January 9, 2026 – YouTube has rolled out a series of updates to its advanced search tools today, with the most notable addition being the introduction of “Shorts” as a distinct content category. This change allows users to filter out short-form videos—those lasting three minutes or less—directly from their search results, addressing a long-standing frustration among viewers seeking in-depth or long-form content.
For years, users have struggled with cluttered search results dominated by irrelevant Shorts, particularly since Google’s launch of the Veo 3 engine last year, which spurred a surge in AI-generated short clips. The new exclusion option streamlines the process of finding detailed tutorials, documentaries, or analytical videos by eliminating distractions.
Beyond Shorts, YouTube has overhauled terminology in its advanced search interface. The “Sort By” menu is now labeled “Prioritize,” while “View Count” has been rebranded as “Popularity.” These updates reflect a shift toward evaluating content quality through metrics like watch time and engagement, rather than relying solely on raw play counts.
However, the platform has also removed underused filters, including “Uploaded in the last hour” and “Sort by rating.” As a result, users can no longer directly search for top-rated videos by keyword, a move that may disappoint those relying on community feedback to discover content.
The updates signal YouTube’s broader effort to balance user convenience with algorithmic recommendations, though the removal of certain tools raises questions about customization for power users.
