YouTube Shorts Dimensions in 2025 - Everything You Need to Know

Ignoring the dimension requirements on any video platform is perhaps one of the worst things a creator can do. After all, nobody wants to end up with a clip that has been adjusted in the most unflattering way possible, right? 

In case your video is not performing well, one of the first things you should ask yourself is whether you have managed to nail the YouTube Shorts dimensions and requirements. If you get them right, your clip is more likely to receive higher engagement rates, so why not take advantage of that? 

Here is everything that you need to know to make your Shorts look more visually appealing on the platform. 

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What Are the Main YouTube Shorts Requirements?

It's important to remember that YouTube Shorts are designed with mobile viewing in mind. The fact that most users access the platform from mobile devices has a big impact on how the platform is technically designed.

Some of the key requirements include:

• Video duration: 15-60 seconds
• File size limit: 10MB
• Orientation: vertical

What Specifications Should You Choose?

The perfect specs for Shorts are:

• Resolution: 1080x1920 pixels (width and height)
• Aspect ratio: 9:16 (vertical format)

This resolution strikes the right chord between video quality and file size. You can be sure your content will look sharp on today's mobile devices, while staying within platform limits.

Why Does the Aspect Ratio Matter?

The 9:16 YouTube Shorts aspect ratio has become the gold standard for vertical video content for quite a few reasons:

1. It offers the best way to view content on your phone (you wouldn’t have to turn your smartphone to watch the video).
2. You'll get a full-screen display without any black bars.
3. The format is consistent with that of other platforms.
4. Thanks to the convenient format, YouTube Shorts now have one of the highest engagement rates (5.91%).
5. Finally, it’s the 9:16 aspect ratio that the platform’s algorithm prefers. 

Are There Any Alternative Format Options?

The Good Old Square Format (1:1)

While the Shorts format is mostly designed for vertical videos, you are allowed to upload square format videos with dimensions of 1080x1080 pixels. 

Such dimensions offer a few advantages:

• It's easier to repurpose from existing content.
• It works well for certain types of visual content.
• Such videos can be used across multiple platforms.

However, sometimes it’s worth spending some extra time creating a piece of content that would fit the platform’s dimensions perfectly. In the case of YouTube Shorts, square videos might not be the best option because: 

• Annoying black bars will appear above and below the video.
• The viewers won’t have an immersive viewing experience.
• Such videos might not perform as well in the algorithm.

YouTube Shorts Video Size: Width Limitations

Just a heads-up: YouTube Shorts has some pretty strict limitations on video width.

It is extremely important to keep the width at 1080p. If your clip turns out to be wider, the video will not qualify as a Short, and it will get uploaded as a regular YouTube video (this includes even videos that are only 60 seconds long). 

Let’s Take a Technical YouTube Shorts Specs Deep Dive

File Specifications

To get the best out of your YouTube Shorts, you'll want to make sure they're in line with these technical requirements:

• File format: MP4 or MOV
• Codec: H.264
• Frame rate: 24-60 fps
• Bit rate: 1-6 Mbps
• Audio: AAC or MP3

What Are ‘Safe Areas’?

There are a few other things that you should keep in mind when creating your YouTube Shorts. 

Ideally, you would want to keep the most important elements within the center of the YouTube Shorts frame size, within the ‘safe area’. This area is the exact place that will not get covered by the platform’s UI elements. 

Also, don’t forget about the correct placement of any text overlays and captions. Otherwise, you might end up covering your face or some essential information. 

Thumbnail and Cover Image Requirements

Thumbnail Dimensions

Thumbnails do not appear on the Shorts player, but that doesn’t mean that you should forget about them. The cover images will show up in The Shorts Tab on your YouTube channel, so you might want to make sure that everything looks nice together. Thankfully, now you can add custom thumbnails to your Shorts!

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So, here are the main specs to bear in mind:

• Resolution: 1080x1920 pixels
• Aspect ratio: 9:16
• File format: JPG, PNG, or GIF
• Maximum file size: 2MB

What Is the Best Way to Optimize the Dimensions for the Shorts Format?

1. Make sure you set up the camera settings correctly before you start shooting. If you’re creating a separate piece of content for your Shorts, shoot vertically. 
2. Use gridlines to help you get the composition just right. Remember to keep the most important stuff in the middle of the frame and consider headroom for text and captions.
3. Think about how people will view your content on mobile devices.
4. Preview your videos on a few different devices to make sure that everything’s perfect. 

Can Shorts Look Different Across Various Mobile Devices?

Unfortunately, even if you manage to nail all the specs, your video won’t look perfect on all the smartphones in the world.

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That is due to:

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• Screen size variations - some older or just smaller phones might slightly crop videos
• The resolution of the actual device
• Differences in the operating systems - iOS and Android versions of the app can have UI variations. For example, transitions and animations might have small differences

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Ideally, you would want to check how your video looks on different phones. But, let’s be honest, nobody has time for that. So, simply ensure that the most important elements of your clip are always kept close to the center of the screen and stick to the 9:16 aspect ratio. 

Creating Awesome YouTube Shorts Has Never Been This Easy!

Now that you know which ratio is best for YouTube Shorts, are you ready to make your YouTube Shorts creation process more efficient? 

With BigMotion, you get an AI-powered solution that takes care of all the technical stuff, including proper sizing and formatting. Our platform automatically generates perfectly formatted shorts with:

• Correct 9:16 YouTube Shorts ratio
• Optimal 1080x1920 resolution
• Auto-generated captions
• Professional AI voiceovers
• Royalty-free background music
• Built-in dimension optimization

Focus on your content while our AI handles the technical details!