Social Story/Reel Validator
Check if your image fits the Social Story/Reel format exactly.
YouTube is no longer just about long-form widescreen videos. With the explosive growth of YouTube Shorts, the platform is challenging TikTok for dominance in the vertical video space.
For YouTubers, Shorts are a powerful way to gain subscribers quickly. However, the format is strictly vertical. Uploading a standard horizontal video as a Short often leads to poor performance and awkward cropping.
The Official Specs
- Dimensions: 1080 pixels (width) by 1920 pixels (height).
- Aspect Ratio: 9:16.
- Duration: 60 seconds or less (strictly enforced).
- Title Limit: 100 characters (but only about 40 are visible before truncation).
The “Shorts Shelf” Safe Zones
YouTube’s interface has specific “danger zones” you need to avoid when adding text or graphics:
The “Subscribe” Button:
Unlike TikTok, YouTube puts a large, red (or white) “Subscribe” button near the bottom of the screen. If you put your caption or call-to-action too low, this button will cover it completely.
The Right Sidebar:
The Like (Thumbs Up), Dislike (Thumbs Down), Comment, and Share buttons form a column on the bottom right. Avoid placing faces or key details in this strip.
Pro Tip: YouTube creates “Shorts” automatically from videos under 60 seconds with a square or vertical aspect ratio. However, 1080×1920 is the only size that fills the entire phone screen, maximizing engagement.
Why Aspect Ratio Matters
If you upload a square (1:1) video as a Short, YouTube fills the top and bottom with a black screen. This breaks immersion. To get on the “Shorts Shelf” (the dedicated recommendation engine), you should always stick to the native 9:16 vertical format.