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To make and post a YouTube Short, create a square or vertical video up to three minutes long, then upload it in the YouTube app or YouTube Studio. You can record and edit on your phone, or upload a finished video from a computer. YouTube does not require special equipment.
What counts as a YouTube Short?
For standard channels, square or vertical videos up to three minutes long count as Shorts when uploaded on or after October 15, 2024. Earlier uploads keep their previous long-form classification. Official Artist Channels have a separate cutoff: the same classification applies to eligible uploads from December 8, 2025. See YouTube’s current Shorts classification guidance.
If you want a video to remain long-form, use a wider aspect ratio such as 16:9 rather than a square or vertical frame. If you want it classified as a Short, keep it square or vertical and no longer than three minutes.
Choose how to make and upload it
| Workflow | Best for | Where to upload |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube app | Recording, trimming or adding text, filters, and audio on a phone | Create → Upload a video |
| Computer | Uploading a finished edit or selecting a batch of videos | YouTube Studio → Create → Upload videos |
YouTube says, “You don’t need any special equipment to get started! You can record, edit, and upload all from your phone.” A tripod with a phone holder is optional if you want hands-free, stable framing; it is not required to publish.
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Make and post a Short in the YouTube app
- Sign in to the YouTube app and tap Create, then Upload a video.
- Select a square or vertical video. If it is longer than three minutes, choose Edit into a Short and trim it to three minutes or less. Eligible videos up to three minutes can also be trimmed in the editor.
- Tap Next to open the editor. Add text, filters, music or other audio if they suit the clip. In the Android upload flow described by YouTube, audio selected from its library is limited to 15-second clips.
- Enter a title of up to 100 characters, then choose the privacy setting and audience designation: “made for kids” or “not made for kids.”
- Check visibility before publishing. In the cited Android flow, the default is private for creators aged 13–17 and public for creators aged 18 or older, so do not assume your account’s default.
- Tap Upload.
The current Android help instructions are at Upload YouTube Shorts – Android. Menus can differ by device or account, so labels may not appear identically everywhere.
Upload a Short from a computer
- Sign in to YouTube Studio.
- Choose Create, then Upload videos.
- Select a square or vertical video that is no longer than three minutes.
- Complete the draft details, including title, visibility and audience, before publishing.
- Publish when the details and preview are right. YouTube’s computer instructions allow selecting up to 15 Shorts at a time.
See YouTube’s computer upload instructions. If uploading a batch, review each draft’s details before publishing rather than assuming one video’s settings apply to the others.
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Make the clip clear and easy to follow
- Open with the subject or question the Short is about, rather than a long setup.
- Build around one central idea so viewers can follow it without extra context.
- Keep on-screen text readable on a phone and leave enough time for it to be read.
- Give the clip an understandable ending, even if it is brief.
- Preview the complete video and check framing, text, sound and trim points before upload.
These are practical editing choices, not guaranteed ways to earn views. YouTube’s cited guidance does not establish a particular ideal duration, posting frequency or ranking advantage.
Choose audio carefully
For standard channels, music from the Shorts Audio Library may be available for up to 90 seconds in a three-minute Short, although individual tracks can be limited to 60 or 30 seconds. The Android upload flow has a separate 15-second limit for audio selected there. Check the duration available for the specific track and workflow you are using.
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YouTube’s Audio Library also offers royalty-free tracks; YouTube says those tracks will not receive a Content ID claim. Use other copyrighted music or material only when you have permission or another applicable right to use it.
What happens if a Short receives a Content ID claim?
YouTube’s help page says that new Shorts longer than one minute and shorter than three minutes uploaded starting September 24, 2026, with an active Content ID claim will no longer be automatically blocked and may remain playable. A claim can still affect availability; this update does not remove copyright requirements. A copyright removal request is a separate matter from a Content ID claim.
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If YouTube blocks a Short, its guidance says you can remove the claimed material or dispute a claim you believe is mistaken. Availability and monetization resume after the issue is resolved. Read the current update in Understand three-minute YouTube Shorts.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Before you publish
- Confirm the video is square or vertical and no longer than three minutes if you intend it to be a Short.
- Check the title, privacy setting and audience designation.
- Listen through the audio and make sure you have the rights to use it.
- Preview the opening, text, framing and ending.
- Consider uploading a test Short and choosing public, private or unlisted visibility deliberately. YouTube recommends a posting schedule you can maintain, but does not establish a specific frequency as best for reach.
For YouTube’s practical upload suggestions, see YouTube Shorts upload tips – Computer.
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