---
title: 'YouTube Shorts Update: Heart, Clear Screen, 2x Speed & More'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=mL8jIfJ0g28'
video_id: 'mL8jIfJ0g28'
date: 2026-07-17
---

# YouTube Shorts Update: Heart, Clear Screen, 2x Speed & More

> Source: [YouTube Shorts Update: Heart, Clear Screen, 2x Speed & More](https://youtube.com/watch?v=mL8jIfJ0g28)

## Summary

This video presents the latest updates to YouTube Shorts, including a new clear screen mode, replacing the thumbs-up icon with a heart, retiring the dislike button, and adding 2x playback speed and mute functionality.

### Key Points

- **Clear screen mode** [00:10] — Temporarily hides all icons and text on the Shorts player for a less distracting experience.
- **Heart icon replaces thumbs up** [00:30] — The thumbs up icon is replaced with a heart to make liked Shorts feel more personal.
- **Dislike button retired** [00:50] — The dislike button is removed due to confusion with 'not interested' and 'don't recommend channel' buttons, which remain.
- **2x playback speed** [01:10] — Viewers can now play Shorts at double speed to consume content faster or rewatch moments.
- **Mute button and tap to pause** [01:30] — A new mute button silences audio, and tapping the screen pauses the video.

### Conclusion

YouTube continues to evolve Shorts based on feedback, focusing on reducing clutter and improving control, though the removal of the dislike button may be controversial.

## Transcript

Heart is the new like, not interested and you dislike, clearing the clutter, 2x playback speed, and more in this tall update to shorts. Hello Insiders, I'm Rene Ritchie, a long-time creator now working at YouTube, and here's what's up. Shorts continue to evolve thanks to viewer and creator feedback. They've gone from 1 to 3 minutes, first frame views, and gotten all types of new creative tools and interactivity. And now, if icons on the Shorts player have just always felt less like interface affordances and more like watches on your windshield, then good news. The new clear screen mode lets you temporarily hide all icons and text on the player, creating a more intuitive and less distracting experience on Shorts. YouTube is also replacing the thumbs up icon with the heart icon, so the shorts you enjoy feel a little less and a little more or I tried. And retiring the dislike button, but keeping the not interested and don't recommend this channel buttons, since the functionality has come to overlap enough that it's caused confusion for viewers as to which does what and when, and ambiguity for our recommendation systems over when which is being used for what. YouTube understands how important these literally iconic icons are to creators, our community, and our culture. The goal here is to be respectful and thoughtful while continuing to evolve and give viewers more accurate buttons under the three-dot menu that provide greater clarity and control over your feed. And yes, YouTube knows and keeps hearing how much viewers value time. With 2x speed, you'll now be able to take in a lot more information a lot more quickly or get to and rewatch favorite moments even faster. And for those times when you simply can't have those moments with the volume on, you'll be able to tap the screen to pause and tap the new mute button to silence. Did you just silence Wait, are you tapping the mute button right now? I Whatever. Just make sure you tap on the comment button, drop us your thoughts and questions, and keep it real.