The Ultimate Guide to YouTube Shorts Dimensions

When it comes to YouTube Shorts, there's one golden rule you can't ignore: your video dimensions must be 1080x1920 pixels. This translates to a vertical 9:16 aspect ratio, and it's non-negotiable if you want your content to look right.

Getting this right from the start is absolutely crucial. Why? Because the entire Shorts experience is built for a full-screen, immersive mobile view. Mess up the dimensions, and you risk your video being slapped with ugly black bars, getting cropped in weird places, or worse, not even being categorised as a Short by YouTube's algorithm.

Your Quick Guide to YouTube Shorts Dimensions

Think of the 1080x1920 pixel resolution as the foundation of your Short. It ensures your content fills the entire screen on a smartphone, which is exactly what viewers expect. This is especially true for grabbing the attention of younger audiences; in the UK alone, a staggering 82% of Gen Z are regular YouTube viewers, and they live on their phones.

Nailing the technical side means your creative work gets the presentation it deserves, keeping viewers hooked instead of distracted by formatting blunders.

YouTube Shorts Technical Specifications Cheat Sheet

Before you hit that upload button, give this table a quick scan. It’s your go-to checklist for all the core requirements, helping you avoid those simple, yet costly, technical mistakes. Getting these numbers locked in means you can spend more time on what really matters—your content.

Specification	Requirement
Resolution	1080 x 1920 pixels
Aspect Ratio	9:16 (Vertical)
Orientation	Vertical
Duration	Up to 60 seconds
File Size	Under 100 MB recommended

This cheat sheet covers the absolute essentials. Sticking to these specs tells both your audience and the YouTube algorithm that your video is native to the platform, which can seriously boost its chances of getting picked up and pushed out to a wider audience.

To take your production quality even further, it’s worth checking out the latest AI music video generators for short-form social clips. Many of these tools come with built-in templates that make exporting perfectly formatted content a breeze.

Why Vertical Video Is Non-Negotiable

Let's get one thing straight from the start: to succeed with YouTube Shorts, you have to think vertically. Before we dive into the numbers, it’s crucial to understand the difference between aspect ratio (the shape of your video) and resolution (its clarity). For Shorts, the only shape that truly counts is the 9:16 vertical format.

Why is this so non-negotiable? Because it's built for the mobile experience. With over 70% of YouTube watch time now happening on phones, your content needs to fit the screen it's being watched on. A vertical video creates an immersive, full-screen view that grabs a user's attention the moment they scroll to your Short, leaving no room for distraction.

A Quick Comparison of Video Formats

Not all video shapes get the same treatment in the Shorts feed. Uploading the wrong format is an immediate red flag to viewers that your content wasn't designed for them, and they'll likely just keep scrolling.

Vertical (9:16): This is the gold standard. It’s native to the platform, looks professional, and completely fills the screen with no distracting black bars.
Square (1:1): YouTube technically accepts square videos for Shorts, but they're a poor choice. They result in large, empty black bars at the top and bottom, wasting valuable screen space and making your content look out of place.
Landscape (16:9): This is the worst offender by a long shot. A traditional horizontal video looks tiny in the vertical feed, sandwiched between massive black bars. It’s hard to see, feels completely alien to the Shorts environment, and is almost guaranteed to get swiped away.

For a masterclass in proper formatting, check out creator Jake Fellman. His wildly popular animated Shorts, like the "Among Us" series, are always perfectly framed in 9:16. This native feel is a huge part of why his content feels so at home in the Shorts feed, helping him rack up billions of views. He makes every single pixel count.

The Ideal Resolution for a Crisp Image

Once you've got the shape right, you need to focus on clarity. The official standard for YouTube Shorts dimensions is 1080x1920 pixels. This is full HD, just flipped on its side.

