YouTube Create is YouTube's own video editing app for phones. YouTube Help says it lets you edit long-form videos and Shorts free of charge and without ads, and you need a Google sign-in, an Android phone with at least 4GB of RAM or an iPhone XR or newer on iOS 17 or later, and to be in one of the countries where it's available.
It's separate from the main YouTube app and from YouTube Studio. Think of it as a simple editor that sits between filming on your phone and uploading: you pull in clips and photos, trim them, add music, effects, templates or AI-generated shots, then export or upload straight to your channel.
Where YouTube Create is available
YouTube's location list, as of October 2026, includes these countries and regions:
| Region | Countries and regions listed |
|---|---|
| Americas | Argentina, Brazil, Canada, United States |
| Europe | Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom |
| Asia Pacific | Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand |
If you're outside those places, the app won't be offered to you yet. YouTube says it may come to more countries in the future.
How to start your first project
- Open YouTube Create and sign in to your YouTube account.
- On the home screen, tap the Plus button to start a new project.
- Choose photos, videos or previously imported media from your gallery. Tap the arrow next to Gallery to import from other apps.
- Tap Import, then use the editing tools on your timeline.
Your projects appear on the Recent Projects page, where the menu next to each one lets you rename, duplicate or delete it. If a project seems to be missing, YouTube's tip is to check you're signed in with the right account.
Templates: the quickest way to a finished video
YouTube Create templates are ready-made video structures in style categories such as cooking, travel and fashion. Scroll the homepage, tap View all in a category, choose Use Template, and import your clips. A feature called Slip edit lets you pick which part of each clip goes into the template, then you can export, or open the full editor to change anything.
The AI tools in YouTube Create
YouTube Help lists several AI features, and each has its own country rules:
- Generate video with Gemini Omni: vertical clips up to 10 seconds long from a text prompt of up to 900 characters, with lighting presets such as Golden hour or Moonlight. Listed for Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand and the United States.
- Generate an image with Nano Banana: four images per prompt, which you can turn into an 8-second video. Listed for users over 18 in the same five countries, with prompts in English or Hindi.
- Edit with AI: turns raw footage into a first draft with music and effects, listed for a longer set of countries including the United States, India, Brazil and Australia.
The music catch when you export
Here's the detail that trips people up. When you save a video to your phone, YouTube Help says music from the Shorts Audio Library is automatically removed if the video is longer than 15 seconds. If you upload directly to YouTube from the app, you can use longer clips of licensed music, up to 60 seconds.
So if your Short relies on a licensed track, don't export it and re-upload it from your camera roll. Use Upload to YouTube inside YouTube Create instead.
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How to upload from YouTube Create
- From the project editing screen, tap More in the right corner.
- Tap Export, choose your video quality and tap Export again.
- Tap Upload to YouTube.
- Add your title, description and thumbnail, choose the privacy level, and optionally a location or playlist.
- Tap Next, select your audience, then Upload video.
You can upload both long-form videos and Shorts this way. If you prefer to edit after uploading, the built-in options are covered in does YouTube have a video editor, and the Shorts basics are in how to make a YouTube Short.
My verdict
If you film on your phone and you're in one of the listed countries, YouTube Create is worth installing. It's free, there are no ads, and the direct upload keeps your licensed Shorts music intact, which a third-party editor can't do. Check your phone first, though: on Android it needs at least 4GB of RAM, and on iPhone an XR or newer on iOS 17 or later. If you need more control than that, my list of video editing software for YouTube covers the desktop options.
Frequently asked questions
Is the YouTube Create app free?
Yes. YouTube Help says YouTube Create lets you edit long-form videos and Shorts free of charge and without ads.
Is YouTube Create available on iPhone?
Yes, on an iPhone XR or newer running iOS 17 or later, in the countries where YouTube Create is available.
Why did my music disappear when I exported from YouTube Create?
YouTube Help says Shorts Audio Library music is automatically removed when you export a video longer than 15 seconds. Upload directly to YouTube from the app to use licensed music clips up to 60 seconds.
Which countries can use YouTube Create?
YouTube lists 21 countries and regions as of October 2026, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, India, Germany, France and Brazil.
