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 of up to 60 seconds long. The latest Shorts creation tools make it fast, fun and easy to be a creator on YouTube.

Note: You can customise your channel's layout, branding and basic info for your audience to explore.

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 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  and select Create a Short.
    • Or tap Remix  from the Shorts watch page.
  3. To make your Short longer than 15 seconds, tap 15 s in the upper-right corner to record up to 60 seconds (60 s).
  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 that you recorded or tap Redo  to add it back.
  6. Tap Close  and then choose to Start again 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 that 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 and then '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.
Note: You can upload Short videos with a maximum resolution of 1080p.

Select a thumbnail

How to CHOOSE your Shorts ✨Thumbnail✨

You can choose a frame from your Short to be used as the thumbnail before you upload your video. You can't choose a thumbnail after you've uploaded your Short yet, including uploading a customised thumbnail on Studio from your computer.

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

  1. Record or import a video with the Shorts camera.
  2. Navigate to the final upload screen and then tap Edit  on the thumbnail of your video.
  3. Make your selection and then tap Done.

Enhance your Shorts while recording

Top advice for growing on Shorts: hear from top UK creators 🔥

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 licences.

To find our Audio Library when you're ready to record, tap  Add sound and then 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

#Shorts speed tool tricks

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. You can add different filters to each segment as you record. You can also apply a filter in the editing screen later. 

Apply effects

Tap Effects  to choose from a selection of compelling effects to help enhance your Short. Explore new concepts, change your appearance or use an AI effect for a surprising transformation.

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 that you captured.

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

Import segments

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

While in the record screen, tap the gallery button in the lower left-hand 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-hand corner to change the length of your Short.

Add stickers, sound and text after you've recorded

Add sound

To add a song or other sound bite after you've recorded, tap  Sound and then make your selection.

Use Volume  to adjust audio levels across music, your original video's audio and voice-over.

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've recorded. Place multiple messages over your video and change the colour, style and alignment on the screen.

You can also use Timeline  for even more control.

Add Q&A sticker

To add a Q&A sticker after you've recorded, tap Q&A and then type the question that you'd like to ask your viewers. You can change the colour, size and placement of the sticker.
Note that when a viewer responds to your question, their responses become a comment that will be public and visible to other viewers.

Record voice-over

Use the voice-over feature to narrate what happens in your video.

Here's how to get started:

  1. Tap Voice-over  at the bottom of the editing screen to open the voice-over editor.
  2. Move the playhead left or right to the spot where you want to start your voice-over.
  3. Hold the red record button or tap it to start recording and then again to stop.
  4. Tap Undo  to remove your narration or tap Redo  to add it back.
Use Volume  to adjust audio levels across music, your original video's audio and voice-over.
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 in which your text is shown.

Add filters

Tap Filters  to add a filter. Choose from a number of creative and contrasting filters to change the look and feel of your Short.

Add comments

You can reply to comments posted on your channel with Shorts. Just like text comment replies, the Shorts that you create as replies will let the commenter know and show up in the comment feed below the original comment. Learn how to reply to comments with a Short

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