YouTube Shorts Auto-Play Bug Causes Frustration Among Users

Global:Google’s YouTube, which introduced Shorts in 2020 to compete with TikTok, has become a popular platform for short videos, with millions watching them daily. However, users are currently facing an unusual issue with the app. Many users have reported on Reddit that when they open the YouTube app on their phones, instead of the homepage, the Shorts tab opens automatically, and videos start playing on their own.

This problem appears to be caused by a bug in the app, with users experiencing this issue for several weeks now. When opening the app, the last viewed Shorts video auto-plays, instead of taking users to the homepage as it typically would. In some cases, Shorts videos play even if the user hasn’t watched them before.

A report by *9to5Google* reveals that the problem persists even for YouTube Premium users who pay for a subscription. It’s still unclear whether this issue is due to a technical glitch or a deliberate decision by the company to encourage more users to engage with YouTube Shorts—possibly showing these short videos to users who don’t typically watch them.

For Android users encountering this problem, there is a potential solution: clearing the YouTube app’s storage/cache files may help resolve the issue. However, it’s worth noting that the issue may resurface the next time users open Shorts.

The situation remains unresolved, leaving many users wondering whether this is a temporary glitch or part of YouTube’s ongoing strategy to promote Shorts content more widely.