Quick answer: YouTube Shorts length is the running time of a vertical or square video that YouTube treats as a Short, and the limit is 3 minutes for videos uploaded on or after October 15, 2024. Older uploads keep the previous 60-second cap. YouTube's Help page names no minimum, so choose the shortest length your idea needs.
Key facts
- YouTube's Help Center says Shorts can be up to 3 minutes long and are vertical videos.
- The 3-minute limit covers videos uploaded on or after October 15, 2024; earlier uploads stay under the previous 60-second rule.
- Since March 31, 2025, a Shorts view counts every time a Short starts or replays, with no minimum watch time, and the old metric is now called "engaged views".
- At a speaking rate of about 150 words a minute, 60 seconds holds roughly 150 words and 3 minutes holds roughly 450.
- YouTube publishes no official retention benchmark for Shorts, so any single "ideal" percentage you read is an estimate.
- Publiqa's Simple mode renders 30, 45 or 60 second vertical videos.
Short answer: the current YouTube Shorts length limit
YouTube Shorts length is capped at 3 minutes, and a Short has to be vertical or square to qualify. A 16:9 horizontal video of any length counts as a regular upload, even if it runs for 40 seconds.
That limit is the ceiling, not the target. A Short that needs 25 seconds should be 25 seconds long, and padding it to fill the allowance usually costs you viewers. Good YouTube Shorts length decisions start from the idea, not from the maximum.
YouTube Shorts maximum length 2026: 3 minutes
We checked the YouTube Help Center on October 22, 2026, and it still says up to 3 minutes. The 3-minute limit applies to videos uploaded on or after October 15, 2024, according to Engadget's report on the change. We found no announcement of a newer limit, but this is a number that has changed before, so recheck it each quarter.
Length history: how the limit changed and what counts as a Short
Shorts began as 15-second clips, moved to 60 seconds, and reached 3 minutes in October 2024. The timeline also covers the one metric change that affects how you read your numbers.
| Date | Change | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Launch | 15-second clips | The format began with very short clips |
| Later | 60-second cap | The long-standing rule for older uploads |
| Oct 15, 2024 | 3-minute maximum for new uploads | Tutorials and stories fit in one Short |
| Mar 31, 2025 | Views count on start or replay | Public view counts rose; "engaged views" kept the old measure |
Misreading the last row is easy. YouTube's Help page says the earlier metric now lives in YouTube Analytics as "engaged views", so compare numbers carefully across that date.
Is there a minimum length for YouTube Shorts?
YouTube's Help page states a maximum but no minimum. Third-party guides disagree: some say there is no minimum, others cite 15 seconds, which appears to come from the app's default recording length. We would not plan around a minimum, and we would not publish a two-second clip either.
Two rules decide whether an upload counts as a Short: it must be vertical or square, and it must sit within the length limit. A longer or horizontal video goes to the regular feed.
For frame sizes and safe margins, read our 9:16 aspect ratio guide.
Ideal YouTube Shorts length by goal
Our recommendation, built from how each format tends to work, is in the table below. It is not YouTube guidance.
| Goal | Suggested length | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Loop or visual gag | 8 to 20 seconds | The ending can feed back into the start |
| Single tip or hook | 20 to 35 seconds | One idea, no setup |
| Story or case study | 45 to 60 seconds | Room for a beginning, middle and payoff |
| Tutorial with steps | 60 to 120 seconds | Each step needs time to land |
| Explainer or recap | 120 to 180 seconds | Use only if viewers keep watching |
Treat the longer rows as experiments. A 3-minute Short competes with a regular video for attention, so it needs a stronger reason to exist.
Retention benchmarks: what does YouTube report and what do creators observe?
YouTube does not publish a target retention rate for Shorts. What it gives you is analytics: the share who viewed versus swiped away, and average viewing figures per Short. We recommend reading those on your own channel instead of chasing a number from a blog.
Two creator observations are useful, both unofficial. First, average percentage viewed can pass 100% on loops, because replays add to watch time. Second, creators often read a drop at the first second or two as a mismatch between the opening and the topic.
A practical benchmark is your own median. Pull the last 20 Shorts, record the average percentage viewed for each, and find the middle value. Then try to beat that number with one change at a time.
YouTube Shorts length vs. Reels vs. TikTok: a cheat sheet
Last verified: October 22, 2026. Only the first row comes from an official platform page.
| Platform | Standard maximum | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube Shorts | 3 minutes, vertical or square | YouTube Help, verified |
| Instagram Reels | Sources disagree; some report longer for some accounts | Third-party, confirm in the app |
| TikTok | 10 minutes recorded in the app; longer uploads reported for some accounts | Third-party, confirm in the app |
| Publiqa Simple mode | 30, 45 or 60 seconds | Publiqa documentation |
For TikTok detail, see how long a TikTok can be.
How to trim a script to fit a target length
Spoken English runs at about 150 words a minute, which is 2.5 words a second. That number is an estimate, so time yourself reading a paragraph aloud and adjust.
| Target length | Approximate word count |
|---|---|
| 15 seconds | 37 words |
| 30 seconds | 75 words |
| 45 seconds | 112 words |
| 60 seconds | 150 words |
| 90 seconds | 225 words |
| 3 minutes | 450 words |
Trim in this order: cut the introduction, then cut the second example, then replace any sentence over 20 words with two short ones. Read the result aloud against a timer. If the video is running over, delete a point instead of speeding up.
How Publiqa helps you hit a target length
Publiqa is an AI social media and cloud video studio that turns one idea, article or competitor link into content for 12 channels, YouTube Shorts included. It doesn't change what YouTube allows. It helps you build the video to a fixed length.
Here is a workflow. Paste an article into Campaign Studio and Publiqa extracts the core thesis and hooks. Choose a 30, 45 or 60 second length in Cloud Video Studio's Simple mode, and the voiceover-first timing fits the script to that length. Word-by-word captions and matched stock footage follow the voiceover. Those three lengths sit inside the old 60-second ceiling. Advanced mode limits aren't stated in the material we reviewed, so confirm them in the app if you need a 90-second cut.
Status note: outgoing webhooks and headless CMS integrations are live, while direct publishing to social networks is rolling out. See the documentation for current options. For the full production routine, read how to make YouTube Shorts. A 1080p render costs 15 credits.
Your YouTube Shorts length test for this week
Pick one idea and cut it twice: a 30-second version and a 60-second version, so you learn which YouTube Shorts length suits your viewers. Publish them on different days, then compare average percentage viewed and the viewed-versus-swiped-away split in YouTube Studio. Repeat with a new idea next week.
One test says little, but five give you a pattern for your own channel. When you are ready to build both cuts from one script, start free with 200 credits. No credit card required. Check plans for what each tier includes.
FAQ
How long can YouTube Shorts be?
Up to 3 minutes, as long as the video is vertical or square. That limit applies to videos uploaded on or after October 15, 2024. Older Shorts stay under the previous 60-second rule.
What is the maximum length of YouTube Shorts in 2026?
It is 3 minutes per YouTube's Help Center, checked on October 22, 2026. We found no announcement of a different limit this year, but confirm before a campaign.
Is there a minimum length for YouTube Shorts?
YouTube's Help page names no minimum length. Some guides cite 15 seconds, but that appears to be the app's default recording length. Make the video as long as the idea needs.
What is the best length for YouTube Shorts?
It depends on the goal. Loops do well at 8 to 20 seconds, single tips at 20 to 35, and stories at 45 to 60. These are our recommendations, so test them against your own analytics.