YouTube clips are 5 to 60 second snippets that viewers cut from a video and share, and they play on a loop from the original video's watch page, so every view points back to your channel. Clipping is on by default, and you can switch it off in YouTube Studio under Settings, Channel, Advanced settings.
Here's the confusing bit. YouTube uses the word clips for two different tools. Viewer clips are loops that point at your video. The Clips and Shorts tool in YouTube Studio is something else: it cuts segments from your own long videos into new, separate clips or Shorts that you publish. And if you set a video to private, every viewer clip made from it disappears.
Viewer clips and Studio clips are two different tools
| Viewer clips | Studio Clips and Shorts tool | |
|---|---|---|
| Who makes them | Anyone signed in who can watch the video | You, from your own long videos |
| What you get | A 5 to 60 second loop on the original watch page | A separate clip or Short |
| Where it lives | More, then Clip, under the video | Studio, Content, pick a video, Clips and Shorts |
| AI suggestions | No | In 10 countries and 7 languages |
Clip rules at a glance
| Rule | What happens |
|---|---|
| Clip length | 5 to 60 seconds |
| Clip title | Up to 140 characters |
| Clipping | On by default |
| Who can see a clip | Anyone who can watch the original video |
| Original set to private | Clips are removed |
| Original deleted, or it breaks Community Guidelines | Clips are removed |
| Original unlisted | Clips stay available |
| Live streams | Only with DVR, and only inside the DVR window |
The unlisted rule surprises people. Unlisting a video doesn't kill the clips of it, so if you want a video and its clips gone, private is the setting that does it. Clips are also public to anyone who can watch the original, so treat a clip as a public post, not a private bookmark.
How to make a clip of a YouTube video
- Sign in to YouTube and open the video.
- Click More, then Clip.
- Give the clip a title of up to 140 characters.
- Drag the slider to pick the 5 to 60 seconds you want.
- Click Share clip, then embed it, post it to social, email it or copy the link.
Clipping a live stream only works if the stream has DVR, and only inside the DVR window. The clips appear once the stream has ended and been uploaded as a video, so don't expect to share a moment while you're still live.
How to stop people clipping your videos
- Open YouTube Studio.
- Go to Settings, then Channel, then Advanced settings.
- Under Clips, untick Allow viewers to clip my content.
If you'd rather keep clipping on and just block the people misusing it, you can add hidden users and blocked words to stop clips of your content. That's the option I'd try first, because clips send viewers back to your full video, and switching the whole feature off throws that away.
See who's clipping you, and show off the best ones
In YouTube Studio, go to Content, pick a video and open Clips. You'll see how many clips there are, how many views they've had and who made each one. That last bit tells you which viewers are already sharing your work. If the same moment keeps getting clipped, that's your cue to cut it into a Short yourself with the Clips and Shorts tool further down this page.
You can also add a Top community clips shelf to your channel's Home tab, under Customization, then Featured sections, then Add Section. It's social proof you don't have to make yourself: the moments your viewers chose to share, sitting on your front page. If those menus are new to you, my guide to what YouTube Studio does walks round them.
There's one more route from a clip. Creators can remix a clip into a Short if the source video is eligible, and if you own the video you can convert the whole clip into a Short.
The Clips and Shorts tool in YouTube Studio
This is the tool for turning your own long videos into short pieces. Go to Studio, then Content, pick a video and open Clips and Shorts. It cuts segments into separate clips or Shorts, and YouTube says you're not penalised for re-used content when you do it.
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AI suggestions for which segments to cut are only offered in Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Mexico, South Korea, Spain, the UK and the US, and in English, French, German, Hindi, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish. The transcript drives the auto-captions. The source video is added as a related video automatically, unless the Short is private, unlisted or Made for Kids, which is a free route from the Short back to the full video. If you're planning longer cuts, check whether a Short can run past a minute first.
My verdict on YouTube clips
I'd leave viewer clipping switched on for almost every channel. Each clip loops on your own watch page, so it's your viewers doing your promotion for you. Switch it off only if clips are being misused, and try hidden users and blocked words before you do. For your own repurposing, use the Clips and Shorts tool rather than viewer clips, because it gives you new videos you control. And before you set an old video to private to tidy up your channel, remember that every clip of it goes too.
Frequently asked questions
How long can a YouTube clip be?
Between 5 and 60 seconds. The clip title can be up to 140 characters.
How do I turn off clips on my YouTube channel?
In YouTube Studio, go to Settings, then Channel, then Advanced settings, and under Clips untick Allow viewers to clip my content.
What happens to clips if I make my video private?
They're removed. Clips also disappear if the original video is deleted or breaks Community Guidelines, but clips of unlisted videos stay available.
Can you clip a YouTube live stream?
Only if the stream has DVR, and only inside the DVR window. The clips appear after the stream ends and is uploaded as a video.
Can I turn a YouTube clip into a Short?
Yes. If the source video is eligible you can remix a clip into a Short, and owners can convert the whole clip into a Short.
