YouTube changes Shorts to be like TikTok

YouTube is adding TikTok-like features to Shorts, including a new “transparent” feature that removes images and text from the video you’re watching. In Thursday’s blog postYouTube says it’s also getting rid of the “thumbs-up” button and the “heart” icon, and is introducing a new feature that lets you watch clips at 2x speed.

As seen on YouTube, you can speed up a video by touching the edge of your screen and lifting your finger when you want it to go back to normal speed. You can lock the speed at 2x by pressing the player and scrolling down. Another change allows you to slow down the viewing by clicking on the video and selecting the “mute” button.

These additions make Shorts more like TikTok, which it already has the same name “clear mode” for years – a feature that also removes captions, images, and passwords from your computer. TikTok also offers a way to speed up videos, and allows users to “like” a video by clicking the “heart” button.

Along with these changes, YouTube is removing the “dislike” button. It encourages users to share their thoughts with the platform by selecting the options “I don’t want” and “Don’t create this channel” from the three dots instead.