Unlocking the Full Potential of Your YouTube Channel with Right Video Settings

YouTube Video Dimensions/Size: Guide for Upload Settings

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Every social media offers a distinct range of dimensions and settings for their publication. So does YouTube.

It’s acutely important to be aware of your setting choices and choosing the right video, thumbnail and screen dimensions of a YouTube video to elevate the user experience.

Merely watching the videos on YouTube is much easier but being able to upload a video there using the right size matters a lot more than one thinks of.

But how can one master it all by himself? Here we are to guide you all along the way! So sit back and relax and enjoy your first-rated content!

You will Learn :

• The right YouTube video size for you
• Important guidelines for YouTube Video dimensions
• What’s the best YouTube video size for you?
• What is the right aspect ratio for YouTube videos
• The correct video image and YouTube screen size
• FAQs about Youtube upload settings
• Basic terminologies that you should know

The Best Video Editor for Successful YouTubers - Wondershare Filmora

As a easy-to-use video editor, Filmora is really perfect for successful YouTubers. Filmora not only allows you to cut, crop, rotate, reverse videos, but also offers your advanced features like PIP, Green Screen, or audio mixing. What’s more, you can find lots of effects for Fashion, gaming, education, tutorial, sports, etc.

Check below video to know more and download now to have a try for free.

The right YouTube video size for you

Resolution	Equivalent Name	Quality
3840×2160	2160p	4K
2560×1440	1440p	2K
1920×1080	1080p	Highest YouTube HD video resolution
1280×720	720p	Least YouTube HD video resolution
854×480	480p	Standard definition
640×360	360p	Conventional website resolution
426×240	240p	Least YouTube video size available

Important guidelines for YouTube Video dimensions

Maximum acceptable size of a YouTube video	426 x 420p
Minimum acceptable size of a YouTube video	3840 x 2160p
The right aspect ratio of a YouTube video	16:9
Maximum size of a YouTube file	128GB
The maximum length of a YouTube video	12 hours
Compatible YouTube video formats	avi mov mp4 (best video format for YouTube) 3GPP webM flv mpeg mpegps wmv

In order to grasp all of the aforementioned configurations thoroughly, a pictorial depiction is a must. So here it is to give you a vivid vision.

Image from learn.g2

What’s the best YouTube video size for you?

It is recommended by professionals to use the YouTube video dimensions 1080p, or 1920 x 1080.

These ones are the ideal because it will not only facilitate the video with a professional and elite look but also consumes relatively much less data. Moreover, if you use a phone for recording your videos then using the quality higher than the ones mentioned above will cost you with ample memory.

If you are a newbie to the world of YouTube and want to up the device’s storage game then 720p would still do wonders.

What is the video aspect ratio?

This term refers to the proportion of your video. In other words, the video aspect ratio can be defined as the width or breadth (of an image or screen) with respect to its height. Such a ratio can be expressed or represented in the form of “width x height.

That means an aspect ratio of 4x3 refers to an image that is 4 unit wide and 3 units high. Similarly, it can also be expressed with a colon in between the units such as 4:3 or 16:9.

The aspect ratio of a video merely refers to the relationship among the width and height respectively and not the actual physical size of the image.

The most common aspect ratios used in the video are depicted below for sound understanding:

Image from learn.g2

The aspect ratio is the proportion of your video. This image displays the three most common aspect ratios.

Aspect ratio refers to the ratio of height and width although dimensions refer to two separate measurements of height and width rather than a ratio with “pixel” as its unit.

Standard aspect ratios

Below are the most common aspect ratios used for the video. There may be certain amendments to the ones mentioned below but the following formats are used mostly by the film and video makers.

Let’s review the quick breakdown of the available aspect ratio options that you can opt accordingly:

Aspect ratio	Application
1:1 or 1x1	This aspect ratio will mostly be seen in the Instagram video. This 1:1 ratio gives a video a perfect square shape.
4:3 or 4x3	This aspect ratio was mostly seen few ages ago in almost the amidst 20th century on the TV. This was used to be a standard television format back then. So if you are a 90’s kid or an adult then you must be familiar with this format while watching your favorite old schooled sitcoms!
16:9 or 16x9	The format was enhanced to 16:9 aspect ratio for more HD quality and better viewing experience. This format is widely being used in televisions, theatres, DVD or high definition professional videos.
21:9 or 21x9	For more than merely an HD video quality and astonishing user experience, the formats have been upgraded to 21:9 aspect ratio. This is dominantly being used in the cinema for movie theatre releases.

The right aspect ratio for YouTube videos

YouTube recommends using an aspect ratio of 16:9 according to the video player that YouTube uses. You are also given an option to upload your videos vertically but this will amend the aspect ratio respectively.

When you upload a video with an aspect ratio other than the one mention formerly then YouTube will automatically place the black bars on the sides. This is done to display the best quality video with the right resolution otherwise it will be displayed as distorted or cropped.

