Download
Kaizen Focus Kaizen Focus Help All Help Contact
Home › Help › Kaizen Focus ›Guides › Block YouTube (or just YouTube Shorts)
Guide

Block YouTube (or just YouTube Shorts)

Three approaches depending on whether you want a full YouTube blackout, Shorts only, or a specific channel.

Choose your level

Level 1: Block YouTube entirely

  1. Open My Rules → Block Sites.
  2. Add youtube.com with Full domain ticked.
  3. Save, enter PIN.

Now every browser refuses to load YouTube. Harsh but effective.

Level 2: Block YouTube Shorts only

Shorts is the biggest time sink on YouTube for most people. Block just that:

  1. Open My Rules → App Limits.
  2. Find YouTube Shorts in the app list (it's pre-recognised).
  3. Set the daily limit to 0 for every day (or a strict cap like 15 minutes).
  4. Save.

Regular YouTube videos still work; only /shorts/ URLs get blocked.

Level 3: Block a specific YouTube channel

  1. Grab the channel URL (https://youtube.com/@channelname).
  2. Open My Rules → Block Sites.
  3. Paste the URL, tick Full YouTube channel.
  4. Save.

Now just that channel is off-limits. The rest of YouTube works normally.

Level 4: Time-budget YouTube

Don't want to block entirely — just cap it?

  1. Open My Rules → App Limits.
  2. Find YouTube in the list.
  3. Set a daily cap (e.g. 60 minutes Mon–Fri, 120 weekend).
  4. Save.

Pairing with Downtime

App Limits alone can be bypassed if you wait till tomorrow (“budget resets”). Combine with a Downtime window (e.g. 22:00–07:00) so even if you have budget left, late-night scrolling is impossible.