results are available on the LTT Labs website. For those interested in the technical aspects or the specific performance of different devices, the full report is worth a read. The latest iPhone, with specific settings, was noted for achieving that extremely low one-thousandth of a nit brightness.

Source: YouTube Killed Shorts – WAN Show April 17, 2026 (YouTube)