A YouTube video can be up to 15 minutes long until you verify your account. Once you verify with a phone number, the limit becomes 12 hours or 256 GB, whichever you hit first.
There are three YouTube length limits, and which one applies depends on whether your account's verified and what shape your video is. Here's each one, from YouTube's help centre, and what to do when you hit it.
The limits at a glance
| Situation | Maximum length |
|---|---|
| Unverified account | 15 minutes |
| Verified account | 12 hours or 256 GB, whichever is less |
| Square or vertical video | Up to three minutes is treated as a Short |
How to lift the 15 minute limit
The 15 minute cap is a verification gate, not a quality rule. YouTube says verified accounts can upload videos longer than 15 minutes. It takes a couple of minutes:
- On a computer, go to youtube.com/verify.
- Choose to get your code by text message or by an automated voice call.
- Enter the code. Your account can now upload longer videos.
In YouTube's feature tiers, longer videos are an intermediate feature, and phone verification is exactly what unlocks the intermediate tier.
The real ceiling: 12 hours or 256 GB
Once you're verified, the limit is 12 hours or 256 GB, whichever comes first. High resolution footage can hit the file size limit long before it reaches 12 hours, so if a long upload fails, check the file size before anything else. YouTube also recommends an up-to-date browser for files over 20 GB. If you spot older videos longer than 12 hours, that's because YouTube has changed its limits in the past.
The three minute Shorts rule
Here's the one that catches people out. Since October 15, 2024, any square or vertical video up to three minutes long is categorised as a Short. If you upload a vertical clip of two and a half minutes expecting a normal video, YouTube will treat it as a Short. Videos uploaded before that date stay as long-form.
If you want a vertical video to be treated as long-form, it needs to be longer than three minutes, or you need to change its shape.
If you still can't upload long videos
- Make sure verification finished; you'll see it in Feature eligibility in YouTube Studio.
- Check the file's under 256 GB and under 12 hours. If it's too big, YouTube suggests compressing it in your editing software with the H.264 codec, which shrinks the file while keeping the quality.
- Update your browser if the file's over 20 GB.
- If you could upload long videos before and now can't, YouTube says to check your account for copyright claims and strikes. That's the reason people don't expect.
Uploading from your phone
Verification happens on a computer, at youtube.com/verify, but once it's done the longer limit applies to your account wherever you upload. The shape rule still follows you on a phone, though. Most phone footage is vertical, so a vertical clip of three minutes or less will land as a Short. If you want a normal video from phone footage, either keep it over three minutes or turn it into a horizontal edit before you upload.
My verdict
Verify on day one, even if you only plan short videos. It takes one code and removes the most common upload error. Then think about shape: three minutes vertical is a Short, whatever you meant it to be. If an upload stalls, my fixes for a stuck YouTube upload will help, and here's how to delete a YouTube video if you need to re-upload a corrected version.
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Frequently asked questions
Why can't I upload videos longer than 15 minutes on YouTube?
Your account isn't verified. YouTube limits unverified accounts to 15 minutes; verifying at youtube.com/verify lifts it.
What is the maximum length of a YouTube video?
12 hours or 256 GB, whichever is less, for verified accounts.
How long can a YouTube Short be?
Up to three minutes. Square or vertical videos up to three minutes uploaded since October 15, 2024 are categorised as Shorts.
Why did my YouTube upload stop allowing long videos?
YouTube says that if you could upload long videos before and no longer can, you should check your account for copyright claims and strikes.
Can a vertical video longer than three minutes be a Short?
No. YouTube categorises square or vertical videos up to three minutes as Shorts; anything longer is treated as a long-form video.
Do I need a phone to verify my YouTube account?
You need a phone number. YouTube sends the code by text message or automated voice call.
