How long should YouTube Shorts be?
2 min read · Updated October 24, 2026
YouTube Shorts can be up to 3 minutes long. For most content, 20 to 45 seconds works best: long enough for one complete idea, short enough that people watch to the end and replay.
Make Shorts from long videos →The limits
- Maximum: 3 minutes, for vertical or square videos.
- There's no real minimum, but under ~10 seconds rarely tells a story.
- Vertical 9:16 (1080x1920) fills the phone screen.
What length works best
Shorts are judged a lot on how much of the video people watch and whether they replay it. A tight 25-second clip that people finish beats a 2-minute one they swipe away from halfway. Cut to one idea, start on the hook, end on the payoff. Stories and explainers can run longer if every second earns its place.
Does length matter for making money?
Shorts earn through YouTube's Partner Program revenue sharing; there's no minimum length to qualify. What matters is views and keeping viewers watching, so the best length is the one that holds attention for your content.
Questions
Yes, Shorts can be up to 3 minutes long.
20 to 45 seconds for most content; long enough for one complete idea, short enough to be watched to the end.
When you clip a video you choose how long the clips should be and how many you want.