YouTube Shorts Format & Specs

Shorts have their own format rules, separate from regular YouTube uploads. Getting the aspect ratio and length right matters for how — and whether — the Shorts feed picks a video up.

1. Shoot or export in a 9:16 vertical aspect ratio — anything else gets cropped or letterboxed in the Shorts feed.
2. Keep length in mind: as of YouTube's October 2024 update, Shorts can run up to 3 minutes (180 seconds), up from the original 60-second limit.
3. If the video uses licensed music from YouTube's library, note that those clips are still capped at 60 seconds regardless of the general limit.
4. Keep key text and faces away from the top and bottom edges, since YouTube's own UI (title, buttons, captions) overlaps those areas.
5. Add a title with a clear keyword or hook — Shorts still get matched to search and suggested feeds like any other video.

Can datanephew help me post or format a Short?

No — datanephew does not post or edit content on YouTube. It can only read the performance of Shorts you have already published, like views, retention, and engagement.

Once I've posted a Short, what can datanephew tell me about it?

Ask datanephew how a specific Short performed — it can pull views, average view duration, and audience retention for it, and compare it against your other Shorts or long-form videos.