YouTube Shorts Size, Length and Aspect Ratio
YouTube Shorts run up to 3 minutes in a square or vertical frame, 9:16 at 1080 x 1920 for most. The rules, the October 2024 change and the copyright catch.
YouTube Shorts can be "Up to 3 minutes" long, with "a square or vertical aspect ratio," YouTube says. Vertical 9:16 fills a phone screen, and at 1080 pixels wide that's 1080 x 1920. Anything up to three minutes in that shape, uploaded on or after October 15, 2024, counts as a Short. Wider video, like 16:9, stays a regular video.
We read YouTube's help pages on Shorts and its October 2024 announcement on October 24, 2026.
About 14,800 people search "youtube shorts size" each month, and 6,600 each search the length and the aspect ratio.
What are the YouTube Shorts specs?
| Spec | YouTube Shorts |
|---|---|
| Length | Up to 3 minutes |
| Aspect ratio | Square (1:1) or vertical, with 9:16 the full-screen shape |
| Size at 9:16 | 1080 x 1920 for 1080p, 2160 x 3840 for 4K |
| Thumbnail | 9:16, recommended 2160 x 3840, at least 640 px tall |
| Title | Up to 100 characters |
| Uploads at once | Up to 15 from a computer |
YouTube Help, "Upload YouTube Shorts," "Understand three-minute YouTube Shorts" and "Add custom thumbnails," read October 24, 2026. The pixel sizes for video are 9:16 at the 1080p and 4K widths.
YouTube doesn't set a single pixel size for Short videos. Its encoding page says that for "vertical or square" uploads, "the player automatically adapts itself to the size of the video."
How long can a YouTube Short be?
Three minutes. YouTube made the change on October 15, 2024. "Starting on October 15, you can upload Shorts up to 3 minutes long," it announced, and the change "won't affect any videos you uploaded before October 15." Before that, Shorts topped out at one minute.
Official Artist Channels got a later date. For them, square or vertical videos up to three minutes uploaded on or after December 8, 2025 count as Shorts.
What's the catch with Shorts over one minute?
Copyright claims hit harder. "Any Short that is over one minute in duration with an active copyright claim of any type, including manual claims, will be blocked globally on YouTube," YouTube says. A blocked Short won't play, won't be recommended and won't earn. Your channel isn't penalized, and the Short comes back once the claim is resolved.
Music has its own limits. In a three-minute Short, "You can use most songs for up to 90 seconds," though "some tracks may be limited to 60 or 30 seconds." Royalty-free tracks from the YouTube Audio Library won't get a Content ID claim.
How do you upload a YouTube Short?
From a computer:
- Sign in to YouTube Studio.
- Click CREATE, then Upload videos.
- Pick a video up to 3 minutes, square or vertical.
- Add the details and publish. You can upload up to 15 at a time.
In the YouTube app, tap Create, then Upload a video, and pick a square or vertical clip. Clips up to 3 minutes open a trim editor. For longer videos, tap Edit into a Short to cut it to 3 minutes or less. Then add text, filters or music, a title of up to 100 characters, your audience, and tap UPLOAD.
How do you keep a video from becoming a Short?
Make it wider. "If you don't want your content to be classified as Shorts, use a wider aspect ratio such as 16:9," YouTube says.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a YouTube Short?
Vertical 9:16 is the full-screen shape, which is 1080 x 1920 at 1080p. Square videos count too.
How long can YouTube Shorts be?
Up to 3 minutes, for videos uploaded on or after October 15, 2024.
What aspect ratio do YouTube Shorts use?
Square or vertical. A 16:9 video stays a regular video.
What size is a YouTube Shorts thumbnail?
YouTube recommends 2160 x 3840 at 9:16, with a minimum height of 640 pixels. You add it in YouTube Studio on a computer, with a verified account.
Why was my Short blocked?
Shorts over one minute with an active copyright claim are blocked worldwide until the claim is resolved.
Can a Short be longer than 3 minutes?
No. In the app, Edit into a Short trims a longer video to 3 minutes or less.
Hclout doesn't sell YouTube services. For the rest of your channel, see the YouTube thumbnail size, the YouTube banner size and YouTube Shorts monetization.
Sources
- YouTube Help, "Upload YouTube Shorts" (computer and Android), "Understand three-minute YouTube Shorts," "Add custom thumbnails on YouTube" and "Recommended upload encoding settings," read through our server on October 24, 2026
- YouTube Official Blog, "Tall updates coming to Shorts," October 3, 2024, read October 24, 2026
- A web search for YouTube's Shorts help pages, October 24, 2026
- Google Ads Keyword Planner, worldwide, read October 24, 2026
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