A vertical ratio with may be 4:3 video aspect ratio will be displayed like the image given below:

Image from learn.g2

The correct video image and YouTube screen size

Videos are undoubtedly the most important asset of YouTube but we cannot ignore the significance of the optimal images there! Using the right channel images will enhance the user experience and will ultimately level up your game!

The appealing and attractive cover photos, banners, thumbnails, channel icons possess equal importance as the video itself.

So don’t forget to tune your images! Just grab a cup of coffee and see how your views increase exponentially by this simple yet most important change!

Just skim through the checklist given below and you will be ready to nail it!

1. Perfect size for your YouTube profile photo

The profile photo of YouTube, often called a YouTube channel icon, is preferably a facial picture when is run by an individual and a respective logo if run by a brand or a business.

The suggested YouTube screen size of your YouTube profile picture or channel icon is 800 x800 pixels.

Image from metricool

2. Perfect size for your YouTube thumbnail photo

What is YouTube thumbnail?

A thumbnail photo is the picture of one of the frames of your video that you select to let the viewers see the quick glace or snapshot of your video while they browse YouTube.

You can choose any of the snapshots, technically known as a thumbnail, right after uploading your video on your channel. Either you can let YouTube choose any thumbnail or you choose your own.

Why is it important?

Choosing the appropriate thumbnail is one of the most important factors you cannot neglect. In order to gain views the most on your videos, a wise selection of a perfect YouTube video thumbnail dimensions will attract the viewers. Hence this will can uplift your views to a drastic extent.

A quick tip for the perfect YouTube thumbnail

Take a look at the popular you tubers and see what strategies they use when uploading their thumbnails. Usually, the video content is not as appealing as the thumbnail itself. That’s what you need to understand! Just see by yourself how large text and striking images will do wonders!

YouTube video thumbnail dimension for a perfect thumbnail image

The preferred YouTube screen size of your thumbnail image is 1280 x 720 pixels.

Similar to the YouTube video, the aspect ratio of your thumbnail is 16:9.

For even more clear understanding, look into this illustration:

Image from learn.g2

3. Perfect size for your YouTube banner

YouTube offers two main areas for image display of your channel. One is an icon image while other is what YouTube calls “Channel Art”. This is the same as Facebook’s cover photo. People often call it “YouTube banner”. It is a header image displayed at the top of your channel.

For each kind of display (mobile, desktop, and TV), channel art (or banner) dimension changes accordingly.

Either your cover photo or your YouTube banner is displayed at the top of the channel so it’s highly significant to consider what you are depicting about your channel through these images.

Hence, this being said or realized, selecting the appropriate banner resolution should be among your topmost priorities.

The recommended banner dimensions of a YouTube video as suggested by YouTube are 2560 x 1440 pixels. But the dimensions may slightly vary with the variation in the devices being used by the users.

Displays	Banner image Dimensions
Video display	2560 x 1440 pixels
Desktop display	2560 x 423 pixels
Tablet display	1855 x 423 pixels
Television	2560 x 1440 pixels

For a thorough understanding, refer to the image below:

Image from learn.g2

The right cover photo size on TV

The image displayed when accessing YouTube from TV will appear and be uploaded full or maximized. So a wise image size must be opted. So the accurate resolution would be 2560 x 1440 pixels which will cover the entire background of your channel.

The right cover photo size on desktop displays

The image size may vary to some extent as per the browser you are accessing with or the desktop itself. But generally, the suggested cover photo size for desktop displays is 2560 x 423 pixels.

The right cover photo size on Tablet displays

As per the recommendation for uploading the image while specifically considering the table display is 1855 x 423 pixels. This will cover the area appropriately.

FAQs about Youtube upload settings

What is the maximum YouTube upload limit of size?

The allowed maximum video file size for uploading is 128GB at present.

What is the maximum YouTube upload limit of length?

The allowed maximum video length today for uploading is 12 hours.

How the default upload setting is reset on YouTube?

Step 1: Sign In to your YouTube account using a browser.

Step 2: By clicking your profile icon on the top right corner of the pane, you’ll see the YouTube Studio option. Click on it.

Step 3: Go on settings option where a pop-up window will appear.

Step 4: Look for upload defaults and change the configurations on 2 tabs.

Step 5: Click on save button.

How is YouTube video uploaded using the mobile application?

Step 1: Sign in to your YouTube channel using your mobile phone.

Step 2: Tap on the video camera icon to upload a video. Grant access to your photo gallery and camera is asked by the app while uploading for the first time.

Step 3: You may “Go Live” or simply drag an already made video file to upload.

Step 4: Click “Next”.

Step 5: Enter the video name, select visibility level and then click upload.

How is YouTube video uploaded using a web browser?

Step 1: Sign in to your YouTube account in a web browser.

Step 2: Click on the video icon appearing on the top of the pane.

Step 3: Click on upload video in the drop-down.

