What size should a YouTube Short be?

Recommended dimensions are 1080 × 1920 at 9:16. Resolution 1080p. Length up to 60 seconds. MP4 or MOV.

What is the YouTube Shorts aspect ratio?

9:16 vertical — a 1080 × 1920 frame that fills a phone. Landscape uploads display inside that frame.

What thumbnail size do YouTube Shorts use?

A custom thumbnail is 1280 × 720 at 16:9, under 2 MB. The Shorts player also uses a 9:16 frame from the video itself.

Are these live campaign figures?

These are planning specs. Soft numbers move; YouTube Studio is the final word.

How should a brand use this when briefing creators?

Hand the creator a 1080 × 1920, 9:16 frame. Delivery is still measured views.

Tools › Specs

YouTube Shorts size guide — dimensions, aspect ratio, resolution, thumbnail

Last changed 2026-09-15

One 1080 × 1920, 9:16 frame, plus the 1280 × 720 thumbnail.

Shorts video

9:16 vertical. Planning specs, re-check upload limits in the app.
Spec	Value
Dimensions	1080 × 1920 px
Aspect ratio	9:16
Resolution	1080p recommended; 720 × 1280 accepted
Length	Up to 60 seconds
Format	MP4 or MOV, H.264
Frame rate	24 to 60 fps

Thumbnail

16:9 (custom) or 9:16 frame grab. Planning specs, re-check upload limits in the app.
Spec	Value
Thumbnail size	1280 × 720 px, 16:9, under 2 MB
Shorts frame	The player also uses a 9:16 frame from the video
Safe crop	Keep the subject inside the centre; UI covers the edges
Format	JPG, PNG, GIF or BMP

Counted

Published 2026 field and pixel limits

Window

Current TikTok / Instagram published caps

Age

Re-check in the app before a launch

Method

Dimensions, 9:16, resolution, thumbnail size

Recommended 1080 × 1920 at 9:16, up to 60 seconds. Custom thumbnail 1280 × 720 at 16:9.

A missing or zero denominator is an em dash, never a fabricated zero.

FAQ

Questions this page answers

What size should a YouTube Short be?: Recommended dimensions are 1080 × 1920 at 9:16. Resolution 1080p. Length up to 60 seconds. MP4 or MOV.
What is the YouTube Shorts aspect ratio?: 9:16 vertical — a 1080 × 1920 frame that fills a phone. Landscape uploads display inside that frame.
What thumbnail size do YouTube Shorts use?: A custom thumbnail is 1280 × 720 at 16:9, under 2 MB. The Shorts player also uses a 9:16 frame from the video itself.
Are these live campaign figures?: These are planning specs. Soft numbers move; YouTube Studio is the final word.
How should a brand use this when briefing creators?: Hand the creator a 1080 × 1920, 9:16 frame. Delivery is still measured views.

Also

Other campaign tools

YouTube Shorts CPM calculator
Platform, spend, views and a benchmark — then paid ads, human UGC, and this plan.
YouTube Shorts engagement rate calculator
Shorts engagement over Shorts views, with the window named.
Best time to post on YouTube Shorts
Best times to post on YouTube Shorts — lunch and evening, not a guess.
All creator-campaign tools

Run it as a measured campaign

TrueWave operates human creator campaigns: scripts, measured views, spend and CPM. Write if you want that run for a brand.

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TrueWave

9:16 vertical. Planning specs, re-check upload limits in the app.

Spec

Value

Dimensions

1080 × 1920 px

Aspect ratio

9:16

Resolution

1080p recommended; 720 × 1280 accepted

Length

Up to 60 seconds

Format

MP4 or MOV, H.264

Frame rate

24 to 60 fps

16:9 (custom) or 9:16 frame grab. Planning specs, re-check upload limits in the app.

Spec

Value

Thumbnail size

1280 × 720 px, 16:9, under 2 MB

Shorts frame

The player also uses a 9:16 frame from the video

Safe crop

Keep the subject inside the centre; UI covers the edges

Format

JPG, PNG, GIF or BMP

Questions this page answers

What size should a YouTube Short be?: Recommended dimensions are 1080 × 1920 at 9:16. Resolution 1080p. Length up to 60 seconds. MP4 or MOV.
What is the YouTube Shorts aspect ratio?: 9:16 vertical — a 1080 × 1920 frame that fills a phone. Landscape uploads display inside that frame.
What thumbnail size do YouTube Shorts use?: A custom thumbnail is 1280 × 720 at 16:9, under 2 MB. The Shorts player also uses a 9:16 frame from the video itself.
Are these live campaign figures?: These are planning specs. Soft numbers move; YouTube Studio is the final word.
How should a brand use this when briefing creators?: Hand the creator a 1080 × 1920, 9:16 frame. Delivery is still measured views.

Other campaign tools

YouTube Shorts CPM calculator
Platform, spend, views and a benchmark — then paid ads, human UGC, and this plan.
YouTube Shorts engagement rate calculator
Shorts engagement over Shorts views, with the window named.
Best time to post on YouTube Shorts
Best times to post on YouTube Shorts — lunch and evening, not a guess.
All creator-campaign tools