How to Upload YouTube Shorts a Complete Guide

Uploading a YouTube Short is straightforward.Uploading a YouTube Short is straightforward. You can do it right from the YouTube mobile app by tapping the '+' icon, or you can use your desktop and upload through YouTube Studio. The two golden rules? Keep it vertical and under 60 seconds.

Why YouTube Shorts Are a Creator’s Best Friend

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of uploading, let's talk about why you should even bother. Shorts aren't just another feature to check off a list; they are a genuine growth engine for creators. They connect you with a massive audience that’s hungry for quick, punchy content, offering a powerful shortcut to getting discovered.

Tapping Into Explosive Growth

The algorithm for Shorts works differently than it does for traditional, long-form videos. It’s built to give new content a chance, meaning even a brand-new channel with zero subscribers can catch fire and go viral. This gives you a unique shot at growing your audience and subscriber count fast.

Let's break down the advantages:

• Mind-Blowing Reach: YouTube pulls in between 70 and 90 billion Shorts views every single day. That number alone shows you the sheer scale of the audience you can tap into. It’s a clear signal that viewers love this mobile-first, bite-sized format.
• High Engagement: Viewers on Shorts aren't just passively scrolling. Engagement rates are impressively high, often surpassing other short-form platforms. People are liking, commenting, and sharing.
• A Favorable Algorithm: The system tests your Short with a small audience. If it clicks, it gets pushed to a bigger one, and then an even bigger one. Good content gets rewarded with visibility.

Think of Shorts as the ultimate top-of-funnel tool. A viral Short can be the handshake that introduces thousands of new people to your channel. From there, it's up to you to invite them to stick around for your longer videos.

Making Shorts a Pillar of Your Strategy

Adding Shorts to your workflow doesn't mean you have to abandon your main videos—it’s about enhancing them. Use Shorts to drop a teaser for an upcoming video, clip the best moments from a video that's already live, or just connect with your audience in a more spontaneous, behind-the-scenes way.

This is a key part of building a smart https://www.tryhooked.ai/blog/social-media-video-strategy for today's landscape. When you make time for Shorts, you’re not just making short-form content. You're building a stronger, more dynamic channel that can bring in new viewers from all directions.

So, you've got a great video idea ready to become a YouTube Short. Before you jump into the uploader, let's talk about setting that video up for success. Getting the technical specs right from the start is absolutely crucial. This is what tells the YouTube algorithm, "Hey, this is a Short, show it to people!"

Your Pre-Upload Checklist

First things first: your video's shape and size. For your video to look right on a phone, it needs to be vertical. The sweet spot is a 9:16 aspect ratio, which is the standard for most smartphone screens. You can get away with a square 1:1 video, but it won't be as immersive. Stick with 9:16 to fill the entire screen and grab your viewer's attention.

Next up is length. This one's a hard and fast rule: your video has to be 60 seconds or less. Seriously, even one second over, and YouTube will classify it as a regular video. That means you'll completely miss out on the massive audience browsing the Shorts feed. Keep it snappy and keep it short.

How to Frame Your Shot Like a Pro

Now, think about the viewing experience. When someone is watching your Short, the YouTube app will have overlays on the screen—your channel name, the title, likes, comments, etc. These usually sit at the bottom and along the right side.

This means you need to create a "safe zone" right in the middle of your frame. Keep all the important action, text, or faces away from the edges. If a key visual gets hidden by the user interface, it's a surefire way to get someone to swipe away.

A great Short respects the viewer's screen. By keeping your primary subject matter clear of the UI overlay, you ensure your message or visual punchline lands effectively without any frustrating obstructions.

And don't forget the sound! Audio can make or break a Short. Most people will be scrolling with their sound on, so if your audio is muffled, staticky, or just plain bad, you'll lose them in the first three seconds. A small investment in a decent microphone or just recording in a quiet space can make a world of difference.

For a little help getting all these details right, an AI shorts generator can be a lifesaver, automatically formatting your clips to meet all the requirements. But whether you're using a tool or doing it yourself, always run through this checklist before you upload.

YouTube Shorts Technical Specifications Checklist

Here's a quick reference table to make sure your video file is good to go. Double-check these specs to avoid any upload headaches.

Ticking off every item on this list is your best bet for a smooth upload and ensuring your content is properly optimized for the Shorts feed.