Step 4: You will be redirected to the video upload page. Click “public” under “Select files to upload” option and choose visibility level (public, private or scheduled).

Step 5: Click on a large arrow for video file selection or simply drag the file onto the page.

Step 6: You may enter miscellaneous information related to the video while the video is being uploaded.

Step 7: Click on publish and you are done!

Read More to Get : Best Video Websites Like YouTube >>

Basic terminologies that you should know

Video Format

A file format is a way that is standard for the storage of information in the encoded form within the computer file. It entails how exactly the bits are used while encoding the information in a digital storage medium.

So, a video file format is basically a type of file format in order to store the digital data of a video in the computer system. Mostly, video is often stored using the lossy compression in order to reduce the file size.

Frame Rate

“Frame rate” essentially entails the frequency (rate) at which the simultaneous images display on the screen. These images or called “frames”. Frame rate is expressed in “frames per second or FPS”. The unit or term is applicable for film, cameras, motion capture, video, and computer graphics. This is also known as “frame frequency”, expressed in the unit “hertz”

Resolution

Resolution is a measure to entail the clarity and sharpness of an image and most often used as a metric to judge the quality of cameras, monitors, printers, etc.

It basically refers to the number of different pixels in each dimension which can be viewed in any display device.

File Size

File size refers to the space that a file occupies in a storage medium, like hard drive or USB. The measure of file sizes can be expressed in bytes (B), kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB), gigabytes (GB), terabytes (TB), and so on.

As shown in the picture below, the files listed in the Windows Explorer assorted as per the file with the largest size first. The file with the name “family-safety.jpg” occupies the largest size of 47 KB and the smallest one with 32 KB size.

Codec

Codec is a device or maybe a computer program that is used to encode or decode a stream of digital data or signal. A codec is a short form of “coder-decoder”.

The basic function of a coder is to encode the stream of data or signal for storage or transmission, usually in an encrypted form.

While, a decoder decodes the encoded (possibly encrypted) data, which is merely a reverse process of a coder. The application of codec are in streaming media, videoconferencing, and video editing applications.

Aspect ratio:

This term refers to the proportion of your video. In other words, the video aspect ratio can be defined as the width or breadth (of an image or screen) with respect to its height. Such a ratio can be expressed or represented in the form of “width x height.

That means an aspect ratio of 4x3 refers to an image that is 4 units wide and 3 units high. Similarly, it can also be expressed with a colon in between the units such as 4:3 or 16:9.

Need a YouTube support?

If you need any support, guidance or may face any queries related to anything regarding your YouTube channel, here’s the link of YouTube support .

Final Verdict

Hopefully, with this detailed guide, you are now ready to make a wise decision regarding customizing your videos and channel as per viewers likeliness. So get ready to see your channel grow drastically!

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Every social media offers a distinct range of dimensions and settings for their publication. So does YouTube.

It’s acutely important to be aware of your setting choices and choosing the right video, thumbnail and screen dimensions of a YouTube video to elevate the user experience.

Merely watching the videos on YouTube is much easier but being able to upload a video there using the right size matters a lot more than one thinks of.

But how can one master it all by himself? Here we are to guide you all along the way! So sit back and relax and enjoy your first-rated content!

You will Learn :

• The right YouTube video size for you
• Important guidelines for YouTube Video dimensions
• What’s the best YouTube video size for you?
• What is the right aspect ratio for YouTube videos
• The correct video image and YouTube screen size
• FAQs about Youtube upload settings
• Basic terminologies that you should know

The Best Video Editor for Successful YouTubers - Wondershare Filmora

As a easy-to-use video editor, Filmora is really perfect for successful YouTubers. Filmora not only allows you to cut, crop, rotate, reverse videos, but also offers your advanced features like PIP, Green Screen, or audio mixing. What’s more, you can find lots of effects for Fashion, gaming, education, tutorial, sports, etc.

Check below video to know more and download now to have a try for free.

The right YouTube video size for you

Resolution	Equivalent Name	Quality
3840×2160	2160p	4K
2560×1440	1440p	2K
1920×1080	1080p	Highest YouTube HD video resolution
1280×720	720p	Least YouTube HD video resolution
854×480	480p	Standard definition
640×360	360p	Conventional website resolution
426×240	240p	Least YouTube video size available

Important guidelines for YouTube Video dimensions

Maximum acceptable size of a YouTube video	426 x 420p
Minimum acceptable size of a YouTube video	3840 x 2160p
The right aspect ratio of a YouTube video	16:9
Maximum size of a YouTube file	128GB
The maximum length of a YouTube video	12 hours
Compatible YouTube video formats	avi mov mp4 (best video format for YouTube) 3GPP webM flv mpeg mpegps wmv

In order to grasp all of the aforementioned configurations thoroughly, a pictorial depiction is a must. So here it is to give you a vivid vision.

Image from learn.g2

What’s the best YouTube video size for you?

It is recommended by professionals to use the YouTube video dimensions 1080p, or 1920 x 1080.

