YouTube · Updated October 10, 2026

YouTube Shorts size and dimensions (2026): 1080 × 1920 px

Make a YouTube Short 1080 × 1920 pixels, a 9:16 vertical ratio, up to 3 minutes long. YouTube treats square or vertical videos as Shorts and accepts up to 1080p resolution.

Last verified October 10, 2026 against YouTube Help: upload YouTube Shorts. All sources.

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Position

1080 × 1920 px · JPG · add an image

Shorts video (recommended)
1080 × 1920px
Ratio 9:16
Source: YouTube Help: upload YouTube Shorts
Shorts custom thumbnail
2160 × 3840px
Ratio 9:16
Source: YouTube Help: custom thumbnails
Square Short
1080 × 1080px
Ratio 1:1
Source: YouTube Help: upload YouTube Shorts

YouTube Shorts size: every format and limit

YouTube Shorts size specs by format. Each number was checked against the linked source on October 10, 2026.
FormatSize (px)RatioMinimum / maximumFile types and limitSource
Shorts video (recommended)YouTube's upload page asks for a square or vertical video up to 3 minutes, and its Shorts page gives a 1080p maximum. Neither prints 1080 × 1920 or 9:16. Google's video ad specs page recommends 1080 × 1920 for vertical video ads, and its Shorts ads guide calls 9:16 best suited to Shorts. The codecs are YouTube's general recommended upload settings.1080 × 19209:16Max: 1080p resolution, up to 3 minutesMP4 (H.264 video, AAC-LC audio)YouTube Help: upload YouTube ShortsSecondary source
Shorts custom thumbnailListed on YouTube's thumbnail page for Shorts. A smaller 9:16 file such as 1080 × 1920 also meets the minimum. Shorts thumbnails can currently be added only in YouTube Studio on a computer.2160 × 38409:16Min: 640 px tallJPG, PNGLimit: 50 MB (added on a computer only)YouTube Help: custom thumbnailsPlatform's own page
Square ShortYouTube accepts a square aspect ratio for Shorts. 1080 × 1080 is our suggestion at the 1080p maximum; a square video does not fill a phone screen.1080 × 10801:1Max: 1080p resolution, up to 3 minutesNot statedYouTube Help: upload YouTube ShortsSecondary source

Safe zones and crops

Drawn to scale from the numbers above. Dashed boxes mark what stays visible; hatched areas are cut or covered.

Google's vertical safe zone on a 1080 × 1920 frame

Google's vertical safe zone on a 1080 × 1920 frameFrame 1080 by 1920 pixels. Covered area: Top 288 px, 1080 by 288 pixels at x 0, y 0. Covered area: Bottom 672 px, 1080 by 672 pixels at x 0, y 1248. Covered area: Right 192 px, 192 by 960 pixels at x 888, y 288. Safe area: Keep captions here: 840 × 960, 840 by 960 pixels at x 48, y 288.1080 px1920 pxTop 288 pxBottom 672 px
  • Top 288 px
  • Bottom 672 px
  • Right 192 px
  • Keep captions here: 840 × 960
Measured from Google's downloadable vertical template, which it publishes for video ads on YouTube. It is the only safe zone Google publishes for vertical video, and it may be stricter than an organic Short needs.

How YouTube shows your image

  • Shorts play in a vertical, full-screen feed in the YouTube app. A 9:16 video fills a phone screen; a square Short does not.
  • YouTube says square or vertical videos up to 3 minutes long uploaded on or after October 15, 2024 are categorized as Shorts. To keep a video long-form, YouTube says to use a wider ratio such as 16:9.
  • YouTube gives 1080p as the maximum resolution for Shorts uploads.
  • The title, channel name and action buttons overlay the video, so captions placed there are covered.
  • A custom thumbnail for a Short is 9:16, with a minimum height of 640 px, and can currently be added only in YouTube Studio on a computer.
  • For a vertical video with a 16:9 custom thumbnail, YouTube shows an automatic 4:5 thumbnail instead on the home, explore and subscription pages.

How to resize and upload

  1. 01The resizer handles still images only. Pick Shorts 1080 × 1920 for a cover frame, or Thumbnail 2160 × 3840 for a custom thumbnail.
  2. 02Position the subject in the middle of the frame with Crop to fill, or use Fit inside to avoid cutting anything.
  3. 03Turn on Show safe zone. Keep captions and faces inside the dashed box, above the bottom overlay.
  4. 04Download JPG or PNG for a cover or thumbnail. YouTube's Shorts thumbnail minimum is 640 px tall, so a 1080 × 1920 still clears it.
  5. 05In your video editor, set the project to 1080 × 1920 and export an MP4 of 3 minutes or less.
  6. 06In YouTube Studio click Create, then Upload videos, and choose the file. After it publishes, preview the Short on your phone and check that no caption sits under the title or buttons.

