YouTube ad specs
Published 28 September 2026. Every figure checked against Google Ads Help on 28 September 2026; Google changes these, so follow the links in Sources before you rely on one.
Short answer: every YouTube ad is an ordinary YouTube upload, set to public or unlisted, and Google recommends 1080p: 1920 × 1080 for 16:9, 1080 × 1920 for 9:16 or 1080 × 1080 for square. Skippable in-stream ads can be any length, and Google suggests 15 to 20 seconds for awareness or action. Non-skippable in-stream ads run 7 to 15 seconds (up to 30 on connected TVs), bumpers up to 6, and Shorts ads up to 3 minutes, though only the first 60 seconds play in the Shorts feed.
| Spec | Skippable in-stream | Non-skippable in-stream | Bumper | Shorts ad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length | Any; 15 to 20 s recommended for awareness and action | 7 to 15 s; 16 to 30 s on connected TV | Up to 6 s (5 s minimum) | Up to 3 min; first 60 s play in the feed |
| Skip | After 5 seconds | No | No | Not published |
| Shape | 16:9, 9:16 or 1:1 recommended; 4:3, 2:3 and 4:5 also accepted | 9:16 recommended; horizontal gets blurred bars | ||
| Resolution | 1080p recommended (1920 × 1080, 1080 × 1920, 1080 × 1080); 720p minimum for HD | |||
| File | Uploaded to YouTube, public or unlisted; up to 256 GB; .MPG recommended, MP4, MOV and others accepted | |||
| Safe zone | Published as images and PNG templates, not as figures in the text | |||
How long can a YouTube ad be?
It depends on the format. Google's page on skippable in-stream ads says any length is accepted, with no minimum or maximum, and recommends 15 to 20 seconds for awareness and action goals, or 2 to 3 minutes for consideration. Viewers can skip after 5 seconds. If you buy skippable ads by reservation, they need to be between 12 seconds and 6 minutes.
Non-skippable in-stream ads come in three types: bumpers up to 6 seconds, standard non-skippable ads of 7 to 15 seconds, and 30-second non-skippable ads of 16 to 30 seconds, which are shown on connected TVs. Google says an ad of 6 seconds or less runs as a bumper. Shorts ads can be up to 3 minutes, but only the first 60 seconds play in the Shorts feed, with an overlay at 50 seconds offering the rest on the watch page, and Google recommends keeping them under 60 seconds.
Size, shape and file
Google's specs for all YouTube formats recommend 1080p: 1920 × 1080 horizontal, 1080 × 1920 vertical, 1080 × 1080 square. It accepts 720p (1280 × 720, 720 × 1280) and standard definition, but doesn't recommend SD. The recommended ratios are 16:9, 9:16 and 1:1, with 4:3, 2:3 and 4:5 also accepted. Files go through YouTube, and the ad specs allow up to 256 GB in a long list of formats, MP4 and MOV among them. For Shorts ads, Google recommends vertical 9:16 with sound on; horizontal videos play with blurred bars above and below.
Safe zones
Google publishes "universal safe zones" for YouTube video ads, because buttons and overlays sit in different places by format, campaign type and screen. They come as images with pixel measurements and as downloadable PNG overlays for horizontal and vertical video, not as numbers in the page text, so download the template and lay it over your frame. On Shorts ads, the call-to-action button appears 3 seconds in for Performance Max, App and Demand Gen campaigns, and 10 seconds in for video view and video reach campaigns.
Where the official pages are vague
- Non-skippable length is 7 to 15 seconds (or 16 to 30 on connected TV) on its own page, but Google's format overview says 15 to 60 seconds depending on the campaign subtype.
- Frame rate isn't given in the ad specs.
- Safe zones are images and templates only.
- Skipping on Shorts ads isn't described on the Shorts ad specs page.
How Launch Video Maker's formats map to YouTube ads
Our 16:9 format is 1920 × 1080 and our vertical format 1080 × 1920, the two sizes Google recommends, both MP4 (H.264 video, AAC audio) at 30 frames per second. Our 4:5 feed cut is one of the accepted ratios too. A 15-second reel fits a standard non-skippable ad and sits at the short end of Google's 15 to 20 seconds for skippable ads. A 30-second reel suits non-skippable on connected TV, or a skippable ad. And every length we make fits inside the 60 seconds that play in the Shorts feed. We don't make 6-second bumpers. Upload the file to your channel as unlisted, then use it in Google Ads. The music and sound effects are generated for each video, so there's no track to clear.
The Bundle (£49) gives you 16:9, 9:16 and 4:5 at 15, 30 or 60 seconds, and a single 15-second cut is the Short, £9.
Questions
- How long can a skippable YouTube ad be?
- Google accepts any length, with no minimum or maximum, and recommends 15 to 20 seconds for awareness and action. Reservation buys need 12 seconds to 6 minutes.
- How long is a non-skippable YouTube ad?
- 7 to 15 seconds, or 16 to 30 seconds for the connected TV version. Anything 6 seconds or shorter runs as a bumper ad.
- How long can a YouTube Shorts ad be?
- Up to 3 minutes, but only the first 60 seconds play in the Shorts feed. Google recommends keeping Shorts ads under 60 seconds.
- What resolution should a YouTube ad be?
- Google recommends 1080p: 1920 × 1080 horizontal, 1080 × 1920 vertical or 1080 × 1080 square. 720p is the HD minimum.
Sources
All checked on 28 September 2026.
- Google Ads Help: Skippable in-stream ads (specs, length, 5-second skip, reservation lengths)
- Google Ads Help: Non-skippable in-stream ads (bumper, standard and connected TV lengths)
- Google Ads Help: About video ad formats (format overview, bumper 5 to 6 seconds)
- Google Ads Help: YouTube Shorts ads: asset specs and best practices (3 minutes, 60 seconds in the feed, 9:16, call-to-action timing)
- Google Ads Help: About video ad specs (resolution, ratios, file size, universal safe zones)