These ones are the ideal because it will not only facilitate the video with a professional and elite look but also consumes relatively much less data. Moreover, if you use a phone for recording your videos then using the quality higher than the ones mentioned above will cost you with ample memory.

If you are a newbie to the world of YouTube and want to up the device’s storage game then 720p would still do wonders.

What is the video aspect ratio?

This term refers to the proportion of your video. In other words, the video aspect ratio can be defined as the width or breadth (of an image or screen) with respect to its height. Such a ratio can be expressed or represented in the form of “width x height.

That means an aspect ratio of 4x3 refers to an image that is 4 unit wide and 3 units high. Similarly, it can also be expressed with a colon in between the units such as 4:3 or 16:9.

The aspect ratio of a video merely refers to the relationship among the width and height respectively and not the actual physical size of the image.

The most common aspect ratios used in the video are depicted below for sound understanding:

Image from learn.g2

The aspect ratio is the proportion of your video. This image displays the three most common aspect ratios.

Aspect ratio refers to the ratio of height and width although dimensions refer to two separate measurements of height and width rather than a ratio with “pixel” as its unit.

Standard aspect ratios

Below are the most common aspect ratios used for the video. There may be certain amendments to the ones mentioned below but the following formats are used mostly by the film and video makers.

Let’s review the quick breakdown of the available aspect ratio options that you can opt accordingly:

Aspect ratio	Application
1:1 or 1x1	This aspect ratio will mostly be seen in the Instagram video. This 1:1 ratio gives a video a perfect square shape.
4:3 or 4x3	This aspect ratio was mostly seen few ages ago in almost the amidst 20th century on the TV. This was used to be a standard television format back then. So if you are a 90’s kid or an adult then you must be familiar with this format while watching your favorite old schooled sitcoms!
16:9 or 16x9	The format was enhanced to 16:9 aspect ratio for more HD quality and better viewing experience. This format is widely being used in televisions, theatres, DVD or high definition professional videos.
21:9 or 21x9	For more than merely an HD video quality and astonishing user experience, the formats have been upgraded to 21:9 aspect ratio. This is dominantly being used in the cinema for movie theatre releases.

The right aspect ratio for YouTube videos

YouTube recommends using an aspect ratio of 16:9 according to the video player that YouTube uses. You are also given an option to upload your videos vertically but this will amend the aspect ratio respectively.

When you upload a video with an aspect ratio other than the one mention formerly then YouTube will automatically place the black bars on the sides. This is done to display the best quality video with the right resolution otherwise it will be displayed as distorted or cropped.

A vertical ratio with may be 4:3 video aspect ratio will be displayed like the image given below:

Image from learn.g2

The correct video image and YouTube screen size

Videos are undoubtedly the most important asset of YouTube but we cannot ignore the significance of the optimal images there! Using the right channel images will enhance the user experience and will ultimately level up your game!

The appealing and attractive cover photos, banners, thumbnails, channel icons possess equal importance as the video itself.

So don’t forget to tune your images! Just grab a cup of coffee and see how your views increase exponentially by this simple yet most important change!

Just skim through the checklist given below and you will be ready to nail it!

1. Perfect size for your YouTube profile photo

The profile photo of YouTube, often called a YouTube channel icon, is preferably a facial picture when is run by an individual and a respective logo if run by a brand or a business.

The suggested YouTube screen size of your YouTube profile picture or channel icon is 800 x800 pixels.

Image from metricool

2. Perfect size for your YouTube thumbnail photo

What is YouTube thumbnail?

A thumbnail photo is the picture of one of the frames of your video that you select to let the viewers see the quick glace or snapshot of your video while they browse YouTube.

You can choose any of the snapshots, technically known as a thumbnail, right after uploading your video on your channel. Either you can let YouTube choose any thumbnail or you choose your own.

Why is it important?

Choosing the appropriate thumbnail is one of the most important factors you cannot neglect. In order to gain views the most on your videos, a wise selection of a perfect YouTube video thumbnail dimensions will attract the viewers. Hence this will can uplift your views to a drastic extent.

A quick tip for the perfect YouTube thumbnail

Take a look at the popular you tubers and see what strategies they use when uploading their thumbnails. Usually, the video content is not as appealing as the thumbnail itself. That’s what you need to understand! Just see by yourself how large text and striking images will do wonders!

YouTube video thumbnail dimension for a perfect thumbnail image

The preferred YouTube screen size of your thumbnail image is 1280 x 720 pixels.

Similar to the YouTube video, the aspect ratio of your thumbnail is 16:9.

For even more clear understanding, look into this illustration:

Image from learn.g2

3. Perfect size for your YouTube banner

YouTube offers two main areas for image display of your channel. One is an icon image while other is what YouTube calls “Channel Art”. This is the same as Facebook’s cover photo. People often call it “YouTube banner”. It is a header image displayed at the top of your channel.

