Shorts & Vertical Video
Shorts eligibility
Also called: what counts as a Short, Shorts requirements
Two things settle it: aspect ratio and length. A square or vertical video running three minutes or less is classified as a Short at upload, and YouTube makes that call rather than asking you. The three-minute ceiling arrived on 15 October 2024, replacing the old 60-second cap. Nothing else is required, and the #Shorts hashtag decides nothing either way. The classification is sticky, which catches people out: a 16:9 video will not become a Short by adding a hashtag, and a vertical two-minute upload will not stay out of the Shorts feed by request.