YouTube has updated its advanced search tools to give users more control over search results, including a new option to filter out Shorts and changes to how ranking and engagement signals are presented.
Shorts Can Now Be Excluded From Search Results
YouTube introduced a new content-type filter that allows users to exclude Shorts from advanced search results. The change means videos that run three minutes or less can be removed from searches, making it easier to locate longer-form content.
The update addresses a common frustration among users searching for in-depth videos, where short clips often dominate results even when longer explainers are the goal. The timing follows an increase in short-form and AI-generated content on the platform, including material created using Google Veo 3, which launched last year.
Search Controls Receive Naming Changes
YouTube also renamed several options within advanced search. The “Sort By” menu is now labeled “Prioritize,” reflecting how results are ordered rather than strictly sorted.
The “View Count” option has been renamed to “Popularity.” According to YouTube, this change allows its systems to factor in additional engagement signals beyond raw views, such as watch time, when determining which videos appear more prominently in results.
Older Filters Removed
Alongside the additions and renaming, YouTube removed two existing filter options. Users can no longer search by “Upload Date – Last Hour,” and the platform has eliminated the “Sort by Rating” option from advanced search.
YouTube did not provide details on whether similar changes will be made to other parts of its search and discovery tools.
Featured image credits: Pexels
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