The Mobile Upload: Your On-the-Go Workflow

Let's be real—most of the time, you'll be uploading your Shorts straight from your phone. It’s the fastest path from an idea to the Shorts feed, designed for creators who capture moments as they happen. The whole thing kicks off with one simple tap.

Fire up the YouTube app and look for the plus icon (+) right at the bottom of your screen. Tap it, and a little menu will pop up. From there, you'll want to select "Create a Short." This is your gateway into the Shorts creation hub, where you can either shoot a new clip on the fly or grab a video you’ve already recorded by tapping the gallery icon in the bottom-left corner.

Mastering the In-App Editor

Once your video is loaded, you're in the editor. Don't just gloss over this part! The built-in tools are surprisingly powerful and can be the difference between a good Short and a great one, all without ever leaving the app.

I recommend getting familiar with these key features:

• Add Sound: Tapping this at the top is a must. You can access YouTube's enormous library of licensed music and, more importantly, trending audio. Hopping on a popular sound is one of the easiest ways to get your Short in front of more people.
• Text Overlays: Use text to add context, tell a better story, or deliver a punchline. The timeline feature is a game-changer here, letting you precisely control when your text appears and disappears.
• Filters and Effects: A quick filter can instantly set the vibe of your video. Play around with them to see what fits your style.
• Timer: If you’re a solo creator, the timer is your best friend. It gives you a countdown before it starts recording, so you can get into position without fumbling with your phone.

No matter if you're uploading from your phone or your computer, there are a few technical rules you have to follow for YouTube to even recognize your video as a Short.

These are the non-negotiables: the aspect ratio, length, and format. Get these right, and the algorithm knows exactly where to place your content.

After you've trimmed your clip and added all your creative touches, you’ll hit the final details screen. This is the last stop before your video goes live. Here, you'll craft your title, set your visibility, and confirm your audience. Once you’re happy with everything, just tap "Upload Short," and it's out there for the world to see.

Uploading YouTube Shorts From Your Computer

While the mobile app is perfect for spontaneous, in-the-moment clips, a lot of creators (myself included) prefer the power and precision you get from a desktop editing suite. If you’re polishing your videos on a PC or Mac, you’ll be glad to know uploading it as a Short is a breeze.

The whole process kicks off in YouTube Studio, the same command center you use for your standard long-form videos. Just head to your channel’s dashboard, hit the “Create” button in the top-right corner, and choose “Upload videos.” After that, you can just drag and drop your file or browse your computer to find it.

So far, so familiar. The next screen will prompt you for all the usual details like a title, description, and thumbnail. But this is where you hit a small, but absolutely crucial, step that you can't afford to miss.

The Hashtag That Makes It All Work

When you upload from a computer, you have to give YouTube a little nudge to make sure it recognizes your video as a Short. To do this, you must include #shorts in either the video’s title or its description.

This isn't just for show—it's the specific trigger that tells the YouTube algorithm to place your content on the Shorts shelf and push it into the feed. If you forget it, your perfectly crafted vertical video will probably just get treated like a regular, awkwardly-formatted video, completely missing the massive Shorts audience.

This hashtag is a non-negotiable technical requirement for desktop uploads. Think of it as the passport your video needs to get into the world of Shorts. Forgetting it is easily the most common mistake I see creators make.

This desktop workflow is ideal for content that needs more advanced editing—think detailed color grading, slick graphics, or complex audio mixing that’s just easier to handle with professional software. It lets you maintain high production quality while tapping into the explosive growth of short-form video.

And that growth is undeniable. Shorts now account for roughly 34% of the 1.1 million videos uploaded to YouTube every single day. You can dig deeper into these numbers in this detailed YouTube upload statistics report.

Mastering the desktop upload process gives you the best of both worlds: the high-end production value from your favorite editing software and the incredible reach of the Shorts platform. Once your Short is live, you can even link it to one of your longer videos to drive viewers deeper into your channel. To learn how, you can generate a direct YouTube link to a specific video and strategically place it in your descriptions or comments.

Getting Your Short Seen: The Art of Smart Optimization

Hitting that "Upload" button feels great, but it’s definitely not the finish line. If you want your Short to do more than just exist, you have to give the YouTube algorithm some clear signals about what it is and who it's for.

These small details are what separate a video that fizzles out after a few hundred views from one that really takes off.

