YouTube Stories Discontinuing on June 26: Google Shifts Focus to Shorts

Starting from June, YouTube will be discontinuing its Stories feature, a temporary post format. After June 26th, users will no longer have the ability to create Stories, and any existing posts will automatically disappear within a week.

YouTube is encouraging creators to explore alternative ways of sharing content on the platform, with a focus on Community Posts and Shorts. Community Posts have gained prominence as a viable alternative, allowing creators to share text-based updates with optional expiration dates. These posts can also include interactive elements such as polls, quizzes, images, and videos, all displayed in a dedicated tab on the creator’s channel.

Recognizing the growing popularity of short-form videos, YouTube has launched its own TikTok competitor called Shorts. The platform actively encourages creators, including those who typically produce longer videos, to engage with shorter content. In February, YouTube introduced monetization options for Shorts, enabling creators to earn ad revenue.

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While temporary posts originated from Snapchat and have been adopted by various social media platforms, YouTube is not the first to discontinue its own version. Twitter’s Fleets, for example, were short-lived posts that disappeared within 24 hours.

YouTube is prioritizing the improvement of alternative content-sharing options, specifically Community Posts and Shorts, as it bids farewell to the Stories feature. The limited availability and infrequent use of Stories by creators contributed to its minimal promotion within the YouTube community.