...The secret, by the way, is to replace shorts/ in the URL with watch?v=. This lets you watch YouTube shorts as just normal YouTube videos with the same interface and layout you're already used to.

thanks. this is very helpful.

i can't stand the shorts format. it's like they took all the things about tiktok that make sigh when my sister sends me a tiktok link, and inserted all those bad UX concepts* into youtube.

i prefer to watch stuff on a desktop instead of the phone, especially when watching junk on the phone tries to completely hijack the phone interface. like every once in a while i have to open the YT app to get the link so i can paste it into newpipe and it reminds me why i hate the YT app even when it doesn't play ads.

*bad UX concepts

• autoplay
• autoplay content behind popup
• thumb scrolling instantly starts new content
• force closing the app sometimes leaves the sound running