For each kind of display (mobile, desktop, and TV), channel art (or banner) dimension changes accordingly.

Either your cover photo or your YouTube banner is displayed at the top of the channel so it’s highly significant to consider what you are depicting about your channel through these images.

Hence, this being said or realized, selecting the appropriate banner resolution should be among your topmost priorities.

The recommended banner dimensions of a YouTube video as suggested by YouTube are 2560 x 1440 pixels. But the dimensions may slightly vary with the variation in the devices being used by the users.

Displays	Banner image Dimensions
Video display	2560 x 1440 pixels
Desktop display	2560 x 423 pixels
Tablet display	1855 x 423 pixels
Television	2560 x 1440 pixels

For a thorough understanding, refer to the image below:

Image from learn.g2

The right cover photo size on TV

The image displayed when accessing YouTube from TV will appear and be uploaded full or maximized. So a wise image size must be opted. So the accurate resolution would be 2560 x 1440 pixels which will cover the entire background of your channel.

The right cover photo size on desktop displays

The image size may vary to some extent as per the browser you are accessing with or the desktop itself. But generally, the suggested cover photo size for desktop displays is 2560 x 423 pixels.

The right cover photo size on Tablet displays

As per the recommendation for uploading the image while specifically considering the table display is 1855 x 423 pixels. This will cover the area appropriately.

FAQs about Youtube upload settings

What is the maximum YouTube upload limit of size?

The allowed maximum video file size for uploading is 128GB at present.

What is the maximum YouTube upload limit of length?

The allowed maximum video length today for uploading is 12 hours.

How the default upload setting is reset on YouTube?

Step 1: Sign In to your YouTube account using a browser.

Step 2: By clicking your profile icon on the top right corner of the pane, you’ll see the YouTube Studio option. Click on it.

Step 3: Go on settings option where a pop-up window will appear.

Step 4: Look for upload defaults and change the configurations on 2 tabs.

Step 5: Click on save button.

How is YouTube video uploaded using the mobile application?

Step 1: Sign in to your YouTube channel using your mobile phone.

Step 2: Tap on the video camera icon to upload a video. Grant access to your photo gallery and camera is asked by the app while uploading for the first time.

Step 3: You may “Go Live” or simply drag an already made video file to upload.

Step 4: Click “Next”.

Step 5: Enter the video name, select visibility level and then click upload.

How is YouTube video uploaded using a web browser?

Step 1: Sign in to your YouTube account in a web browser.

Step 2: Click on the video icon appearing on the top of the pane.

Step 3: Click on upload video in the drop-down.

Step 4: You will be redirected to the video upload page. Click “public” under “Select files to upload” option and choose visibility level (public, private or scheduled).

Step 5: Click on a large arrow for video file selection or simply drag the file onto the page.

Step 6: You may enter miscellaneous information related to the video while the video is being uploaded.

Step 7: Click on publish and you are done!

Read More to Get : Best Video Websites Like YouTube >>

Basic terminologies that you should know

Video Format

A file format is a way that is standard for the storage of information in the encoded form within the computer file. It entails how exactly the bits are used while encoding the information in a digital storage medium.

So, a video file format is basically a type of file format in order to store the digital data of a video in the computer system. Mostly, video is often stored using the lossy compression in order to reduce the file size.

Frame Rate

“Frame rate” essentially entails the frequency (rate) at which the simultaneous images display on the screen. These images or called “frames”. Frame rate is expressed in “frames per second or FPS”. The unit or term is applicable for film, cameras, motion capture, video, and computer graphics. This is also known as “frame frequency”, expressed in the unit “hertz”

Resolution

Resolution is a measure to entail the clarity and sharpness of an image and most often used as a metric to judge the quality of cameras, monitors, printers, etc.

It basically refers to the number of different pixels in each dimension which can be viewed in any display device.

File Size

File size refers to the space that a file occupies in a storage medium, like hard drive or USB. The measure of file sizes can be expressed in bytes (B), kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB), gigabytes (GB), terabytes (TB), and so on.

As shown in the picture below, the files listed in the Windows Explorer assorted as per the file with the largest size first. The file with the name “family-safety.jpg” occupies the largest size of 47 KB and the smallest one with 32 KB size.

Codec

Codec is a device or maybe a computer program that is used to encode or decode a stream of digital data or signal. A codec is a short form of “coder-decoder”.

The basic function of a coder is to encode the stream of data or signal for storage or transmission, usually in an encrypted form.

While, a decoder decodes the encoded (possibly encrypted) data, which is merely a reverse process of a coder. The application of codec are in streaming media, videoconferencing, and video editing applications.

Aspect ratio:

This term refers to the proportion of your video. In other words, the video aspect ratio can be defined as the width or breadth (of an image or screen) with respect to its height. Such a ratio can be expressed or represented in the form of “width x height.

That means an aspect ratio of 4x3 refers to an image that is 4 units wide and 3 units high. Similarly, it can also be expressed with a colon in between the units such as 4:3 or 16:9.

