Create YouTube Shorts

YouTube Shorts is a way for anyone to turn an idea into a chance to connect with new audiences anywhere in the world. All you need is a smartphone and the Shorts camera built right into the YouTube app to create Shorts up to three minutes long. The latest Shorts creation tools make it fast, fun, and easy to be a creator on YouTube. Enhance your YouTube Shorts.

YouTube Shorts

The Shorts camera in the YouTube app is not available on tablets right now.

To create Shorts on the go, download the latest YouTube app on your smartphone.

Create a Short

✨NEW✨ Add LINKS🔗 in your SHORTS🩳

Creating a Short with YouTube’s short-form video creation tools allows you to record one or more clips that add up to three minutes. While recording with the Shorts camera, use the progress bar at the top of your screen to see how many segments you’ve recorded, and the length of each.

Note: If your Short is longer than one minute, you won't be able to use the audio picker to add sound. This is because Shorts over one minute with copyrighted music will be blocked on YouTube. Learn more about claimed content that is over one minute.

1. Sign in to the YouTube app .
2. Tap Create and select Short.
3. Hold Capture  or tap it to start recording and then again to stop.
   • Note: You can change the duration on the upper-right corner. 
4. Once you’re done recording, you can:
   • Add music, apply filters, or use other effects to enhance your recording.
   • Tap Undo  to remove the previous video clip you recorded or tap Redo  to add it back.
   • Tap Close Delete or Save and exit. Saving a draft at this point saves any edits you've made.
5. Tap Done . From here, you can:
   • Preview your video. 
   • Add sounds, text-to-speech, and other effects. 
   • Tap Back to return to the record screen.
6. Tap NEXT to add details to your video.
   • From this screen, add a title (max 100 characters), and choose settings, like video privacy. 
     • Note: The default video privacy setting for creators aged 13–17 is private. If you’re 18 or older, your default video privacy setting is set to public. Everyone can change this setting to make their video public, private, or unlisted.
   • Tap Select audience “Yes, it’s made for kids" or "No, it’s not made for kids" to choose your audience. Learn more about made for kids.
7. Tap UPLOAD SHORT to publish your Short.

Note: You can upload Short videos with a maximum resolution of 1080p.

Save your Short as a draft

You can save your Short as a draft before you upload to come back and edit later.

There’s no limit to the number of drafts that you can keep at one time. Note that drafts are saved to your device and not to your YouTube channel. If you delete the YouTube app or replace your device, you lose your drafts.

To find your drafts in the YouTube app:

1. Tap Create Short.
2. Create your Short tap Next.
3. In the lower-right corner, tap Drafts.
4. From here, you can select a draft to edit or delete it from your device.

Select a thumbnail

How to CHOOSE your Shorts ✨Thumbnail✨

You can choose a frame from your Short to be used as the thumbnail before and after you upload your Shorts. Keep in mind that you can only edit your thumbnail from the YouTube app and not from Studio. 

Here’s how to select a thumbnail for your Short:

1. Tap Create Short.
2. Record your Short and enter video detail.
3. Navigate to the final upload screen tap the Edit on the thumbnail of your video.
4. Select a frame to use as your thumbnail.
   • Tip: You can add text and apply filters to your thumbnail. Once done with an edit, you cannot go back to previous edits to make any changes.
5. Tap Done.

Get Shorts editing tips.