The impact of technological affordances on user experiences in the context of short video platforms—specifically, YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels—is investigated in this study. In the short-form video content market, these platforms are becoming more well-known due to their distinctive features and experiences. The study investigates how users’ flow experiences are impacted by technological affordances such as perceived recommendation accuracy, perceived serendipity, and perceived effortlessness. One hundred participants in a controlled experiment who interacted with YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels content were involved. Nonparametric statistical approaches were used to analyse the data. The study's findings shed important light on how technological affordances influence how users interact with short-form video platforms. Comprehending these dynamics is essential to understanding the increasing ubiquity of digital platforms and can help shape platform design and content production tactics in the future.