How to Upload YouTube Shorts on Mobile or Desktop

You can upload a YouTube Short from the YouTube mobile app or from YouTube Studio on a computer. Use a square or vertical video up to three minutes long, add its title and audience setting, and publish it as a Short. YouTube accepts Shorts at up to 1080p resolution.

Before You Upload a YouTube Short

Prepare these details before opening the upload screen:

• A square or vertical video. A 9:16, 1080x1920 video fills a vertical phone screen.
• A title of no more than 100 characters.
• The correct audience setting for whether the video is made for children.
• A privacy choice: public, private, or unlisted.
• Music or other material you have permission to use.

YouTube classifies eligible square or vertical uploads of up to three minutes as Shorts. For Shorts longer than one minute, an active Content ID claim can block the video globally, so check music rights before publishing.

How to Upload a YouTube Short on Mobile

1. Sign in to the YouTube app.
2. Tap Create, then choose Short.
3. Record with the Shorts camera or add a vertical video saved on your phone.
4. Use YouTube's editing screen to add permitted audio, text, filters, or other effects.
5. Tap Next, write a clear title, and choose the privacy and audience settings.
6. Select a frame from the video to use as the Short's thumbnail.
7. Tap Upload Short to publish, or save it as a draft.

Need help preparing the video first? Review how to make a YouTube Short and how to add music to YouTube Shorts.

How to Upload a YouTube Short from a Computer

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.
2. Select Create, then Upload videos.
3. Choose the square or vertical video file from your computer.
4. Add the title, audience setting, visibility, and any other required details.
5. Complete YouTube's checks and publish or schedule the video.

Uploading from a computer is useful when the final video already exists. The mobile app provides the dedicated Shorts camera and its creation tools.

Can You Upload a Custom Thumbnail for YouTube Shorts?

No. YouTube does not accept a separate custom-thumbnail image for a Short. You can select a frame from the uploaded video, and YouTube says that frame cannot be changed after upload.

If you want a designed frame, prepare it on a 1080x1920 Shorts frame canvas, add that frame to the video in your video editor, and select it during the YouTube upload. Do not try to upload the resulting image as a separate Shorts thumbnail.

Check the Short After Publishing

Open YouTube Studio and confirm that the video appears as a Short, that the selected frame is readable, and that captions and audio work as expected. If YouTube treats the upload as a long-form video, check that its aspect ratio and duration meet the current Shorts requirements.

Once the publishing workflow is reliable, use the YouTube Shorts posting-frequency guide to choose a cadence you can sustain without sacrificing quality.

For other channel graphics, use the YouTube image size guide. Official details can change, so check YouTube's Shorts creation guide, three-minute Shorts guidance, and thumbnail rules before publishing.