The Ultimate Guide to YouTube Shorts Dimensions: Size, Ratio & Best Practices
Master YouTube Shorts video dimensions, including resolution, size, and aspect ratio as well as best practices to grow your channel with shorts.
Today, many likely find themselves hanging out on YouTube Shorts in moments of procrastination. This part of YouTube has become one of the most powerful tools for content creators looking to grow their audience on social media. YouTube Shorts have seen a significant increase in daily views, rising from 30 billion in 2021 to 90 billion in 2024 and continue growing in 2025. To get the most out of this short-form video feature, you need to understand the proper dimensions for YouTube Shorts, including video resolution, aspect ratio, and other requirements.
In this guide, we'll break down everything you need to know about the dimensions for YouTube Shorts, along with best practices and optimization tips to maximize your reach and engagement.
YouTube Shorts Video Dimensions & Aspect Ratio
To upload a YouTube Short, you need to follow the correct YouTube Shorts requirements for file format and size:
- Supported Formats: MP4, MOV.
- File Size Limit: Up to 2GB.
- Frame Rate: 30FPS or 60FPS for smooth playback.
- Codec: H.264 for best compression without losing quality.
Uploading in MP4 format with an H.264 codec is the safest way to ensure compatibility and high-quality playback on YouTube. In addition, you must use the proper video resolution and aspect ratio for YouTube Shorts to display correctly and engage viewers. Here are the key details:
- Resolution: 1080 x 1920 pixels (Full HD) or 720 x 1280 pixels (HD).
- Aspect Ratio: 9:16 (recommended), 1:1 (square), and 16:9 (landscape, though not ideal for Shorts).
The best aspect ratio for YouTube Shorts is 9:16. This way, your video fills the entire mobile screen without black gaps. If you want to repurpose a long video to post on YouTube Shorts, AI Video Cut can automatically make your video fit these parameters without any extra steps needed from you. You can easily choose the aspect ratio and enjoy your results without any manual editing.
Don’t Forget about Thumbnail
This might be a tricky step. You can choose a thumbnail only when uploading video from your phone. Sadly, a PC or tablet will not let you do that, so always use your smartphone for that. When you finish uploading your short video, click the pencil icon and choose the frame you want to see as your thumbnail.
The custom thumbnails are not available right now, even though many users have asked for this option. Here are some more details to take into consideration while choosing your thumbnail:
- Ensure high contrast and clear text.
- Use engaging visuals to grab attention.
- Avoid excessive clutter for readability.
Having an eye-catching thumbnail improves visibility when Shorts are viewed on recommendations or channel pages.
How Long Are YouTube Shorts?
The maximum YouTube Shorts length is 3 minutes, but videos can be as short as 15 seconds.
- Recommended Length: 15–30 seconds for the best engagement.
- Minimum Duration: No official minimum, but anything over 1 second qualifies.
Shorter videos often perform better, keeping viewers engaged without losing their attention. The best practice is to keep your video between 15–45 seconds. This length holds the audience’s attention while maximizing views and engagement. However, if your content requires a full 60 seconds, ensure that every moment adds value and keeps the viewer hooked.
YouTube Shorts vs. Other Short-Form Content
How does the YouTube Shorts format compare to other platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, or Facebook Shorts? Here is a brief table:
In sum, YouTube Shorts benefits from search-based discoverability, allowing you to rank in Google and YouTube searches, unlike other platforms that rely primarily on algorithmic feeds. YouTube Shorts is relatively unique in its connection to the broader YouTube ecosystem, making it a valuable tool for long-term audience building and monetization.
Best Practices for Optimizing Your YouTube Shorts
To maximize engagement, focus on the following key strategies.
- Start strong by engaging viewers within the first three seconds, as short attention spans mean first impressions count. Since many people watch without sound, use captions and text overlays to increase accessibility and engagement.
- Keep your content concise for better retention.
- Use trending sounds and hashtags to improve discoverability within the YouTube algorithm.
- Do not forget to optimize video titles and descriptions with relevant keywords to improve search rankings and reach.
- Finally, post regularly, as the YouTube algorithm values consistency. That’s where AI Video Cut comes in to help!
AI Video Cut automatically processes long videos and extracts the best moments while ensuring they fit the correct YouTube Shorts size ratio. This way, you will have more content to post and increase your reach across various social media platforms, not only YouTube. Here are some of the benefits you get:
- Auto-detection of key highlights. No need to watch hours of footage! You just choose a prompt, and AI finds the best parts.
- Optimized aspect ratio. AI Video Cut Converts landscape videos into perfect 9:16 vertical format.
- Adjusted length for Shorts. You can choose the final video length to fit YouTube Shorts length requirements.
- Auto-Generated Captions. This feature ensures accessibility and improves engagement.
AI Video Cut takes all the YouTube Shorts requirements into account, so you do not have to worry about manual editing.
Understanding YouTube Shorts video dimensions is critical to creating high-quality, engaging content. By following the correct YouTube Shorts resolution, aspect ratio, and file size requirements, you can ensure your shorts look professional and perform well.
For effortless editing and optimization, try AI Video Cut, a tool that takes care of the format, aspect ratio, and size of your YouTube shorts, saving you time.