Your title is your first—and maybe only—shot to grab a scroller's attention. Keep it short, punchy, and make them curious. The old rules of keyword-heavy titles for long-form videos don't apply here. Think like a viewer with a short attention span. A title like "I Tried the Viral Hack..." is way more effective than a clunky, descriptive one like "How to Make the Viral TikTok Pasta Recipe at Home."

Nail Your Hashtag Strategy

Hashtags aren't just for decoration; they're how the algorithm categorizes your content. While including #shorts is a non-negotiable best practice (especially for desktop uploads), you can’t just stop there. A solid strategy involves a blend of broad and niche tags to cover all your bases.

Here’s a good mix to aim for:

• Broad Tags: Use 1-2 popular tags like #viral or #trending. This helps your video get considered for a much larger audience pool.
• Niche Tags: Add 2-3 super-specific tags like #woodworkingtips or #ketorecipes. This is how you attract your ideal viewer—the person who is actively looking for content just like yours.

This one-two punch helps your Short get some initial velocity from the big, general pools while also finding a dedicated audience that will actually stick around and engage.

Think of it this way: a good title and the right hashtags are your direct line of communication with the YouTube algorithm. Make your message as clear as possible.

Jumpstart Your Engagement

YouTube pays very close attention to what happens in the first hour after you post. Early engagement is a massive signal that you have something good on your hands.

When the first comments start trickling in, don't just heart them and move on. Reply, and reply with open-ended questions. If someone comments, "Great video!" you can write back, "Thanks so much! What part did you find the most useful?"

This simple tactic achieves two critical things. First, it makes your early supporters feel valued, making them more likely to comment again in the future. Second, and more importantly, it doubles your comment count and tells the algorithm that your Short is sparking a real conversation. That’s a green light for YouTube to start pushing it to a much, much wider audience.

Got Questions About YouTube Shorts? We've Got Answers.

Even with a perfect plan, you're bound to hit a snag or two when uploading Shorts. It happens to everyone. Getting ahead of the common issues can save you a world of frustration and let you get back to what you do best: creating.

Let's walk through some of the most frequent questions I see from creators.

"Why Didn't My Video Upload as a Short?"

Ah, the classic problem. I see this one all the time, and thankfully, the fix is usually simple. More often than not, it boils down to one of two things.

First, check your video's length. It absolutely must be 60 seconds or less. If it's even a fraction of a second over, YouTube will automatically process it as a standard, long-form video. No exceptions.

Second, double-check that aspect ratio. To be a Short, your video needs to be vertical (a 9:16 ratio) or, at the very least, square (a 1:1 ratio). If you're uploading from your desktop, there's one more crucial step: you have to include #shorts in either the title or the description. Forgetting that hashtag is probably the number one reason desktop uploads fail to register as Shorts.

"When's the Best Time to Upload a Short?"

If only there were a magic answer! The truth is, the "best time" is completely unique to your audience and their habits. Don't fall for generic advice you see online; your own analytics hold the key.

Here’s how you find your channel's sweet spot:

• Head over to YouTube Studio.
• Click into the Analytics tab on the left.
• Select the Audience tab at the top.
• Look for the chart labeled "When your viewers are on YouTube."

You'll see a graph with shades of purple. The darkest bars indicate your peak traffic hours—that's your goldmine. From my experience, I'd suggest testing two windows: try posting one hour before that peak starts, and then another time right at the beginning of it. This gives the algorithm time to index your video just as your viewers are starting to log on. Keep an eye on the view count for the first two hours to see which strategy gives you a better initial pop.

"Can I Just Use Any Music I Want?"

In a word: no. Grabbing a popular song from outside YouTube's official library is a fast track to a copyright claim. That's not a risk you want to take. A claim can get your Short muted, demonetized, or taken down altogether.

To keep your channel in good standing, stick to the audio provided within the YouTube Audio Library. You can access it right inside the Shorts creation tool on your phone. It's packed with millions of songs and trending sounds that are already cleared for you to use, so you can add a soundtrack without any of the copyright stress.

Ready to create viral Shorts without the guesswork? Hooked uses AI to turn your ideas into high-performing videos in minutes, complete with trending sounds, optimized scripts, and a content scheduler to automate your growth. Stop editing and start creating at https://tryhooked.ai.