YouTube currently categorizes eligible short videos uploaded on standard channels as Shorts when they use a square or vertical aspect ratio and are up to three minutes long. For a full-screen mobile style, creators commonly work in a 9:16 vertical canvas.
Choose vertical when the phone is the priority
A 1080 × 1920 canvas is a practical 9:16 workspace when you want the video to fill a portrait phone screen. Keep important text large enough to read without pausing or zooming.
You do not have to fill three minutes
The three-minute limit is a maximum, not a target. Use only the time the idea needs. A concise demonstration may work in seconds, while a mini tutorial or story may need longer.
Mobile-first checklist
- Square or vertical format for Shorts eligibility.
- Up to three minutes under the current standard-channel rules.
- Clear subject in the opening frames.
- Readable captions and uncluttered composition.
- Rights-cleared music, footage, and other protected material.
YouTube can update Shorts rules. Check the current YouTube Help documentation before relying on a duration or eligibility rule for production planning.