Today, the platform rolled out updates to its advanced search tools 🛠️, and the standout addition is a specific classification for Shorts 📱. Users can now choose to exclude these videos—defined as three minutes or less—from their search queries entirely 🚫.
It is a long-overdue change for those of us who prefer long-form content 📺. There are few things more frustrating than hunting for a comprehensive explainer only to be forced to wade through dozens of fleeting, ten-second clips 😤. The ability to opt out of Shorts is arguably even more vital now, considering the recent surge in AI-generated “slop” fueled by the Google Veo 3 engine 🤖🌊.
The update also brings changes to the terminology and mechanics of the search interface ⚙️. Two key features have been renamed: the “Sort By” menu is now labeled “Prioritize,” while “View Count” has evolved into “Popularity” 📈. The latter is a functional shift, allowing YouTube’s algorithms to factor in engagement metrics, such as watch time, rather than just raw clicks ⏱️. However, the cleanup comes at a cost, as the filters for “Upload Date – Last Hour” and “Sort by Rating” have been retired 👋.