How to Upload YouTube Shorts

Uploading a YouTube Short is one of the most effective ways to grow your channel right now, but getting it right involves a bit more than just tapping the publish button. This guide gives you the complete breakdown, from creating and uploading Shorts on your phone to scheduling them from your computer, along with practical tips to help them actually get seen.

What Exactly Counts as a YouTube Short? The Specs You Need to Know

Before you upload, you have to make sure your video file is formatted correctly. YouTube looks for specific signals to identify and categorize a video as a Short. If you miss these, your video might just show up as a regular (and awkwardly formatted) video.

Here are the non-negotiables:

• Video Orientation: It must be a vertical video. Think of the way you hold your phone to watch a TikTok or a Reel.
• Aspect Ratio: The standard is a 9:16 aspect ratio. A square (1:1) video can also work, but 9:16 is optimized for the full-screen mobile experience.
• Length: The video must be 60 seconds or less. Even a video that is 61 seconds will not be considered a Short.
• The #Shorts Hashtag: While YouTube’s system is now smart enough to automatically identify a Short based on its format and length, including #Shorts (case-insensitive) in the video's title or description is a highly recommended best practice. It’s an extra signal to YouTube that guarantees your video is correctly classified and placed on the Shorts shelf.

Get these four things right, and you're ready to go. Missing just one can prevent your video from entering the Shorts feed, which is where all the organic discovery happens.

How to Create and Upload a YouTube Short on Your Phone

For most creators, the YouTube mobile app is the fastest and most intuitive way to create Shorts. It's designed to be an all-in-one studio where you can record, edit, and publish in a few minutes.

Step 1: Open the YouTube App and Tap the "+" Icon

At the bottom of the home screen, you'll see a navigation bar. In the center is a plus sign inside a circle. This is your create button. Tap it to open up a menu of content options.

Step 2: Select "Create a Short"

The menu will give you a few choices like "Upload a video," "Go live," and "Create a Post." Choose "Create a Short" to open the Shorts camera and editing interface. If you accidentally select "Upload a video," you can still upload a Short, but you’ll miss out on the dedicated in-app creation tools like adding sound from the YouTube library.

Step 3: Record Your Video or Select a Pre-Made Clip

You have two main paths from here:

A) Record directly in the app:

• Set Your Length: At the top of the screen, you’ll see a "15" icon. Tap it to switch the maximum recording length to "60" seconds if needed. This determines the total length of your Short, not just a single clip.
• Use the Tools: On the right side of the screen, you’ll find several helpful recording tools.
  • Flip: Switches between your front and rear-facing cameras.
  • Speed: Allows you to record in slow motion (0.3x, 0.5x) or speed things up (2x, 3x).
  • Timer: Lets you set a countdown before the recording starts, which is great for hands-free filming.
  • Green Screen: Allows you to use a photo or video from your camera roll as the background.
• Start Recording: Press and hold the red record button to capture a clip. You can also tap it once to start and tap it again to stop, allowing you to film multiple scenes.

B) Upload an existing video from your phone:

• In the bottom-left corner of the camera screen, you’ll see a thumbnail of a recent photo or video. Tap it to open your phone’s gallery.
• Select the vertical video file you want to use. Remember, it must be 60 seconds or shorter.
• If your video is longer than 60 seconds, YouTube will prompt you to trim it down. Simply drag the edges of the video timeline to select the segment you want.

Step 4: Edit Your Short with Music, Text, and Effects

Once you've recorded or imported your clip(s), you’ll be taken to the editing screen. This is where you bring your Short to life. Tap the checkmark in the bottom-right corner to proceed.

• Sound: Tap "Add sound" at the top to browse YouTube’s huge library of licensed music and trending audio clips. Using a popular sound can give your Short a major boost in visibility.
• Text: The "Text" button lets you add text overlays. You can change fonts, colors, and backgrounds. Once you add text, tap the "Timeline" button to adjust exactly when the text appears and disappears in your video. This is how creators create suspense or reveal information bit by bit.
• Voiceover: If you want to add narration after filming, use the "Voiceover" tool.
• Filters: Tap the "Filters" icon to apply different color grades and styles to your footage.

When you're happy with your edits, click "Next" in the top-right corner.

Step 5: Add a Title, Set Your Visibility, and Publish

This is the final details page before you upload. Don’t rush through it!

• Add details: This is where you’ll write your title. Keep it short, attention-grabbing, and don't forget to include #Shorts.
• Visibility: Set it to Public if you want it to go live immediately. You can also choose Unlisted (viewable only with a link) or Private (only you can see it). A smart strategy is to set it to Unlisted first to make sure it processed correctly before making it public.
• Audience: You must state whether your video is "Made for Kids." This is a legal requirement. Unless your content is specifically aimed at children, you should select "No, it's not made for kids."
• Comments: You can choose your comment settings here, from allowing all comments to holding potentially inappropriate ones for review.

Step 6: Tap "Upload Short"

That's it! Tap the blue "Upload Short" button at the bottom, and your video will begin processing. You can track its progress in your library.