This resolution gives you a sharp, high-definition image that looks fantastic on modern smartphone displays. It's the perfect sweet spot, offering excellent visual quality without creating a massive file that's slow to upload or a pain for viewers to stream on a mobile connection. Dipping below this can make your video look pixelated or cheap, instantly undermining all your hard work.

Mastering the YouTube Shorts Safe Zones

Nailing the 1080x1920 resolution for your Short is a great start, but it's only half the story. The real trick to making your content pop is understanding the YouTube Shorts safe zones. Think of these as the parts of the screen guaranteed to be free from YouTube's own interface overlays.

It’s a classic mistake I see all the time: a creator places a brilliant call-to-action or some crucial text right where YouTube slaps the channel name or the like and share buttons. Suddenly, that key message is completely hidden, and your engagement plummets.

Where the Interface Overlays Appear

To sidestep this common blunder, you need to know exactly where the UI elements live. The simplest rule of thumb is to keep your most important content squarely in the centre of the screen. This is the golden rule for your YouTube Shorts dimensions.

Bottom Section: This is the most cluttered part of the screen by far. YouTube overlays your channel icon, username, the subscribe button, the video title, and even the audio details here. As a best practice, keep any critical text or logos out of the bottom 15-20% of the frame.
Right Edge: Down the right-hand side, you'll find the entire engagement stack: Like, Dislike, Comments, Share, and Remix. Leave a clean margin on this side so these interactive icons don't block anything important in your video.

If you want to see this done well, look at the creator MDMotivator. He's fantastic at using on-screen text to build a narrative. Pay close attention to how he always keeps his captions and visual cues centred, steering well clear of the bottom and right edges. It’s a simple technique that makes sure his message lands perfectly, every single time.

A Practical Template for Success

To make sure your content is always front and centre, get into the habit of visualising a "safe box" in the middle of your frame. Most video editing software has guide or overlay features that let you map this out precisely. While the very top of the screen is usually clear, your non-negotiable elements should always live in that central zone.

Before you hit that export button, do a final mental check. Imagine the YouTube interface laid over your video. Is your main text cut off? Is that key product shot obscured? A quick once-over can prevent a simple design flaw from torpedoing your video's potential. For a deeper dive into visual branding, you can learn more about optimising your YouTube Shorts logo and other on-screen elements.

Optimal Export Settings for Popular Video Editors

Knowing the right YouTube Shorts dimensions is half the battle; getting your video out of your editing software with those settings intact is the other half. The export process can feel a bit technical, but a few key tweaks will make sure your content looks just as good on the Shorts feed as it does on your timeline.

The real goal here is to give YouTube a high-quality file that it barely has to touch. When you upload an already-optimised video, you slash the risk of the platform adding nasty compression artefacts or degrading the visual clarity you worked so hard to achieve.

Setting	Adobe Premiere Pro	DaVinci Resolve	CapCut
Format/Container	H.264 (.mp4)	MP4	MP4
Codec	H.264	H.264	H.264 (default)
Resolution	1080x1920 (Vertical)	1080x1920 (Vertical)	1080p
Frame Rate	Match Source (30 or 60 fps)	Match Source (30 or 60 fps)	30 or 60 fps
Bitrate Control	VBR, 2 Pass	Restrict to	Recommended/Higher
Target Bitrate	12-15 Mbps	15,000 Kb/s	N/A

Adobe Premiere Pro Settings

For the many creators using Adobe Premiere Pro, creating a reliable export preset is a breeze. When your vertical masterpiece is ready to go, just head to the export window.

Format: Stick with H.264. It’s the industry standard for a reason, offering a fantastic balance between quality and file size.
Preset: A good starting point is "Match Source - High bitrate."
Resolution: Pop over to the "Video" tab and double-check that the frame size is set to 1080 Width and 1920 Height.
Frame Rate: Make sure this matches your source footage, whether that’s 30 fps or 60 fps.
Bitrate Settings: Choose VBR, 2 pass for the best quality control. Set the Target Bitrate to around 12-15 Mbps—this gives you a crisp image without bloating the file size.

