YouTube Shorts video specs
Published 28 September 2026. Every figure checked against YouTube Help and Google Ads Help on 28 September 2026; follow the links in Sources before you rely on one.
Short answer: a video counts as a Short if it's square or vertical and up to three minutes long (for uploads from 15 October 2024). Make it 9:16 at 1080 × 1920; YouTube's maximum for Shorts is 1080p. Shorts ads can be up to three minutes, but only the first 60 seconds play in the Shorts feed, and Google recommends ads under 60 seconds.
| Spec | Organic Short | Shorts ad (Google Ads) |
|---|---|---|
| Aspect ratio | Square or vertical | 9:16 best; 16:9 and 1:1 supported (horizontal gets blurred bars) |
| Resolution | Maximum 1080p | Recommended 1080 × 1920 vertical; 720 × 1280 minimum for HD (480 × 640 for SD) |
| Length | Up to 3 minutes (no minimum published) | Up to 3 minutes; first 60 seconds play in the feed; under 60 seconds recommended |
| File | MP4, H.264, fast start recommended for uploads | MP4, MOV and others; up to 256 GB |
| Frame rate | Upload at the frame rate you recorded (24 to 60 common) | Not separately stated |
| Safe zone | Not published | Reference images and PNG templates, no numbers |
| Captions and sound | Caption files (including basic .srt) can be added | Google advises sound-on assets |
What counts as a Short
YouTube's help centre says any video uploaded on or after 15 October 2024 with a square or vertical aspect ratio, up to three minutes long, is treated as a Short. If you don't want a video classed as a Short, it says to use a wider ratio such as 16:9. So the shape decides where your video ends up (not only how it looks), which is easy to miss when you export one master and upload it everywhere. A 9:16 launch reel lands in the Shorts feed; a 16:9 cut of the same reel is an ordinary video.
If you use a song from the Shorts audio library, YouTube says most songs can be used for up to 90 seconds in a Short, and some are limited to 60 or 30 seconds.
Size and file
YouTube says you can upload Shorts at a maximum resolution of 1080p, so 1080 × 1920 is the size to make. It doesn't publish a minimum resolution or a minimum length for Shorts. Its general upload guidance recommends MP4 with H.264 video, the "moov atom" at the front of the file (often called fast start), and uploading at the same frame rate you recorded; it lists 24, 25, 30, 48, 50 and 60 fps as common.
Shorts ad specs
Google Ads Help says vertical 9:16 videos are best suited to Shorts ads, while horizontal and square videos also run; horizontal ones get blurred bars above and below. Ads can be up to three minutes long, but only the first 60 seconds play in the Shorts feed, with an overlay at 50 seconds inviting people to watch the rest on YouTube. Google recommends ads under 60 seconds, and 10 to 30 seconds for action-focused ads. Its general video ad specs recommend 1080 × 1920 for vertical video, give 720 × 1280 as the minimum for HD (480 × 640 for standard definition), and accept files up to 256 GB.
Safe zones
Neither YouTube nor Google Ads publishes safe-zone percentages for Shorts. Google Ads Help provides reference images and transparent PNG templates showing where overlays and buttons sit, and describes a right-hand panel for like, dislike, comment and share. Keep words away from the right edge and the bottom of the frame, and check your upload on a phone before it goes public.
Captions and sound
You can add captions to any YouTube video, with or without timing, and YouTube accepts basic SubRip (.srt) files in plain UTF-8. For Shorts ads, Google's guidance is to use "vertical, sound-on assets" with music, voiceover or both.
Where the official pages are vague
- Minimum length and minimum resolution for organic Shorts aren't published.
- Safe zones exist only as template images. Percentages you'll see elsewhere are estimates.
- Frame rate guidance is general YouTube upload advice, not Shorts-specific.
How Launch Video Maker's formats map to Shorts
Our vertical format is 9:16 at 1080 × 1920, YouTube's maximum for Shorts, exported as MP4 (H.264 video, AAC audio) at 30 frames per second. At 15, 30 or 60 seconds, every reel sits well inside the three-minute Shorts limit and inside the 60 seconds that play in the feed as an ad. Essential words are kept inside a safe area of 60 pixels on the left, 120 on the right, 220 at the top and 360 at the bottom, away from the right-hand panel. The Bundle (£49) also gives you a 16:9 cut, which YouTube treats as an ordinary video for your channel page.
Questions
- How long can a YouTube Short be?
- Up to three minutes, for videos uploaded on or after 15 October 2024 with a square or vertical aspect ratio. YouTube doesn't publish a minimum length.
- What resolution should a YouTube Short be?
- 1080 × 1920. YouTube says Shorts can be uploaded at a maximum resolution of 1080p.
- How long can a YouTube Shorts ad be?
- Up to three minutes, but only the first 60 seconds play in the Shorts feed. Google recommends Shorts ads under 60 seconds.
- Will a 16:9 video show up as a Short?
- No. YouTube says to use a wider ratio such as 16:9 if you don't want a video classed as a Short.
Sources
All checked on 28 September 2026.
- YouTube Help: Understand three-minute YouTube Shorts (what counts as a Short, length, music limits)
- YouTube Help: Get started creating YouTube Shorts (maximum 1080p)
- YouTube Help: Recommended upload encoding settings (MP4, H.264, fast start, frame rates)
- YouTube Help: Supported subtitle and closed caption files (.srt)
- Google Ads Help: YouTube Shorts ads: asset specs and best practices (shape, length, 60-second feed limit, sound, right-hand panel, safe area templates)
- Google Ads Help: About video ad specs (resolution, formats, file size)