How to Add a Related Video to YouTube Shorts

You can now directly link your YouTube Shorts to your long-form videos, transforming fleeting views into a powerful channel growth engine. This simple but effective feature provides a direct bridge between your short-form and long-form content, helping you guide viewers deeper into your library. This article provides a complete step-by-step guide on how to add a related video to your Shorts and offers some smart strategies for making the most of it.

What Exactly is the "Related Video" Feature?

The "Related Video" feature is a clickable link that appears at the bottom of your YouTube Short's screen, right above your channel name. When a viewer taps this link, they are taken directly to another one of your videos on YouTube. It doesn't have to be a traditional long-form video, either - you can link to another Short, a previous live stream replay, or a standard horizontal video.

Previously, creators had to rely on a clunky workaround: telling viewers to go to their channel, find a specific video, or click an (often hard to find) link in the comments. This new, native feature removes all that friction. It’s an official, highly visible call-to-action that makes the journey from a 60-second clip to a 20-minute deep dive seamless for the viewer. This is YouTube's way of acknowledging that Shorts are a critical discovery tool, and they want to help you convert that discovery into long-term viewership.

Why This Feature is a Total Game-Changer for Channel Growth

At first glance, adding a link might not seem like a revolutionary update. But for any creator serious about building a sustainable channel, it’s one of the most important features YouTube has rolled out for Shorts. It directly addresses the biggest challenge of short-form content: holding a viewer's attention long enough to turn them into a fan.

Here’s why you should start using it today:

• It Creates a Genuine Content Funnel. Shorts are unbeatable for reach and getting new eyes on your channel. Their downfall? Low watch-time-per-viewer. The related video link acts as the perfect midway point in a funnel, catching viewers from the high-traffic "awareness" stage (the Short) and pulling them towards the "consideration" stage (the long-form video), where you have a much better chance of earning a subscriber.
• It Skyrockets Your Channel's Watch Time. Total watch time is a massive signal to the YouTube algorithm that your channel is valuable. When a viewer travels from a 45-second Short to a 15-minute video, you've just added a significant amount of watch time to your channel's tally from a single interaction. Doing this at scale can have a powerful positive impact on how YouTube promotes all of your content.
• It Provides Critical Context. A Short often lacks the space to fully explain a complex idea, show a full tutorial, or tell a complete story. The related video link lets you use Shorts as the hook, sparking curiosity that can only be satisfied by the longer video. It gives meaning to the "for the full story, check out..." call-to-action.
• It Breathes New Life Into Old Videos. Have a fantastic, evergreen long-form video buried in your library? You can create a half-dozen new Shorts from its most compelling moments and link every single one back to the original. This is an incredibly efficient way to resurface your best work and give it a fresh wave of traffic from the Shorts feed.

How to Add a Related Video to a YouTube Short: A Step-by-Step Guide

Linking a video is a straightforward process from both your phone and your computer. It only works for your own videos, you cannot link to videos from other channels. Here’s how to do it.

Method 1: Using the YouTube Studio Mobile App (iOS and Android)

The easiest way to quickly add links to new or existing Shorts is right from your phone. If you don't already have it, make sure you download the official YouTube Studio app.

1. Open the YouTube Studio app on your smartphone.
2. Tap on the Content tab at the bottom of the screen.
3. At the top, select the "Shorts" filter to see all your Shorts.
4. Find the Short you want to edit and tap on it.
5. In the top-right corner, tap the three-dot menu icon.
6. From the menu that appears, tap Edit video.
7. Scroll down and tap on the Related Video option. It will say "None" by default.
8. A list of your channel’s videos will appear. You can scroll through or use the search bar to find the specific video, Short, or live stream you want to link.
9. Tap the video to select it.
10. Hit the Save button in the top-right corner. That’s it! The link will now appear on your Short.

Method 2: Using Your Desktop Computer

If you're already at your computer managing your channel, the desktop Studio interface is just as simple.

