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You can create a YouTube Short in the YouTube app or upload a prepared video through the app or YouTube Studio. For a standard channel, a square or vertical video uploaded on or after October 15, 2024, can qualify as a Short if it is no longer than three minutes. Before publishing, check the crop, audio, title, privacy setting and audience designation.
What qualifies as a YouTube Short?
YouTube’s current guidance for standard channels classifies square or vertical videos uploaded on or after October 15, 2024 as Shorts when they are up to three minutes long. Older uploads do not necessarily change classification retroactively. YouTube’s desktop upload guidance also specifies a square or vertical aspect ratio and a maximum length of three minutes. The YouTube creation guide lists a maximum upload resolution of 1080p. See YouTube’s Shorts creation guide and desktop upload instructions.
Compose for a square or vertical frame and review the crop or trim preview. YouTube advises avoiding black bars on vertical videos; the player adapts to vertical, square and horizontal footage. A phone is enough to start: YouTube Help says special equipment is not required to record, edit and upload a Short. A stand, light or microphone is optional if it solves a specific filming problem.
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Choose the right way to make your Short
| Path | Best when | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube mobile app | You want to record in the app or make a quick edit on your phone. | Record in segments, adjust duration, preview, add supported effects or sounds, and set details before uploading. |
| YouTube app with an existing video | You already have footage and need to select and trim it on Android. | Select a square or vertical video, trim it to three minutes or less, edit with available tools, then add details and upload. |
| YouTube Studio on a computer | Your finished video is on your computer or you prefer desktop upload and details. | Upload a square or vertical video up to three minutes and complete its details before publishing; desktop upload allows up to 15 short videos at once. |
How to make a Short in the YouTube mobile app
- Open the YouTube app and sign in. Tap Create, then choose Short.
- Record your footage. Hold or tap the capture control to record; tap again to stop. You can record multiple segments and change the duration in the creation flow.
- Preview and edit. Review the result before continuing. The creation tools include options such as sounds, text-to-speech and effects, and let you undo or redo the previous segment.
- Tap Next and complete the details. Add a title of up to 100 characters, choose privacy, and set the audience as either Yes, it’s made for kids or No, it’s not made for kids.
- Publish or save for later. Tap Upload Short to publish, or Save draft to return to it later.
For Android, you can also select an existing square or vertical video in the YouTube app, trim it to three minutes or less, make edits with available text, filters, music or audio tools, then add its title and settings and upload. The YouTube Studio app provides a separate upload route.
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How to upload and publish a Short from a computer
- Sign in to YouTube Studio.
- Select Create → Upload videos.
- Choose a square or vertical video file up to three minutes long.
- Complete the video details while the upload is a draft, including its title, privacy and audience designation, then publish when ready. You can select up to 15 short videos in one desktop upload.
Check privacy and audience before publishing
YouTube’s default privacy setting depends on the creator’s age: it is private for creators aged 13–17 and public for creators aged 18 or older. You can choose public, private or unlisted. Check the setting each time rather than relying on the default, especially if the video should not be visible to everyone yet. Also answer the made-for-kids question accurately; it is an audience designation, not a choice about whether children might happen to watch.
Use music and other material you have rights to use
Material protected by copyright that you add outside YouTube must be cleared for use. It can trigger a Content ID claim; a valid copyright takedown can remove the Short and result in a copyright strike. YouTube’s Shorts Audio Library offers eligible songs, and its royalty-free Audio Library is another official option. For standard channels, most songs in the Shorts Audio Library can be used for up to 90 seconds in a three-minute Short, while some tracks are limited to 60 or 30 seconds. Check the track’s current limit in the creation flow before publishing.
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YouTube’s English regional Help page says that, starting September 24, 2026, new Shorts longer than one minute but shorter than three minutes with an active Content ID claim will no longer be automatically blocked and may remain playable. That policy does not make claimed music safe to use or guarantee that a particular Short will remain available; rights and claim outcomes depend on the material and context. Check YouTube’s current three-minute Shorts guidance before relying on a track.
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YouTube says Shorts can appear in the Shorts Feed, search results, the homepage, a channel homepage, subscriptions and notifications. Since March 31, 2025, a Shorts view counts each time a Short starts to play or replay, without a minimum watch-time requirement. YouTube Analytics retains Engaged views for viewers who chose to continue watching, so raw views and sustained viewing are different measures. Details are in YouTube’s Shorts guide.
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Or let it run in the cloud
Making and publishing a Short is separate from keeping a YouTube live stream running. If your goal is to loop uploaded videos as a 24/7 YouTube live stream, StreamNeo is a cloud service for that job: upload your video or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. Nothing has to stay on at home; it streams the uploaded video as made, up to 4K 60fps at one price per slot, and automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. It streams to YouTube only. Learn about StreamNeo, or start your free day.
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