How to Upload a YouTube Short from Your Desktop/PC

If you edit your videos with more advanced software like CapCut for desktop, DaVinci Resolve, or Adobe Premiere Pro, you'll be uploading the finished file from your computer. The process is similar to uploading a regular YouTube video, with a few important distinctions.

Step 1: Get Your Video File Ready

Before you even open YouTube, double-check that your finished video file meets the Shorts criteria. This is the step where most people make a mistake.

• Correctly formatted: Is it a 9:16 aspect ratio (e.g., 1080 pixels wide by 1920 pixels high)?
• The right length: Is it 60 seconds or less?

If you upload a horizontal (16:9) video, it will not be classed as a Short, no matter its length.

Step 2: Sign in to YouTube Studio

Navigate to studio.youtube.com and sign in. At the top-right corner of your Studio dashboard, you’ll see a "CREATE" button. Click it.

Step 3: Select "Upload videos"

A pop-up will appear allowing you to drag and drop your video file or select it from your computer. Choose the vertical video file you prepared in step one.

Step 4: Fill Out the Video Details

As your video uploads, you'll be prompted to fill out all the important metadata. This section is much more detailed than the mobile interface.

• Title: Just like on mobile, write a concise and curiosity-driven title. Make sure you include #Shorts.
• Description: While captions aren’t as prominent on the Shorts feed, they are still indexed by YouTube search. This is a good place to add more context, include links to your other socials, and add a few relevant hashtags.
• Thumbnail: For Shorts on desktop, YouTube allows you to choose a frame from your video to serve as the thumbnail. Though custom thumbnails you upload might not always appear on the Shorts shelf in the mobile app, they can show up in other places on YouTube like search results or your channel page, so it's a good idea to choose a compelling frame.
• Playlists: Adding your Short to a relevant playlist is a great way to organize your content and encourage viewers to watch more of your videos.
• Tags: Tags are less impactful for Shorts than for long-form videos, but adding a few relevant keywords doesn’t hurt. Focus on your niche topics.

Step 5: Publish or Schedule Your Short

After the Checks tab (where YouTube scans for copyright issues), you’ll reach the Visibility tab. Here, you have several options:

• Private / Unlisted: Same as on mobile, these are good for previewing.
• Public: This will publish your Short as soon as possible.
• Schedule: This is a major advantage of uploading from a desktop. You can select a specific date and time for your Short to go live. Scheduling allows you to batch-create content and maintain a consistent posting calendar without having to be online to hit "publish" every time.

Once you’ve made your selection, click "Save" or "Schedule," and you're all set.

Best Practices: How to Get Your Shorts Noticed

Uploading is only half the battle. Here are a few strategies to give your Shorts the best chance of being picked up by the algorithm and shown to a wider audience.

Hook Viewers in the First 1-3 Seconds

The average attention span on short-form content is incredibly low. Your opening is everything. Start with immediate action, a provocative question, a surprising statement, or the most visually interesting part of your video. If you don't grab them right away, they'll swipe on to the next one.

Use Trending Audio Effectively

The Shorts algorithm often favors videos using popular or "trending" sounds. When you’re looking to add sound on the mobile app, keep an eye on the tracks that have an arrow icon pointing up - that's a sign they’re trending. Using one of these can help your Short get categorized and shown to an audience who has already engaged with that sound.

Write Short, Compelling Titles That Create Curiosity

Your title is one of the only pieces of text viewers see as they scroll. Don't just describe the video, create a reason for someone to stop and watch. Titles like "The biggest mistake every cat owner makes" or "I tried the viral ramen hack so you don't have to" are much more effective than "My cat doing a funny thing."

Create a "Perfect Loop"

A major metric for the Shorts algorithm is audience retention and re-watches. A "perfect loop" is a video that ends in a way that seamlessly transitions back to the beginning. Viewers often watch it two or three times before they even realize it's restarting, which dramatically increases your total watch time and signals to YouTube that your content is engaging.

Post Consistently

You don't need to post five Shorts every day, but establishing a regular schedule - whether that's three times a week or once a day - tells the algorithm that your channel is active and reliable. Consistency helps build momentum and gives you more opportunities for one of your videos to go viral.

Final Thoughts

Whether you're making quick, spontaneous videos on your phone or uploading polished productions from your desktop, mastering how to upload YouTube Shorts is a straightforward process. The real growth comes from consistently applying simple, viewer-focused strategies like crafting a strong hook, thinking carefully about your titles, and maintaining a regular posting schedule.

Staying consistent with Shorts, Reels, and TikToks is a lot to juggle, especially when you're trying to keep all those platforms aligned. To keep everything organized without feeling overwhelmed, we built a tool called Postbase. We designed its visual content calendar so we could plan out our entire short-form video strategy in one place, across all our accounts. It helps us schedule videos for weeks at a time for every platform, letting us focus on creating instead of worrying about posting deadlines or whether our content even published correctly.