YouTubeOrganicVideoActive
YouTube Shorts · Organic
Last verified 15 Oct 2026
Check a file against this →Key facts
- Recommended size
- 1080 × 1920
BOfficial recommendation. Evidence details
- Source
- Understand three-minute YouTube Shorts
- How verified
- Read directly
- Verified
- 15 Oct 2026
Square or vertical; 9:16 recommended.
Open source ↗- Aspect ratio
- 9:16
BOfficial recommendation. Evidence details
- Source
- Understand three-minute YouTube Shorts
- How verified
- Read directly
- Verified
- 15 Oct 2026
Square or vertical; 9:16 recommended.
Open source ↗- Duration
- ≤ 180 s (3 min)
AOfficial requirement. Evidence details
- Source
- Understand three-minute YouTube Shorts
- How verified
- Read directly
- Verified
- 15 Oct 2026
Up to 3 minutes for uploads on or after 2024-10-15.
Open source ↗
All requirements
| Property | Rule | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | ≤ 180 s (3 min) | AOfficial requirement. Evidence details
Up to 3 minutes for uploads on or after 2024-10-15. Open source ↗ |
| File format | mp4 | BOfficial recommendation. Evidence details
MP4 recommended; no edit lists; moov at front. Open source ↗ |
| Property | Rule | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation | vertical, square | AOfficial requirement. Evidence details
Square or vertical aspect ratio is classified as a Short. Open source ↗ |
| Video codec | h264 | BOfficial recommendation. Evidence details
H.264 High Profile, progressive, CABAC, 4:2:0, VBR. Open source ↗ |
| Scan type | Progressive | BOfficial recommendation. Evidence details
Progressive scan. Open source ↗ |
Loudness
No official loudness target. About loudness standards
| Property | Rule | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Audio codec | aac, opus, eclipsa | BOfficial recommendation. Evidence details
AAC-LC, Opus or Eclipsa Audio recommended. Open source ↗ |
| Audio channels | 2, 6 | BOfficial recommendation. Evidence details
Stereo or 5.1. Open source ↗ |
| Sample rate | 48,000 Hz | BOfficial recommendation. Evidence details
48 kHz recommended. Open source ↗ |
| Audio bitrate | ≥ 384 kbps | BOfficial recommendation. Evidence details
Stereo 384 kbps recommended (mono 128, 5.1 512). Open source ↗ |
Notes and caveats
- Music-claim exception changed on 2025-12-08.
Sources
- Understand three-minute YouTube Shorts · GoogleRead directly · 15 Oct 2026
- YouTube recommended upload encoding settings · GoogleRead directly · 15 Oct 2026
- YouTube vertical video ads safe zone overlay (PNG, 1080x1920) · GoogleRead directly · 15 Oct 2026
- About video ad specs (Google Ads Help) · GoogleRead directly · 15 Oct 2026
Version history
- 15 Oct 2026 · 0.2.0Verified: official pages read directly; safe zones measured from official template files. Each item's verification field says which.
- 15 Oct 2026 · 0.1.0Initial research entry (not authoritative).