6 hacks to reclaim your YouTube experience (and your sanity)

From blocking Shorts to fixing the layout, here's how you can customize your YouTube experience on both desktop and mobile.

Jun 1, 2025 - 16:40

6 hacks to reclaim your YouTube experience (and your sanity)

Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

YouTube is a constantly evolving beast. Between the endless UI experiments, the rise of Shorts, and the ever-growing ad invasion, it’s harder than ever to enjoy the platform like we used to in the good old days. But even though I eventually caved and got YouTube Premium — because when you can’t defeat the system, sometimes, you’ve got to join the system — all hope is not lost. There are still plenty of ways in which I can take back control of my YouTube experience, and you can too. From browser tweaks, extensions, settings changes, and filters that can bring back a cleaner, calmer, and more customizable experience, here are six YouTube hacks you need to try today: