# How to make YouTube Shorts in 2026: steps, length and what gets views

Ana Ibáñez Lario · Published 7 Oct 2026 · Learning

_How to make YouTube Shorts, checked against YouTube's own help pages on 7 October 2026: the steps on a phone and a computer, the 3-minute limit, a free route, an AI route and what our data says gets views._

## The short answer

- In the YouTube app, tap Create, then Short, record, add music and effects, tap Done, then Next, add a title of up to 100 characters and tap Upload Short.
- A Short can be up to 3 minutes. YouTube says Shorts are square or vertical, for uploads from 15 October 2024.
- On a computer, you can upload a vertical video as a Short. YouTube says you can upload vertical videos saved to your computer.
- In our study, hooks written on screen drew 1.79 times the usual views, and opening on a real place drew 2.28 times. We have not studied Shorts directly.
- Postdom makes short-form videos from your website and schedules approved ones to YouTube Shorts. The AI label is on by default for YouTube.

How to make YouTube Shorts: in the YouTube app, tap Create, then Short, hold the capture button to record, add music or effects, tap Done, then Next, add a title of up to 100 characters and tap Upload Short. A Short can run up to 3 minutes. You can also upload a vertical video from your computer.

**Last checked: 7 October 2026.** We checked these steps and limits against YouTube's help pages on creating Shorts and on Shorts length and shape. Button names change by app version, so look for the same step if a label differs.

## How to make YouTube Shorts in 7 steps

1. **Sign in to the YouTube app** with the channel you want the Short on.
2. **Tap Create, then Short.**
3. **Record.** Hold or tap the capture button to record, and tap again to stop. YouTube's help page says you can reach up to 3 minutes with the multi-segment camera.
4. **Add sound and effects.** Add music, filters and effects. Use Undo and Redo to manage clips.
5. **Tap Done** to preview the Short and add more effects.
6. **Tap Next.** Add a title of up to 100 characters, choose the privacy setting and say whether it is made for kids.
7. **Tap Upload Short** to publish it.

Put the hook first. The opening seconds decide whether people keep watching, and the section on what gets views below has the numbers we have.

## How to make YouTube Shorts on PC

You do not need a phone. YouTube's help page says you can upload vertical videos saved to your computer or smartphone as Shorts. On a computer, select Create at the top of YouTube, choose Upload videos and pick the file. YouTube decides whether a video counts as a Short from its shape and length.

YouTube's rule for standard channels, for uploads from 15 October 2024, is that a Short is square or vertical and up to 3 minutes long. So film or export in 9:16, keep it under 3 minutes and check the file with our [video spec checker](/tools/video-spec-checker) if you are unsure. Our [YouTube Shorts length and requirements](/platforms/youtube-shorts/length-and-requirements) page keeps the full list.

## How long can a YouTube Short be?

Up to 3 minutes. YouTube's rule applies to square or vertical videos uploaded on or after 15 October 2024. Length alone does not decide whether YouTube treats a video as a Short, because shape matters too. Longer is not better by default. In our data on TikTok and Reels, no length from under 10 seconds to over 90 was reliably better for views.

## How to make YouTube Shorts for free

Making a Short in the YouTube app costs nothing. The camera, music library, effects and upload are all inside the app, and uploading from a computer is free too.

If you want someone else to make the videos, Postdom's Free plan makes 1 post a month from your website on 2 accounts on any platform, with no card. Free posts carry a small Postdom watermark, and paid plans can turn it off in settings.

## How to make YouTube Shorts with AI

[Postdom](/) reads your website and makes short-form videos in your brand: text over stock footage, your own clips or your website's photos, with music, voiceover and captions. You approve, edit or reject each video. Approved videos are scheduled to YouTube Shorts, and the same video can go to TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

The AI label is on by default for YouTube posts, and Postdom says so plainly. Postdom does not promise views. For more on the tools, read our guide to [how to make AI videos](/blog/how-to-make-ai-videos).

