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YouTube Shorts size and safe zones

The recommended frame size for Shorts, where YouTube's interface sits on top of it, and a preview you can test your own frame in.

Last checked November 2026

YouTube Shorts size at a glance

Last checked November 2026
Aspect ratio
9:16 vertical (recommended); square 1:1 also works
Resolution
1080 x 1920 pixels (recommended)
Good to know
Horizontal videos are treated as regular YouTube videos, not Shorts.
Covered by the app
  • Top bar: search and menu
  • Buttons: like, dislike, comment, share
  • Channel name, subscribe and title

Length and file size limits change often and differ by account, so check YouTube Shorts's own help center for those.

PNG, JPG or WebP. Results are instant.
Platform
  • Top bar: search and menu
  • Buttons: like, dislike, comment, share
  • Channel name, subscribe and title
Add an image to download it with the overlay.
Red areas: where YouTube's interface usually sits.

Free safe zone templates (transparent PNG, 1080 x 1920)

Drop one on top of your timeline in any editor as a guide layer, then hide it before you export.

How to use it

  1. Export or film at 1080 x 1920 pixels, 9:16 vertical.
  2. Take a screenshot of a frame with text on it and drop it into the preview above, set to Shorts.
  3. Move anything important out of the red areas, then download the overlay or a blank template for your editor.

Vertical or square, not horizontal

YouTube treats vertical (9:16) and square (1:1) uploads as Shorts. Horizontal uploads are treated as regular videos. Vertical at 1080 x 1920 is the recommended size because it fills the phone screen in the Shorts player.

If you post the same clip as a Short and a regular video, make two exports: a 9:16 Short and a 16:9 regular video. One horizontal file will not do both jobs well.

Where YouTube's interface covers your video

In our overlay, YouTube's interface covers the top 6% of the frame (top bar), a column on the right edge about 14% of the width wide, from 50% to 86% down the frame (the buttons), the bottom 18% of the frame (channel name, subscribe and title). Those are approximate areas that work across common phones; the exact spot moves a little between devices and app versions.

The safest place for hook text and captions is the middle band of the frame, a little above center and away from the right edge.

  • The channel name, subscribe button and title sit at the bottom, so keep captions above them.
  • Long titles take more lines at the bottom; a short title leaves more of your frame visible.
  • The like, dislike, comment and share buttons sit on the right; keep faces and text away from that edge.

Questions

What is the right size for YouTube Shorts?

1080 x 1920 pixels, 9:16 vertical, is the recommended size. Square 1:1 videos can also be Shorts.

Will a horizontal video become a Short?

No. Horizontal videos are treated as regular YouTube videos. Reframe to vertical if you want it in the Shorts feed.

How long can a Short be?

YouTube has changed the Shorts length limit before, so check YouTube's help center for the current rule. ViralAri checks short drafts up to 2 minutes.

Is my image uploaded?

No. Your image is not uploaded.

Does ViralAri keep captions out of these areas?

Yes. When you export a checked draft, captions and hook text are placed clear of each app's buttons, with a warning if they collide.

Check your actual draft before you post

Check any short in about a minute: Ari scores the opening, flags the moments most likely to lose viewers, suggests 3 fixes and writes 5 hooks from what you say. Got a podcast or stream? Clip finder finds the best moments in videos up to 15 minutes.

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