Ideal YouTube Shorts Aspect Ratio & Resolution

Table of Contents

What is a YouTube Short?
YouTube Shorts aspect ratio
YouTube Shorts video resolution
Can you create square YouTube Shorts?
Conclusion

Not only do clips need to be shorter than 60 seconds in order for YouTube to categorize them as Shorts, but creators also need to create Shorts using the right aspect ratio. 

The ideal YouTube Shorts aspect ratio is important if you want to ensure that you comply with YouTube’s requirements for uploading Shorts and if you want YouTube to automatically recognize your clips as such. 

But can your content get featured in the YouTube Shorts feed if your videos aren’t in the specified aspect ratio as outlined by YouTube itself? 

In this article, we will answer this question and share the ideal YouTube Shorts aspect ratio. 

What is a YouTube Shorts Video?

YouTube Shorts is one of the latest releases from the YouTube team. This was created to compete with TikTok and Instagram’s Reels in order to attract a new audience of users, as well as keep current users on the platform.

For YouTube to recognize a clip or a series of clips as a Short then it needs to be less than 60 seconds in length and have a vertical orientation. If a video is taken in portrait it will not be recognized as a YouTube Short.

But what exactly is the right YouTube Shorts aspect ratio? 

Ideal YouTube Shorts Aspect Ratio

The ideal YouTube Shorts aspect ratio is 9:16. Videos uploaded in this aspect ratio will instantly and automatically get recognized by the YouTube platform as Shorts and will be shown in the YouTube Shorts feed.

YouTube Shorts Video Resolution

The best YouTube Shorts video resolution is 1920 pixels by 1080 pixels which is the standard length-to-width ratio for vertical videos.

These are the stated technical requirements or dimensions to create a YouTube Shorts video, however, is it possible to create a square YouTube Shorts clip?

Can you Create Square YouTube Shorts?

Yes, you can create square YouTube Shorts. Although this isn’t recommended, it’s possible to upload a YouTube Shorts clip with an aspect ratio of 1:1 and a resolution of 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels (square dimensions).

Clips that are uploaded as Shorts with square dimensions using these aspect ratios will have a black bar above and below the content or on both sides of the clip. 

Note: if you upload clips that have greater width dimensions than height dimensions, they won’t qualify for YouTube Shorts. 

Why are YouTube Shorts Important for Your Channel?

You might be wondering if Shorts are important and if you should spend time creating them. The truth is that YouTube Shorts were launched so that creators can produce and release short “titbits” of content with their audiences. 

Because YouTube Shorts are so easy and quick to produce, creators can now publish multiple pieces of content on a daily basis. This means that your subscribers won’t have to wait days before they see any new content from you. 

Every time a creator publishes a YouTube Shorts video, they have another opportunity to funnel new viewers from their Shorts content to their main channel page. 

Conclusion

The best way to ensure that your clips comply with YouTube’s technical requirements for Shorts is to shoot the content with your phone - as YouTube intended it to be.  

This is the easiest way to create YouTube Shorts since your phone’s camera will automatically record the clips in the correct YouTube Shorts aspect ratio.