DaVinci Resolve Settings

DaVinci Resolve is a powerhouse, and its export settings are just as robust. Once you’re on the "Deliver" page, you can quickly configure your render for perfect Shorts optimisation.

Start by choosing the "Custom Export" option, then hop over to the "Video" tab.

Format: You can select either QuickTime or MP4.
Codec: Go with H.264 for the widest compatibility.
Resolution: Manually set it to 1080x1920 to enforce the vertical orientation. Resolve is usually smart enough to do this based on your timeline, but it never hurts to check.
Quality: Instead of a simple bitrate slider, you can often use "Restrict to" and punch in around 15,000 Kb/s (which is just another way of saying 15 Mbps).

No matter which editor you use, remember to keep your key visuals away from the edges where the UI lives. This infographic is a great reminder of where the "safe zones" are.

As you can see, the centre of the screen is prime real estate. The bottom and right-hand side, however, are where you risk having text or important graphics covered up by YouTube's interface.

CapCut Settings

CapCut has taken the editing world by storm, largely thanks to its straightforward approach. Its export options are simple but get the job done perfectly for Shorts.

Before you hit export, just tap on the resolution setting (it usually says "1080p") at the top of your screen. This will bring up the quality options.

Resolution: Make sure the slider is set to 1080p.
Frame Rate: Choose either 30 or 60 fps.
Bitrate/Code Rate: The "Recommended" setting is usually fine, but if you have a "Higher" option, it’s worth selecting.

If you're still figuring out which editor fits your workflow, our guide on the best software for editing videos for YouTube offers a much broader look at the available tools.

Staying Within Duration and File Size Limits

Getting the visual YouTube Shorts dimensions right is only half the battle. Two other crucial limits dictate your content strategy: how long your Short is and how big the file is. Officially, a YouTube Short must be 60 seconds or less. This isn't just a technical rule; it’s a creative challenge to pack a punch in a very small window of time.

This tight time limit forces you to be concise and impactful right from the start. While a 55-second narrative can build suspense, you'll often find that a snappy, sub-15-second clip works better for quick laughs or oddly satisfying loops. The real trick is matching the length to your idea.

The Strategic Importance of Video Length

Choosing the right duration is absolutely key for engagement. Shorter videos, especially those clocking in under 15 seconds, often have a much higher replay value. This is a powerful signal to the YouTube algorithm that viewers are hooked.

A fantastic case study in this is the animator Jake Fellman. His wildly successful 3D animation Shorts are frequently just 10-12 seconds long. This brevity practically begs viewers to watch them again and again, which helps rack up views and engagement at a blistering pace. His work is proof that you don’t need the full minute to make a massive impact.

That being said, longer Shorts can be incredibly effective too. Videos in the 15-60 second range can see an 85% boost in views, particularly for those hitting the 50-60 second mark. In fact, UK creators earn an average of $0.065 RPM on Shorts between 40-60 seconds, and 35% of all new channel discoveries come from them. You can find more insights on how YouTube video length impacts creator earnings in the UK.

Keeping Your File Size in Check

Finally, let’s talk about file size. While YouTube’s official upload limit is a massive 128 GB, you really shouldn't be getting anywhere near that for a Short. As a best practice, aim to keep your final file under 100 MB.

Smaller files are a lifesaver. They upload much faster, which is essential for a nimble workflow, especially if you’re posting on the go from your phone.

To keep your file size down without tanking the quality:

Use an efficient codec: H.264 is the industry standard for a reason. It gives you a fantastic balance between video quality and file compression.
Compress thoughtfully: Tools like HandBrake or various online video compressors can shrink your file. Just be careful not to overdo it, or you’ll end up with nasty visual artefacts.
Stick to 1080p: Exporting a Short in 4K is overkill. It will bloat your file size for virtually no noticeable benefit on a small mobile screen.