Need a YouTube support?

If you need any support, guidance or may face any queries related to anything regarding your YouTube channel, here’s the link of YouTube support .

Final Verdict

Hopefully, with this detailed guide, you are now ready to make a wise decision regarding customizing your videos and channel as per viewers likeliness. So get ready to see your channel grow drastically!

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Every social media offers a distinct range of dimensions and settings for their publication. So does YouTube.

It’s acutely important to be aware of your setting choices and choosing the right video, thumbnail and screen dimensions of a YouTube video to elevate the user experience.

Merely watching the videos on YouTube is much easier but being able to upload a video there using the right size matters a lot more than one thinks of.

But how can one master it all by himself? Here we are to guide you all along the way! So sit back and relax and enjoy your first-rated content!

You will Learn :

• The right YouTube video size for you
• Important guidelines for YouTube Video dimensions
• What’s the best YouTube video size for you?
• What is the right aspect ratio for YouTube videos
• The correct video image and YouTube screen size
• FAQs about Youtube upload settings
• Basic terminologies that you should know

The Best Video Editor for Successful YouTubers - Wondershare Filmora

As a easy-to-use video editor, Filmora is really perfect for successful YouTubers. Filmora not only allows you to cut, crop, rotate, reverse videos, but also offers your advanced features like PIP, Green Screen, or audio mixing. What’s more, you can find lots of effects for Fashion, gaming, education, tutorial, sports, etc.

Check below video to know more and download now to have a try for free.

The right YouTube video size for you

Resolution	Equivalent Name	Quality
3840×2160	2160p	4K
2560×1440	1440p	2K
1920×1080	1080p	Highest YouTube HD video resolution
1280×720	720p	Least YouTube HD video resolution
854×480	480p	Standard definition
640×360	360p	Conventional website resolution
426×240	240p	Least YouTube video size available

Important guidelines for YouTube Video dimensions

Maximum acceptable size of a YouTube video	426 x 420p
Minimum acceptable size of a YouTube video	3840 x 2160p
The right aspect ratio of a YouTube video	16:9
Maximum size of a YouTube file	128GB
The maximum length of a YouTube video	12 hours
Compatible YouTube video formats	avi mov mp4 (best video format for YouTube) 3GPP webM flv mpeg mpegps wmv

In order to grasp all of the aforementioned configurations thoroughly, a pictorial depiction is a must. So here it is to give you a vivid vision.

Image from learn.g2

What’s the best YouTube video size for you?

It is recommended by professionals to use the YouTube video dimensions 1080p, or 1920 x 1080.

These ones are the ideal because it will not only facilitate the video with a professional and elite look but also consumes relatively much less data. Moreover, if you use a phone for recording your videos then using the quality higher than the ones mentioned above will cost you with ample memory.

If you are a newbie to the world of YouTube and want to up the device’s storage game then 720p would still do wonders.

What is the video aspect ratio?

This term refers to the proportion of your video. In other words, the video aspect ratio can be defined as the width or breadth (of an image or screen) with respect to its height. Such a ratio can be expressed or represented in the form of “width x height.

That means an aspect ratio of 4x3 refers to an image that is 4 unit wide and 3 units high. Similarly, it can also be expressed with a colon in between the units such as 4:3 or 16:9.

The aspect ratio of a video merely refers to the relationship among the width and height respectively and not the actual physical size of the image.

The most common aspect ratios used in the video are depicted below for sound understanding:

Image from learn.g2

The aspect ratio is the proportion of your video. This image displays the three most common aspect ratios.

Aspect ratio refers to the ratio of height and width although dimensions refer to two separate measurements of height and width rather than a ratio with “pixel” as its unit.

Standard aspect ratios

Below are the most common aspect ratios used for the video. There may be certain amendments to the ones mentioned below but the following formats are used mostly by the film and video makers.

Let’s review the quick breakdown of the available aspect ratio options that you can opt accordingly:

Aspect ratio	Application
1:1 or 1x1	This aspect ratio will mostly be seen in the Instagram video. This 1:1 ratio gives a video a perfect square shape.
4:3 or 4x3	This aspect ratio was mostly seen few ages ago in almost the amidst 20th century on the TV. This was used to be a standard television format back then. So if you are a 90’s kid or an adult then you must be familiar with this format while watching your favorite old schooled sitcoms!
16:9 or 16x9	The format was enhanced to 16:9 aspect ratio for more HD quality and better viewing experience. This format is widely being used in televisions, theatres, DVD or high definition professional videos.
21:9 or 21x9	For more than merely an HD video quality and astonishing user experience, the formats have been upgraded to 21:9 aspect ratio. This is dominantly being used in the cinema for movie theatre releases.

The right aspect ratio for YouTube videos

YouTube recommends using an aspect ratio of 16:9 according to the video player that YouTube uses. You are also given an option to upload your videos vertically but this will amend the aspect ratio respectively.

