How to Resize Video for YouTube Shorts

Use 9:16 vertical at 1080 × 1920. Shorts also need to stay within the platform's short-form length limit, so keep clips brief.

For codec and container choices, see best video format for YouTube Shorts.

As with other vertical platforms, you can crop a wider video to fill the frame, or fit it with bars. Cropping looks more native; padding preserves everything. Choose based on where your important visuals sit.

1. Open the Video Resizer.
2. Select your file.
3. Pick the 9:16 (1080 × 1920) preset.
4. Process and download.

Shorts show a title, channel name, and buttons over the video. Keep your key content centered and away from the very bottom and right edge so overlays do not hide it.

Verify the output is 1080 × 1920 with the Metadata Checker, then upload. Our upload preparation guide covers final checks before publishing.

YouTube treats a video as a Short when it is vertical or square and falls within the short-form length limit. That means a strict 9:16 is ideal, but a 1:1 square or a 4:5 portrait clip can also qualify and will still appear in the Shorts feed. For the most full-screen, native look, stick with 9:16 at 1080 × 1920. Reserve square or 4:5 for cases where you are reusing a clip that was originally framed that way and you do not want to crop it further. Whatever shape you choose, the deciding factor for Shorts eligibility is that the video is not landscape and stays short, so resizing a wide clip to a vertical shape is the single most important step.

Repurposing a longer landscape upload into a Short is one of the most common workflows:

1. Identify a self-contained highlight that makes sense without the full context.
2. Trim that section out so you are only working with the part you will publish.
3. Resize the trimmed clip to 9:16 (1080 × 1920) using the Video Resizer, choosing crop-to-fill for a centered subject.
4. Reframe if needed so the action stays in the middle of the vertical canvas.
5. Add a punchy on-screen hook in the first second to stop the scroll.

If you plan to do this regularly, keeping a tidy folder of source clips helps; the short-form library guide covers a simple system.

Run through these checks so your Short looks its best in a feed dominated by sharp, full-screen clips:

• Dimensions are exactly 1080 × 1920, confirmed in the Metadata Checker.
• The subject is centered and clear of the title, channel name, and right-side buttons.
• The clip starts on a strong frame, since the first moment doubles as the preview.
• The file is MP4 with H.264 video for broad compatibility.
• Audio is present and at a sensible level, since many Shorts rely on sound or music.