To make a Short, sign in to the YouTube app on a smartphone, tap Create and select Short. Hold Capture, or tap it, to record and tap again to stop. Add music, filters or effects, tap Done, then Next to give it a title and pick its privacy, and finish with Upload Short.
The quick route from camera to upload
- Sign in to the YouTube app on your phone.
- Tap Create, then select Short.
- Hold Capture, or tap it, to start recording, and again to stop.
- Add music, apply filters or use other effects, then tap Done.
- Tap Next to add the details, including a title of up to 100 characters and the privacy setting.
- Tap Upload Short to publish, or Save draft to keep it for later.
Step 4 is where the Short gets its sound and its look. Music, filters and other effects all go on after you record and before you tap Done, so finish that part of the edit first. The details only open once you tap Next.
Upload Short publishes the video, while Save draft keeps it as a draft for later.
Where each setting sits once you've filmed
The Shorts camera is a smartphone tool. YouTube says the Shorts camera is not available on tablets right now, so if you normally watch on a tablet, switch to your phone to record.
Here's where each part of the flow lives on a smartphone, in the order you'll reach it:
| Setting | Where you find it | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Music and effects | Straight after you film | Changes how the clip sounds and looks |
| Title | After you tap Next | Names the Short, up to 100 characters |
| Privacy | After you tap Next | Starts on a default set by your age |
| Publishing | The last step | Publishes the Short |
| Draft | The last step, as an alternative to publishing | Keeps your work without posting it |
Who sees your Short by default depends on your age
After you tap Next, the privacy setting starts on a default, and that default depends on how old you are. Creators aged 13-17 start on private. If you're 18 or older, the default is public.
That difference is easy to miss. An adult who taps straight through will publish to everyone, while a teenager who taps straight through will post a Short that stays private. Look at the privacy option every time before you tap Upload Short rather than assuming.
The default is only a starting point. Privacy sits with the other settings on the details screen you reach by tapping Next, so you can change it there before the Short goes up.
Planning a Short to fit the three-minute ceiling
Shorts made with the camera built into the YouTube app can run up to three minutes. Treat that as the outer edge rather than a target. Before you open the camera, decide the one thing the Short should show, so you can film it in a single run and spend your time on the edit instead of on cutting a long idea down.
If you're uploading a video you've already made rather than filming in the app, check its resolution first. Shorts can be uploaded at a maximum resolution of 1080p.
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What to check when a Short won't record or upload as expected
- You can't find where to record. Use a phone rather than a tablet, and sign in first.
- The music or effect you wanted isn't on it. Those go on after recording and before you tap Done, so add them before you move on to the details.
- Nobody else can see it. Check the privacy setting you chose after tapping Next.
- Your title won't fit. Titles can be up to 100 characters, so trim it on the details screen before you upload.
- The clip runs past three minutes. Shorts made with the in-app camera can run up to three minutes, so cut it down before you record again.
- It never went live. If you tapped Save draft instead of Upload Short, it's waiting as a draft for you to finish.
Once your first Short is up
The next questions are usually about reach. Our guide on getting more views on Shorts picks up where this one stops.
If you'd like to film with another creator, read how collabs on Shorts work, and when you're ready to think about earning from them, see monetising your Shorts.
Related guides live in the YouTube Help: 30 Guides to Channels, Subscribers, Monetisation, Thumbnails and Fixes.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a YouTube account to make a Short?
Yes. You sign in to the YouTube app before you tap Create, so you'll need an account to sign in with.
Is the Shorts camera a separate app?
No. It's built into the YouTube app, so there's nothing extra to install.
What's the highest resolution a Short can be uploaded at?
1080p.
What's the difference between tapping Done and tapping Next?
Done finishes the music, filters and effects part of the edit. Next takes you to the details, where you add the title and choose settings like privacy.
Why did my Short go up as private?
Creators aged 13-17 start on private by default, while adults start on public. Check the privacy option before you tap Upload Short.