Common mistakes to check before you post

  • Uploading a 16:9 horizontal video and expecting a Short. YouTube categorizes square or vertical videos as Shorts; a wider ratio such as 16:9 stays long-form.
  • Placing captions in the bottom third. Google's vertical safe-zone template keeps the bottom 672 px of a 1920 px frame (35%) clear of key content.
  • Putting a key subject or text at the far right, where the like, comment and share buttons sit.
  • Planning from the old 60-second limit. YouTube's page says Shorts can be up to 3 minutes for videos uploaded on or after October 15, 2024.
  • Exporting above 1080p. YouTube gives 1080p as the maximum resolution for Shorts uploads.
  • Using claimed music in a Short longer than one minute. YouTube says a Short over one minute with an active Content ID claim is blocked globally.

Which size should a YouTube Short be?

Use 1080 × 1920 (9:16). YouTube's upload page says a Short is a video up to 3 minutes long with a square or vertical aspect ratio, and its Shorts help page says you can upload Shorts at a maximum resolution of 1080p. Neither page prints a pixel size or 9:16. Google's Shorts ads guide calls vertical 9:16 video best suited to the Shorts format, and third-party guides such as Postfast give 1080 × 1920. 9:16 is also the shape that fills a phone screen.

Older guides say 60 seconds. YouTube's three-minute Shorts page says square or vertical videos up to 3 minutes uploaded on or after October 15, 2024 are categorized as Shorts.

A worked example: the caption safe area

YouTube publishes no safe zone for organic Shorts. Google does publish a downloadable vertical template on its video ad specs page, and we measured its clear area on the 1080 × 1920 frame: it starts at x = 48, y = 288 and ends at x = 888, y = 1248.

That leaves 288 px at the top (15% of 1920), 1920 − 1248 = 672 px at the bottom (35%), 48 px on the left and 1080 − 888 = 192 px on the right. The safe box is 888 − 48 = 840 px wide and 1248 − 288 = 960 px tall. That is the dashed box in the resizer and on the diagram.

Google publishes the template for video ads, where more buttons can appear than on an organic Short, so it may be stricter than you need. Content inside it should stay clear; test on your own phone before relying on space outside it.

Shorts thumbnails

YouTube's thumbnail page lists 2160 × 3840 (9:16) for Shorts with a minimum height of 640 px, as a JPG or PNG. Shorts thumbnails can currently be added only in YouTube Studio on a computer, where the limit is 50 MB, and YouTube says your account must be verified. For a vertical video with a 16:9 custom thumbnail, YouTube shows an automatic 4:5 thumbnail instead on the home, explore and subscription pages. Keep the subject centered.

For landscape videos, see the YouTube thumbnail size guide.

Worked example: reframing a 16:9 clip as a Short

A 16:9 upload stays long-form, so landscape footage has to be reframed to 9:16 before it can run as a Short. A centered 9:16 crop of a 1920 × 1080 frame keeps the full 1080 px height and 1080 × 9 ÷ 16 = 607.5, about 608 px, of width: under a third of the frame. To fill 1080 × 1920, that slice is enlarged by 1920 ÷ 1080 = 1.78, so it looks soft.

Shot in 4K (3840 × 2160), the same crop is 2160 × 9 ÷ 16 = 1215 px wide and 2160 px tall, which scales down to 1080 × 1920 with no enlarging. If you plan to cut Shorts from landscape footage, shoot 4K and keep the subject in the middle third of the frame. A square Short is also allowed, but it does not fill a vertical phone screen.

What we could not confirm

  • YouTube's creator help pages say a Short must be square or vertical and give a 1080p maximum, but they do not print 9:16 or 1080 × 1920. Those come from Google's ad help pages (written for video ads) and third-party guides.
  • YouTube publishes no safe zone for organic Shorts. Our box is measured from Google's vertical template for video ads, and the organic overlays change with app updates.
  • No official minimum size for Shorts video was found.
  • The MP4, H.264 and AAC-LC settings are YouTube's general recommended upload encoding settings, not a Shorts-specific requirement.
  • 1080 × 1080 for a square Short is our suggestion; YouTube gives the shape, not a pixel size.

YouTube Shorts size FAQ

What size is a YouTube Short?

1080 × 1920 pixels at 9:16, up to 3 minutes. YouTube requires a square or vertical shape and gives 1080p as the maximum; 9:16 is the vertical shape that fills a phone screen.

How long can a YouTube Short be?

Up to 3 minutes for videos uploaded on or after October 15, 2024, according to YouTube's help pages. Older guides say 60 seconds.

What is the maximum resolution for Shorts?

1080p, according to YouTube. A frame of 1080 × 1920 matches that.

Can a square video be a Short?

Yes. YouTube categorizes square or vertical videos up to 3 minutes as Shorts. A 16:9 or wider video stays long-form.

What size is a Shorts thumbnail?

2160 × 3840 at 9:16 with a minimum height of 640 px, as a JPG or PNG. It can currently be added only in YouTube Studio on a computer.

Where should captions go on a Short?

Inside the middle of the frame, away from the bottom third and the right-hand buttons. Google's vertical safe-zone template leaves an 840 × 960 px box on 1080 × 1920.

Can a Short longer than one minute use copyrighted music?

Be careful. YouTube says a Short over one minute with an active Content ID claim is blocked globally, so check the audio before you upload a Short longer than a minute.

Sources and dates

Published October 10, 2026 · Updated October 10, 2026 · Specs last verified October 10, 2026 by the AdFlint team. Platforms change sizes without notice; if a number here no longer matches the linked source, the source wins.

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