Can YouTube Shorts be longer than 60 seconds?

Yes. Since October 15, 2024, Shorts can be up to 3 minutes long, as long as the video is square or vertical.

What happens if my vertical video is 3 minutes and 5 seconds?

It is classified as a regular long-form video, not a Short, and it will not appear in the Shorts feed. Trim it to 3:00 or less.

Do I need #Shorts in the title?

No. YouTube classifies a Short by its length and aspect ratio. A hashtag does not turn a long or wide video into a Short.

Why was my 2 minute Short blocked?

Shorts over one minute with an active copyright claim of any type are blocked globally until the claim is resolved. Check the video in YouTube Studio for claims, usually on music.

Are old vertical videos between 1 and 3 minutes now Shorts?

No. Videos uploaded before October 15, 2024 keep their long-form classification.

Is a longer Short better for monetization?

Shorts revenue is shared by engaged views, not by length. A longer Short only helps if people actually watch it.

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Craft · 3 November 2026 · 5 min read · By Rostyslav Chonka

How long can YouTube Shorts be? The time limit explained

YouTube Shorts can be up to 3 minutes long if the video is square or vertical. What counts as a Short, the copyright catch past 1 minute and how long to aim for.

Short answer: a YouTube Short can be up to 3 minutes long. Since October 15, 2024, any video with a square or vertical aspect ratio that is three minutes or shorter is classified as a Short. If it is longer than three minutes, or wider than square, it is a regular YouTube video.

Until that change the limit was 60 seconds, and a lot of advice online still says so. YouTube's Help Center now states the 3 minute limit for both uploads and the Shorts camera in the app. There are a few catches, though, and the maximum is rarely the length you should aim for.

What is the YouTube Shorts time limit?

Maximum length: 3 minutes.
Aspect ratio: square or vertical. Vertical 9:16 fills the phone screen and is what most Shorts use.
Upload date: videos uploaded on or after October 15, 2024 can be Shorts at up to 3 minutes. Older uploads between 1 and 3 minutes stay long-form videos.
Official Artist Channels have a later date: uploads on or after December 8, 2025.

If you want a vertical video to stay a long video instead, YouTube's advice is to use a wider format, such as 16:9.

What counts as a YouTube Short?

YouTube decides by two things: length and shape. A video that is 3 minutes or shorter and square or vertical becomes a Short whether you upload it from the app or from YouTube Studio on a computer. You do not need the #Shorts hashtag for that. If a video you meant as a Short shows up as a regular video, check these two numbers first. A few extra frames at the end that push it to 3:01 is a common reason.

Is there a catch with Shorts longer than 1 minute?

Yes, and it matters if you use music or clips. YouTube blocks any Short over one minute with an active copyright claim of any type, globally. Blocked Shorts cannot be played, recommended or monetized until the claim is resolved. Shorts of one minute or less are not subject to this rule.

Music from the Shorts audio library can be used for up to 90 seconds of a Short for most songs, and some tracks are limited to 60 or 30 seconds.
Royalty-free tracks from the YouTube Audio Library do not trigger Content ID claims.
Music you add in an outside editor is the usual source of surprise claims. If your Short is over a minute, use library audio or your own.

How long should a YouTube Short be?

As long as the idea needs and not a second more. There is no length that YouTube rewards on its own. What matters is whether people keep watching, and every extra second is one more chance to lose them. A good test: if you can cut a sentence and the video still makes sense, cut it.

From what we see when studying Shorts that beat their channel's usual views, length tends to follow the format. This is a judgement, not a measured rule.

Rough guide by format (judgement, not data)

One tip, one reaction, one joke: Often well under 30 seconds
A list of three, a quick before and after: Often 30 to 60 seconds
A short tutorial or a recipe: Often around a minute, sometimes more
A story with a setup and a payoff: Can earn 1 to 3 minutes if every beat moves

How do I decide the length for my next Short?

1Write the first and last line firstThe opening makes a promise, the last line pays it off. Everything in between has to earn its place.
2List the beatsWrite one line per beat. Three to five beats fit most Shorts. If you have nine, you may have two videos.
3Film and cut hardRemove the pause before your first word, repeated points and the goodbye. A first cut almost always has more to lose than you expect.
4Watch it once at full speedIf you feel the urge to skip anywhere, a viewer will swipe there.
5Compare with your own medianAfter a few days, check retention and views against the median of your last 20 Shorts. If longer ones keep losing people in the middle, go shorter.

The opening counts more than the length. A 90 second Short with a sharp first line can hold better than a 20 second one that starts with "hey guys". Our post on the first 3 seconds shows how to build an opening in three layers. And if you want a quick read before posting, the free check gives the opening a score and three reasons from your link or video file.

Questions

Can YouTube Shorts be longer than 60 seconds?: Yes. Since October 15, 2024, Shorts can be up to 3 minutes long, as long as the video is square or vertical.
What happens if my vertical video is 3 minutes and 5 seconds?: It is classified as a regular long-form video, not a Short, and it will not appear in the Shorts feed. Trim it to 3:00 or less.
Do I need #Shorts in the title?: No. YouTube classifies a Short by its length and aspect ratio. A hashtag does not turn a long or wide video into a Short.
Why was my 2 minute Short blocked?: Shorts over one minute with an active copyright claim of any type are blocked globally until the claim is resolved. Check the video in YouTube Studio for claims, usually on music.
Are old vertical videos between 1 and 3 minutes now Shorts?: No. Videos uploaded before October 15, 2024 keep their long-form classification.
Is a longer Short better for monetization?: Shorts revenue is shared by engaged views, not by length. A longer Short only helps if people actually watch it.