1. Navigate to studio.youtube.com in your browser and make sure you're logged into your account.
2. From the left-hand navigation menu, click on "Content."
3. Find the Short you want to add a link to. You can use the search bar or filter by "Shorts" to find it faster.
4. Hover your cursor over the Short’s title and click the pencil icon (Details).
5. On the "Video details" page, look to the right-hand panel. You'll see a box labeled Related Video.
6. Click inside that box. A pop-up will appear where you can search for and select any video from your channel.
7. Once you’ve selected your video, just click the blue "Save" button at the top-right of the page. Your change is now live.

Beyond the Button: 5 Smart Strategies for Your Related Videos

Now that you know how to link videos, let's talk about the strategy behind it. Simply adding a random link won't be nearly as effective as being intentional. The goal is to make the decision to click irresistible for the viewer.

1. Master the "Trailer Tease"

This is the most direct approach. Create a Short specifically designed to be a high-impact trailer for a longer video. You can either use a supercut of the most exciting moments or show a hook from the intro. Crucially, the Short should feel incomplete on its own. It needs to pose a question that the long-form video answers.

Example: A travel vlogger posts a stunning 30-second drone shot of a hidden beach. The text on screen reads: "Finding this secret beach in Thailand took two days and one very risky boat ride." In the last few seconds, the creator looks at the camera and says, "Want to know how to get here? I'm sharing the full journey in the linked video." The call-to-action is clear, and the curiosity is built in.

2. Create a "Deep Dive" Crossover

Use a Short to present a compact, interesting fact, opinion, or tip. Then, frame the related video as the "deep dive" for anyone who wants the full context, proof, or detailed explanation.

Example: A fitness coach posts a Short titled "Stop making this one deadlift mistake." They quickly demonstrate the wrong form versus the right form. The caption might be: "This is the most common reason people get back pain from deadlifts." The linked related video is a 15-minute tutorial titled "A Beginner’s Guide to Perfect Deadlift Form." The Short solves an immediate, specific problem, while the long video provides the comprehensive education.

3. Use the "Content Recycling" Loop

This strategy is all about efficiency. Go through your best-performing long-form videos and mine them for "Shorts-worthy" moments - powerful quotes, funny bits, surprising stats, or beautiful clips. Edit these into standalone Shorts and link them all back to the original full-length video they came from.

Example: A podcaster takes three different 45-second clips from a two-hour interview. They post each clip as its own Short on different days. Each Short is titled with the topic of the clip (e.g., "The Founder's Biggest Mistake," "Why Morning Routines Don’t Work," "The Future of AI"). All three of these Shorts link back to the exact same full podcast episode, funneling traffic from multiple angles to one central content pillar.

4. Build a Multi-Part Story

Break up a single linear story into multiple Shorts. At the end of "Part 1," you can verbally and visually tell viewers to watch "Part 2" in the related video link. This works well for storytelling or project-based content where viewers get invested and want to see the conclusion.

Example: A DIY channel is building a desk. Part 1 is a Short about cutting the wood. At the end, they say, "To see how we assemble it, click the 'Part 2' video below." That links to another Short. At the end of Part 2, they might say, "For the full build and final reveal, check out the main video!" and link to the final, long-form project video.

5. Drive to a "How-To" Tutorial

Showcase a final result in your Short and link to the tutorial that explains how to achieve it. This is a classic "show, don't just tell" method that works across almost every niche.

Example: An artist posts a mesmerizing time-lapse of a painting being created, condensed into 60 seconds. The visuals are stunning, but don't teach the viewer anything. The linked video? "Oil Painting for Beginners: How To Paint Clouds," a full tutorial that breaks down the technique step-by-step.

Final Thoughts

Strategically connecting your short-form and long-form content is no longer an optional tactic, it's a foundational part of growing a successful YouTube channel. By using the related video feature, you take control of the viewer's journey, guiding them from quick hits of discovery to immersive content that builds a lasting connection and significantly boosts your channel's metrics.

This kind of smart content strategy - like repurposing bits of a long video into multiple Shorts - is exactly why we designed our platform, Postbase, with a video-first mindset. When you're managing content across YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and TikTok, you need a workflow that doesn't just let you schedule posts, but also helps you visualize and execute your entire content plan. We built Postbase to solve the headaches of modern social media management, so you can spend less time wrestling with clunky tools and more time creating standout content that grows your brand.