Want to create a YouTube Short but aren't sure whether to record one or upload a video you already have? Both routes work, and square or vertical videos up to three minutes qualify. Here's how to record, upload, and turn your existing videos into Shorts on your phone or computer.
Record your first Short in the YouTube app
Start here to film directly on your Android phone or iPhone. The Shorts camera records up to three minutes, but it isn't available on tablets.
Sign in to the YouTube app, then open Create → Short. Choose your recording duration using the control at the upper right. Hold Capture to record, or tap it to start and stop.
Repeat the recording action to add more clips. Tap Done when you've finished recording, then tap Next to reach the upload details.
Enter a title for your Short and choose its privacy setting. Use Select audience to identify whether the video is made for kids. Tap Upload Short.
Upload a video saved on your phone
Open Create → Upload a video in the YouTube app. On Android, the upload entry also appears as Video.
Select a square or vertical video from your device. For a source longer than three minutes, choose Edit into a Short. Adjust the trimming to keep the result at three minutes or less, then tap NEXT to open the editor.
Make any changes using the narration and timeline controls described below. After that, tap NEXT to continue to the upload details.
Enter your title and set the video's privacy. Choose its audience setting, then tap UPLOAD.
Tip: Footage prepared in another editor works too, as long as the finished video meets the Shorts dimensions and duration requirements.
Check why your upload doesn't qualify as a Short
A landscape video or a runtime longer than three minutes puts your upload outside the Shorts format requirements. Prepare a square or vertical version in your video editor, then trim the finished video to three minutes or less. Upload that file through the YouTube app or desktop YouTube Studio using the upload steps in these sections.
YouTube classifies qualifying uploads as Shorts automatically. There's no separate Shorts toggle to find, and you don't need a #Shorts hashtag.
The three-minute rule applies to qualifying uploads made from October 15, 2024, on standard channels, and from December 8, 2025, on Official Artist Channels.
The old universal 60-second maximum no longer applies. One tool still has that limit: converting your own published video into a Short in the mobile app.
Upload a finished Short from your computer
Desktop uploading lets you publish a finished video as a Short.
Prepare a square or vertical video lasting no more than three minutes. Videos you created elsewhere, such as footage from another camera or an external editor, work too. Make sure any copyright-protected material in them is approved for use on YouTube.
Sign in to YouTube Studio in a web browser on your computer. Click CREATE, then click Upload videos. Select your finished video file.
Complete the upload details and choose the video's visibility. Finish the upload workflow. YouTube classifies the qualifying video as a Short automatically.
For uploads from your phone, use the YouTube or YouTube Studio app. YouTube doesn't support uploading or editing through a mobile browser.
Turn your own published video into a Short
Already have a public video with a moment worth pulling out? The mobile conversion tool uses your existing upload. The source must have sampling enabled and no third-party copyright claims; private and unlisted videos are excluded.
Open your video's watch page in the YouTube mobile app, then open Remix → Edit into a Short. Select up to 60 seconds from the video. This tool has a shorter limit than a regular Shorts upload.
Use Layout to change the framing. Tap Next to edit the selected clip, then apply your changes using the editor controls below. Continue to the upload details with Next.
Enter a title and choose the privacy setting. Set whether the video is made for kids under Select audience. Tap Upload Short.
If your video is ineligible for this method, edit your original footage into a square or vertical video of three minutes or less, then upload the file through the regular upload route.
Add narration and adjust your edit
Use the Shorts editor before uploading to add spoken narration or change the sequence of your clips. You can record your voice or have text read aloud.
For your own narration, select Voiceover on the editing screen. Position the playhead where you want the narration to begin, then press the red recording button to record your voice.
For synthesized narration, use Text instead. YouTube starts Text-to-Speech by tapping Text in the recording screen, and it also offers text-to-speech after you tap Done, so tap Text on whichever of those screens you're on.
Enter the words you want spoken, then tap Add voice. Use Volume to adjust the audio mix. Open Edit, or swipe upward, to access the timeline. Trim your clips in the timeline, then reorder the clips into the sequence you want.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a YouTube channel to upload Shorts?
Yes. To create one, sign in on the desktop or mobile website. Open your profile picture, then select Settings → Account → Add or manage channel(s) → Create a channel. Supply your picture, name, and Handle, then select Create channel. Child-supervised accounts cannot create channels, Shorts, or uploads.
Can I save a Short and finish it later?
Yes. Select Save draft, or use Close → Save and exit. To resume on the same device, open Create → Short, create footage, then tap Next → Drafts and select your saved project. Drafts are stored locally and are lost if you delete the app or replace the device.
Can I add music to a YouTube Short?
Yes. Tap Add sound in the Shorts camera. Use the allowance displayed for your chosen track and workflow, since music duration limits vary.
Can I record a Short hands-free?
Yes. Open Timer in the Shorts camera to set a countdown and an automatic stopping point.