Asking how short a “short video” should be is like asking how long a piece of string is. However, companies are slowly pushing how long a “short” can be, with TikTok’s videos now spanning ten minutes. Now, YouTube seems to be the next media provider to stretch its definition of a “short video,” as the company will soon extend the Shorts video duration limit from one minute to three.
YouTube Shorts Is Getting a Duration Boost to Three Minutes
As announced on the YouTube Blog, the company is prepping some big changes to YouTube Shorts. The main spotlight feature is a boost in the length of videos you can upload:
Longer Shorts, more of you. Starting on October 15, you can upload Shorts up to 3 minutes long. This was a top requested feature by creators, so we’re excited to give you more flexibility to tell your story.
If you want to upload a three-minute video, YouTube states that the duration increase only works on videos that are “square or taller in aspect ratio.” Also, only videos uploaded on or after October 15th will be eligible for the three-minute duration increase, so hold off on uploading anything if you already have a good idea for a longer video.
YouTube Shorts Gets Even More Useful Updates
A duration boost isn’t the only thing YouTube has for fans of short videos. It seems that the media giant is taking more pages out of TikTok’s book by adopting a new template system. When you go to remix a YouTube Short, you’ll find a new “Use template” button that lets you use the Short’s audio and effects in your videos, much like how templates work on TikTok.
YouTube Shorts is also getting a Trends section on the mobile app that shows off what kind of content people are looking for. If you’re ever stuck for content, you can use the button at the top to quickly find new trends you can hop onto.
YouTube is also allowing people to add video clips to Shorts videos. The company states that it’s a great way for people to remix or adapt current content on the platform, but it may also become a valuable tool for content creators who want to cut down a longer video on their channel into smaller shareable Shorts.
