How to Upload Shorts on YouTube from Your Phone or Computer

Before you upload

Your video becomes a Short if it is:

• 3 minutes or shorter, and
• square or vertical (1080×1920 is ideal).

Anything else is uploaded as a regular video. Check a file with the video spec checker if you are not sure.

From the YouTube app

1. Open the YouTube app and tap Create (the plus button).
2. Tap Upload a video and choose your clip. If it is longer than 3 minutes, tap Edit into a Short to cut a section.
3. Tap Next to open the editor, where you can add music, text or filters. Tap Next again.
4. Add a title (up to 100 characters) and choose who can see it.
5. Choose the audience setting (made for kids or not) and tap Upload.

Want to pick the thumbnail? On the final screen you can choose a frame; see how to change a Shorts thumbnail.

From the YouTube Studio app

Tap Create, then Upload a video, select the file, add the details and tap Upload Short.

From a computer

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.
2. Click Create in the top-right corner, then Upload videos.
3. Select a square or vertical file up to 3 minutes. You can upload up to 15 at a time; click Edit draft on each to finish its details.
4. Add the title, description and audience setting, choose visibility, and publish or schedule.

Write a title that works in search

Shorts titles show in search and on your channel. Describe what happens in plain words, for example “3 ways to fold a T-shirt in 10 seconds”, rather than only hashtags.

Posting the same video to TikTok and Reels

The same vertical file works on TikTok and Instagram Reels. Instead of uploading three times, you can post one video to all three at once.