YouTube Shorts Like Button Is Now a Heart
YouTube swapped the Shorts thumbs-up for a heart and retired dislikes on Shorts in June 2026. What changed, why, and what creators should watch now.
Yes. On June 25, 2026, YouTube announced that the thumbs-up on Shorts is being replaced with a heart, and that the dislike button on Shorts is being retired (YouTube Official Blog). Instead of disliking a Short, viewers can use Not interested or Don't recommend this channel from the menu, and they can still report a video. The same update adds a Clear Screen mode and 2x playback speed. YouTube says the changes are rolling out over time, so you may still see the old buttons for a while.
What changed in the Shorts player
From YouTube's announcement:
- A heart replaces the thumbs-up. YouTube calls it "a more meaningful way to express when a video truly connects with you."
- The dislike button is retired on Shorts. Negative feedback moves to Not interested and Don't recommend this channel.
- Clear Screen mode "temporarily hides all icons and text from your playback view."
- 2x speed. You can double the playback speed of a Short.
- Easier mute. Pause the Short and tap the mute icon.
- Shorts timer. You can now set the daily Shorts timer to zero.
Reporting a Short for breaking the Community Guidelines stays available.
Why YouTube removed dislikes on Shorts
YouTube's reasoning is that a dislike is ambiguous: it could mean anything from "poor audio quality" to simply "not my cup of tea" (9to5Google, quoting YouTube). YouTube says "Not interested" and "Don't recommend this channel" "give you more control over what you see and allow us to better understand your genuine preferences" (YouTube Official Blog).
In other words, the signal YouTube wants from an unhappy viewer is now about recommendations ("show me less of this"), not a public rating of the video.
How this rolled out
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| Early June 2026 | Users spot a heart instead of the thumbs-up on Shorts, and for some the dislike button disappears. The test shows up on Android, iOS and the web (9to5Google). |
| June 25, 2026 | YouTube officially announces the heart, the retirement of dislikes on Shorts, Clear Screen mode and 2x speed (YouTube Official Blog). |
What it means for creators
Your dislike numbers for Shorts freeze. According to YouTube's Help Community post on the change, creators keep historical dislike data for Shorts in YouTube Studio, but the count stops updating for Shorts at the end of June 2026 (Social Media Today).
Unhappy viewers now shape your reach more quietly. A dislike used to be a visible number. "Not interested" and "Don't recommend this channel" don't show up as a public count, but YouTube says it uses them to understand what viewers want. You won't see them directly, so watch the metrics you do have:
- Views, and how many people kept watching instead of swiping away, to see whether your Short stops the scroll.
- Average view duration and retention, to see where people leave.
- Subscribers gained per Short, to see which formats build an audience rather than just a view.
Likes still matter. YouTube describes the heart as replacing the thumbs-up, so it's still the one-tap positive reaction on Shorts.
Long-form videos aren't part of this. YouTube's announcement covers the Shorts player. Regular videos weren't included.
What to do now
- Don't chase hearts with bait. With dislikes gone, the risk moves to viewers quietly telling YouTube to stop recommending your channel. Titles and hooks that overpromise can earn that.
- Fix the first two seconds. If people swipe away fast, the rest of the Short never gets a chance. Our Shorts guide covers hooks and structure.
- Use the full length when it helps. Shorts can run up to three minutes (YouTube Help), but only if the extra time holds attention. See how long YouTube Shorts can be.
- Post consistently rather than constantly. See how many Shorts to post a day.
- Match the audience you already have. Shorts that stray far from what your audience expects risk more "Not interested" taps. See audience-content fit and the YouTube algorithm.
FAQ
Did YouTube remove the dislike button?
On Shorts, yes. YouTube announced on June 25, 2026 that it's retiring the dislike button in the Shorts player and replacing it with "Not interested" and "Don't recommend this channel." Its announcement doesn't cover regular videos.
Why is the YouTube Shorts like button a heart now?
YouTube replaced the thumbs-up with a heart on Shorts as part of a June 2026 redesign of the Shorts player. It says the heart is "a more meaningful way to express when a video truly connects with you."
Can I still see dislikes on my Shorts?
Historical dislike data stays in YouTube Studio, but it stops updating for Shorts at the end of June 2026, according to YouTube's Help Community post as reported by Social Media Today.
How do I tell YouTube I don't like a Short?
Open the Short's menu and choose Not interested, or Don't recommend this channel if you don't want that creator at all. Use Report for content that breaks the rules.
Why do I still have the old thumbs-up?
YouTube says the changes are rolling out over time, so not every account and device gets them at once.