For a complete walkthrough of the entire process, have a look at our guide on how to properly upload your video to YouTube.

Common Dimension Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced creators get tripped up by the basic rules for YouTube Shorts dimensions. These small mistakes can make your content feel unprofessional and hurt its performance, signalling to viewers that it wasn't designed for the Shorts feed and encouraging them to swipe away. Let’s break down the most common errors so you can make sure every Short you post is perfectly optimised.

One of the biggest blunders is uploading a horizontal video. A 16:9 landscape clip just looks tiny in the vertical feed, stuck between massive, distracting black bars. This completely wastes the screen real estate you have to work with and shatters the immersive experience, making your content look out of place and a pain to watch on a phone.

Troubleshooting Common Formatting Errors

Another frequent problem is low-resolution footage. If you upload a video below the recommended 1080x1920 pixels, it’s going to look blurry or pixelated when YouTube processes it. That instantly cheapens the feel of your content. Always shoot and export in full HD to keep things looking sharp and professional. Getting a handle on basic video editing can save you a lot of headaches here. Knowing how to adjust videos on an iPhone, for example, is a fundamental skill since so much content is shot and viewed on mobile.

Finally, ignoring the safe zones is a critical, yet easily avoidable, mistake. It’s a classic error to place important text, like a call-to-action or your social media handle, too close to the bottom or right-hand edges of the screen.

For instance, a creator might add their Instagram handle at the very bottom of the video. It seems like a good spot, but it gets completely covered by the YouTube interface—the channel name, video title, and engagement icons live there. A simple fix is to shift that text up towards the centre, where it’s guaranteed to be seen.

By steering clear of these three common pitfalls—the wrong aspect ratio, low resolution, and poor text placement—you’ll give your Shorts the best possible chance to grab and hold a viewer’s attention.

Frequently Asked Questions About Shorts Dimensions

Got a few lingering questions about the nitty-gritty of YouTube Shorts dimensions? You're not alone. Let's clear up some of the most common queries we hear from creators so you can get back to publishing with total confidence.

Can I Upload a Square Video as a Short?

Technically, yes, you can upload a square (1:1 aspect ratio) video, and YouTube will pop it into the Shorts category. But honestly, you really shouldn't.

Doing so leaves massive, empty black bars at the top and bottom of the screen. It immediately screams that the video wasn't made for the platform, which can be a real turn-off for viewers scrolling through a feed of perfectly formatted content. For a professional finish that hooks viewers, always stick to the 9:16 vertical aspect ratio. It fills the whole screen, making your content feel immersive and native to the Shorts experience.

“Vertical video is no longer a trend; it's the standard for short-form content. Using a 9:16 format is the first and most important step to making your content feel like it belongs in the Shorts feed.”

What Happens If My Video Is Longer Than 60 Seconds?

This one's simple: if your vertical video runs longer than 60 seconds, YouTube just treats it as a standard, long-form video. It won't get pushed into the Shorts feed, meaning you'll completely miss out on the unique discovery engine that makes Shorts so powerful.

The limit is a hard and fast rule. Your video must be 60 seconds or less to qualify. This isn't just a technical constraint; it's a creative one, pushing you to deliver your message concisely and keep your audience engaged from the very first frame.

What Is the Best Frame Rate for Shorts?

The sweet spots for your Shorts' frame rate are either 30 frames per second (fps) or 60 fps.

30 fps: This is a solid, standard choice for most content. If you're shooting vlogs, tutorials, or general lifestyle clips, 30 fps will give you a clean, cinematic feel and keep your file sizes manageable.
60 fps: This is your go-to for anything with fast movement. Think gaming highlights, sports action, or dance routines. The higher frame rate delivers that buttery-smooth look that makes fast-paced content so satisfying to watch.

The golden rule here is consistency. Whatever frame rate you film in, make sure you export in the same one. Mismatching them is a recipe for stuttering, juddering visuals that can ruin an otherwise great video.

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