When you upload a video with an aspect ratio other than the one mention formerly then YouTube will automatically place the black bars on the sides. This is done to display the best quality video with the right resolution otherwise it will be displayed as distorted or cropped.

A vertical ratio with may be 4:3 video aspect ratio will be displayed like the image given below:

Image from learn.g2

The correct video image and YouTube screen size

Videos are undoubtedly the most important asset of YouTube but we cannot ignore the significance of the optimal images there! Using the right channel images will enhance the user experience and will ultimately level up your game!

The appealing and attractive cover photos, banners, thumbnails, channel icons possess equal importance as the video itself.

So don’t forget to tune your images! Just grab a cup of coffee and see how your views increase exponentially by this simple yet most important change!

Just skim through the checklist given below and you will be ready to nail it!

1. Perfect size for your YouTube profile photo

The profile photo of YouTube, often called a YouTube channel icon, is preferably a facial picture when is run by an individual and a respective logo if run by a brand or a business.

The suggested YouTube screen size of your YouTube profile picture or channel icon is 800 x800 pixels.

Image from metricool

2. Perfect size for your YouTube thumbnail photo

What is YouTube thumbnail?

A thumbnail photo is the picture of one of the frames of your video that you select to let the viewers see the quick glace or snapshot of your video while they browse YouTube.

You can choose any of the snapshots, technically known as a thumbnail, right after uploading your video on your channel. Either you can let YouTube choose any thumbnail or you choose your own.

Why is it important?

Choosing the appropriate thumbnail is one of the most important factors you cannot neglect. In order to gain views the most on your videos, a wise selection of a perfect YouTube video thumbnail dimensions will attract the viewers. Hence this will can uplift your views to a drastic extent.

A quick tip for the perfect YouTube thumbnail

Take a look at the popular you tubers and see what strategies they use when uploading their thumbnails. Usually, the video content is not as appealing as the thumbnail itself. That’s what you need to understand! Just see by yourself how large text and striking images will do wonders!

YouTube video thumbnail dimension for a perfect thumbnail image

The preferred YouTube screen size of your thumbnail image is 1280 x 720 pixels.

Similar to the YouTube video, the aspect ratio of your thumbnail is 16:9.

For even more clear understanding, look into this illustration:

Image from learn.g2

3. Perfect size for your YouTube banner

YouTube offers two main areas for image display of your channel. One is an icon image while other is what YouTube calls “Channel Art”. This is the same as Facebook’s cover photo. People often call it “YouTube banner”. It is a header image displayed at the top of your channel.

For each kind of display (mobile, desktop, and TV), channel art (or banner) dimension changes accordingly.

Either your cover photo or your YouTube banner is displayed at the top of the channel so it’s highly significant to consider what you are depicting about your channel through these images.

Hence, this being said or realized, selecting the appropriate banner resolution should be among your topmost priorities.

The recommended banner dimensions of a YouTube video as suggested by YouTube are 2560 x 1440 pixels. But the dimensions may slightly vary with the variation in the devices being used by the users.

Displays	Banner image Dimensions
Video display	2560 x 1440 pixels
Desktop display	2560 x 423 pixels
Tablet display	1855 x 423 pixels
Television	2560 x 1440 pixels

For a thorough understanding, refer to the image below:

Image from learn.g2

The right cover photo size on TV

The image displayed when accessing YouTube from TV will appear and be uploaded full or maximized. So a wise image size must be opted. So the accurate resolution would be 2560 x 1440 pixels which will cover the entire background of your channel.

The right cover photo size on desktop displays

The image size may vary to some extent as per the browser you are accessing with or the desktop itself. But generally, the suggested cover photo size for desktop displays is 2560 x 423 pixels.

The right cover photo size on Tablet displays

As per the recommendation for uploading the image while specifically considering the table display is 1855 x 423 pixels. This will cover the area appropriately.

FAQs about Youtube upload settings

What is the maximum YouTube upload limit of size?

The allowed maximum video file size for uploading is 128GB at present.

What is the maximum YouTube upload limit of length?

The allowed maximum video length today for uploading is 12 hours.

How the default upload setting is reset on YouTube?

Step 1: Sign In to your YouTube account using a browser.

Step 2: By clicking your profile icon on the top right corner of the pane, you’ll see the YouTube Studio option. Click on it.

Step 3: Go on settings option where a pop-up window will appear.

Step 4: Look for upload defaults and change the configurations on 2 tabs.

Step 5: Click on save button.

How is YouTube video uploaded using the mobile application?

Step 1: Sign in to your YouTube channel using your mobile phone.

Step 2: Tap on the video camera icon to upload a video. Grant access to your photo gallery and camera is asked by the app while uploading for the first time.

Step 3: You may “Go Live” or simply drag an already made video file to upload.

Step 4: Click “Next”.

Step 5: Enter the video name, select visibility level and then click upload.

How is YouTube video uploaded using a web browser?

