YouTube revamps search filters for Shorts and long videos

YouTube is updating its search filters to change how videos appear in search results, following user feedback about cluttered and confusing search tools. The update affects how YouTube Shorts, long-form videos, and live content are sorted, as the platform continues to grow its video library worldwide.

YouTube said the increasing volume of content has made it harder for users to narrow down search results. The revised filters are designed to make searching simpler and help users review results more easily, especially when looking for a specific type of video.

YouTube adds Shorts filter under video type

One of the most noticeable changes is a new Shorts filter that is now available in the “Type” menu. This new option will enable users to easily distinguish between YouTube Shorts and regular videos when searching for something online. This is one of the platform’s major improvements, as before, users would get search results that comprised both types of videos.

By distinguishing between Shorts and other videos, YouTube plans to enhance search result precision and minimise browsing through unwanted search outcomes. This new development benefits frequently-searching users who search for tutorials, news, or entertainment content on the platform.

Additionally, YouTube has changed the name of “Sort By” to “Prioritise” to make it clearer how results are organised. Another new addition removes the “View count” filter option, replacing it with “Popularity”.

YouTube claims that its algorithm for videos ranks not only by views but also by views and how well a video is related to a search. This way a video will be enabled to rank if YouTube believes a search engine user might find the video helpful.

Moreover, to declutter these choices, YouTube is removing two filters: “Upload Date, Last Hour” and “Sort by Rating”. The company explained that people can still find recent videos using other date filters and can find videos that are viewed by lots of people using the Popularity option.