## What gets views on short videos, from our data

We have not studied YouTube Shorts directly. Our study of 1,272 TikToks and Instagram Reels from 160 accounts compared each video with the same account's usual views, and these patterns are a useful starting point for any vertical feed:

- Hooks written on screen as text drew 1.79 times the usual views. Spoken-only hooks drew 0.62 times.
- Opening on a real place drew 2.28 times. Opening on a product close-up drew 0.56 times.
- Cutting 10 to 25 times a minute drew 1.53 times. One take with no cuts drew 0.69 times.
- List videos drew 2.12 times the usual views.
- Ending on a quick recap drew 1.52 times. Ending with "let me know below" drew 0.61 times.

These are correlations from a sample that included each account's best and worst videos, so trust the direction more than the size. Our full write-up is [what makes a short video go viral](/blog/what-makes-a-short-video-go-viral). Videos built as a block of text did worse, and our study of [wall-of-text videos](/blog/wall-of-text-videos-tiktok-fewer-views) found 27% fewer views on TikTok.

## How YouTube counts Shorts views

YouTube's help page says that from 31 March 2025 it counts a Shorts view when a Short starts to play or replay, with no minimum watch time. It keeps engaged views as a separate metric in analytics. Your pay from Shorts follows engaged views, so make the video worth watching to the end. Our guide to [how to make money on YouTube Shorts](/blog/how-to-make-money-on-youtube-shorts) has the rules and the real pay.

## How to post YouTube Shorts every week with Postdom

Making one Short is easy. Making them every week is the hard part. You can schedule uploads in YouTube, and our guide to [how to schedule YouTube Shorts](/guides/how-to-schedule-youtube-shorts) has the steps. Postdom does the making and the scheduling: approved videos go out at 9am and 7pm in your time zone, up to 2 a day per account, with nothing between 10pm and 7am. By default nothing posts until you approve it.

## What to avoid

- A wide video. YouTube's rule is square or vertical.
- Going over 3 minutes.
- Reposting other people's videos. YouTube's policies can remove monetization from a whole channel for reused content, as our money guide explains.
- A video that is one block of text. It drew 27% fewer views on TikTok.
- Opening on a product close-up. It drew 0.56 times the usual views.
- Ending on "let me know below". It drew 0.61 times.

> **Make Shorts without filming**
>
> Postdom reads your website and makes short-form videos in your brand, then schedules the ones you approve to YouTube Shorts and your other accounts. By default nothing goes out until you approve it. The Free plan is $0, with 1 post a month on 2 accounts on any platform and no card. Free posts carry a small Postdom watermark, which paid plans can turn off.
>
> [Start free](https://app.postdom.com/signup)

## FAQ

**How do I make a YouTube Short on my phone?**

In the YouTube app, tap Create, then Short. Hold or tap the capture button to record, add music and effects, tap Done, then Next. Add a title of up to 100 characters, set privacy and the audience, then tap Upload Short.

**Can I make YouTube Shorts on my computer?**

Yes. YouTube's help page says you can upload vertical videos saved to your computer as Shorts. Film or export the video in 9:16 and keep it under 3 minutes.

**How long can a YouTube Short be?**

Up to 3 minutes for square or vertical videos uploaded on or after 15 October 2024, according to YouTube's help page.

**Is it free to make YouTube Shorts?**

Making and uploading Shorts in YouTube is free. Postdom's Free plan is also $0, with 1 post a month on 2 accounts on any platform, no card and a small Postdom watermark.

**Can AI make YouTube Shorts?**

Yes. Postdom reads your website and makes short-form videos in your brand that you approve before they post. The AI label is on by default for YouTube.

**How do I get more views on Shorts?**

We have not studied Shorts directly. In our study of TikToks and Reels, on-screen hooks drew 1.79 times the usual views, a real-place opening 2.28 times, fast cuts 1.53 times and a recap ending 1.52 times. Test them on your channel.

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Canonical: https://postdom.com/blog/how-to-make-youtube-shorts