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 in the YouTube app.

The latest Shorts creation tools make it fast, fun, and easy to be a creator on YouTube.

 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

Creating a Short with YouTube’s short-form video creation tools allows you to record one or more clips that add up to 60 seconds. 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.

To create a short video on YouTube:

1. Sign in to the YouTube app.
2. Tap Create    Create a Short.
3. To make your Short longer than 15 seconds, tap 15s in the upper-right corner to record up to 60 seconds (60).
4. To record a clip, hold Capture  or tap it to start recording and then again to stop.
5. Tap Undo  to remove the previous video clip you recorded or tap Redo  to add it back.
6. Tap Close   choose to Start over or to Save as draft and exit the camera.
7. Tap Done  to preview and enhance your video.
8. Tap Back  to return to the record screen. You can also tap Back after you’ve made edits to Start over or to Save as draft and exit the editor. Saving a draft at this point saves any edits you've made.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. Tap UPLOAD SHORT to publish your Short.

Enhance your Shorts while recording

Add music or other audio

Accompany your Shorts with a song or other audio clip. The music and sounds found in our library are free of charge to use, but only for personal, non-commercial use, unless you have the appropriate licenses.

To find our Audio Library when you’re ready to record, tap  Add sound  make your selection.

Note that if you use copyright-protected content in your Shorts created outside of YouTube's creation tools, your video may get a Content ID claim or be removed due to a copyright removal request.

Adjust recording speed

Tap Speed to speed up or slow down recording.

Record with a timer

Tap Timer  to set the countdown to record hands-free and choose when to automatically stop recording.

Apply filters

Tap Filters  to pick from a selection of creative and contrasting filters that let you change the vibe of your Short.

Add different filters to each segment as you record, or apply them in the editing screen after you record. We’ll continue to bring more filters and effects over the coming year.

Add a background

How to GREEN SCREEN yourself into any Photo or Video from your Camera Roll

While in the record screen, tap Green screen  to use a photo or video from your device’s gallery as a background in your Short.

Align frames

Hit the perfect transition with the Shorts Align tool

Tap Align  to line up your next clip using a transparent overlay of the last frame you captured.

Adjust segments

How to get your timing just right in Shorts using Trim

Tap Trim to choose the perfect starting point or trim video segments that are a part of your Short.

Import segments

How to quickly make Shorts with videos & photos from your camera roll

While in the record screen, tap the gallery button in the lower-left corner to import clips into your Short or select a longer video to trim to 60 seconds or less.

Navigating the import experience is easy:

• For videos over 60 seconds, use the slider to quickly jump to the desired moment in your video.
• Tap and drag the handles on the video filmstrip to choose where the video starts and ends.
• Tap the duration (15 seconds or 60 seconds) in the upper-right corner to change the length of your Short.

Add text & sound after you record

Add sound

To add a song or other sound bite after you record, tap  Sound  make your selection.

Use Volume to control the balance between the original audio track and the other sound.

Note that if you use copyright-protected content in your Shorts created outside of YouTube's creation tools, your video may get a Content ID claim or be removed due to a copyright removal request.

Add text

Tap Text  to put text on your video after you record. Place multiple messages over your video and change the color, style, and alignment on the screen.

You can also use Timeline  for even more control.

Adjust timeline

Tap Timeline   to edit when text is shown in your Short.

Drag the start and stop points of a text clip to control when text shows in your Short and when it disappears. Use this feature to trigger different messages at different times in your video.

To reorder text clips, tap and hold them. Move clips from top to bottom to control the front to back order your text is shown.

Create Shorts from Clips

Turn clips of your videos into Shorts to share more moments with your audience.

To transform your clip into a Short:

1. Find a clip of a video or live stream that belongs to you.
2. Under the video, click Create  to open the clip in the Shorts creation experience.
   Note: Some clips may be restricted from being turned into a Short if the source video is restricted.
3. Pan left or right to adjust the crop of your video.
4. Drag the sides of the timeline bar below the image to adjust the clip’s start and end times  tap NEXT.
5. Add other optional creative touches, such as text  tap NEXT.
6. Add details to your video  tap UPLOAD SHORT.

Only you can create Shorts from your clips, but others may still sample your other content to create Shorts. Learn more about sampling content to create Shorts.