Step 1: Sign in to your YouTube account in a web browser.

Step 2: Click on the video icon appearing on the top of the pane.

Step 3: Click on upload video in the drop-down.

Step 4: You will be redirected to the video upload page. Click “public” under “Select files to upload” option and choose visibility level (public, private or scheduled).

Step 5: Click on a large arrow for video file selection or simply drag the file onto the page.

Step 6: You may enter miscellaneous information related to the video while the video is being uploaded.

Step 7: Click on publish and you are done!

Read More to Get : Best Video Websites Like YouTube >>

Basic terminologies that you should know

Video Format

A file format is a way that is standard for the storage of information in the encoded form within the computer file. It entails how exactly the bits are used while encoding the information in a digital storage medium.

So, a video file format is basically a type of file format in order to store the digital data of a video in the computer system. Mostly, video is often stored using the lossy compression in order to reduce the file size.

Frame Rate

“Frame rate” essentially entails the frequency (rate) at which the simultaneous images display on the screen. These images or called “frames”. Frame rate is expressed in “frames per second or FPS”. The unit or term is applicable for film, cameras, motion capture, video, and computer graphics. This is also known as “frame frequency”, expressed in the unit “hertz”

Resolution

Resolution is a measure to entail the clarity and sharpness of an image and most often used as a metric to judge the quality of cameras, monitors, printers, etc.

It basically refers to the number of different pixels in each dimension which can be viewed in any display device.

File Size

File size refers to the space that a file occupies in a storage medium, like hard drive or USB. The measure of file sizes can be expressed in bytes (B), kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB), gigabytes (GB), terabytes (TB), and so on.

As shown in the picture below, the files listed in the Windows Explorer assorted as per the file with the largest size first. The file with the name “family-safety.jpg” occupies the largest size of 47 KB and the smallest one with 32 KB size.

Codec

Codec is a device or maybe a computer program that is used to encode or decode a stream of digital data or signal. A codec is a short form of “coder-decoder”.

The basic function of a coder is to encode the stream of data or signal for storage or transmission, usually in an encrypted form.

While, a decoder decodes the encoded (possibly encrypted) data, which is merely a reverse process of a coder. The application of codec are in streaming media, videoconferencing, and video editing applications.

Aspect ratio:

This term refers to the proportion of your video. In other words, the video aspect ratio can be defined as the width or breadth (of an image or screen) with respect to its height. Such a ratio can be expressed or represented in the form of “width x height.

That means an aspect ratio of 4x3 refers to an image that is 4 units wide and 3 units high. Similarly, it can also be expressed with a colon in between the units such as 4:3 or 16:9.

Need a YouTube support?

If you need any support, guidance or may face any queries related to anything regarding your YouTube channel, here’s the link of YouTube support .

Final Verdict

Hopefully, with this detailed guide, you are now ready to make a wise decision regarding customizing your videos and channel as per viewers likeliness. So get ready to see your channel grow drastically!

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Every social media offers a distinct range of dimensions and settings for their publication. So does YouTube.

It’s acutely important to be aware of your setting choices and choosing the right video, thumbnail and screen dimensions of a YouTube video to elevate the user experience.

Merely watching the videos on YouTube is much easier but being able to upload a video there using the right size matters a lot more than one thinks of.

But how can one master it all by himself? Here we are to guide you all along the way! So sit back and relax and enjoy your first-rated content!

You will Learn :

• The right YouTube video size for you
• Important guidelines for YouTube Video dimensions
• What’s the best YouTube video size for you?
• What is the right aspect ratio for YouTube videos
• The correct video image and YouTube screen size
• FAQs about Youtube upload settings
• Basic terminologies that you should know

The Best Video Editor for Successful YouTubers - Wondershare Filmora

As a easy-to-use video editor, Filmora is really perfect for successful YouTubers. Filmora not only allows you to cut, crop, rotate, reverse videos, but also offers your advanced features like PIP, Green Screen, or audio mixing. What’s more, you can find lots of effects for Fashion, gaming, education, tutorial, sports, etc.

Check below video to know more and download now to have a try for free.

The right YouTube video size for you

Resolution	Equivalent Name	Quality
3840×2160	2160p	4K
2560×1440	1440p	2K
1920×1080	1080p	Highest YouTube HD video resolution
1280×720	720p	Least YouTube HD video resolution
854×480	480p	Standard definition
640×360	360p	Conventional website resolution
426×240	240p	Least YouTube video size available

Important guidelines for YouTube Video dimensions

Maximum acceptable size of a YouTube video	426 x 420p
Minimum acceptable size of a YouTube video	3840 x 2160p
The right aspect ratio of a YouTube video	16:9
Maximum size of a YouTube file	128GB
The maximum length of a YouTube video	12 hours
Compatible YouTube video formats	avi mov mp4 (best video format for YouTube) 3GPP webM flv mpeg mpegps wmv

In order to grasp all of the aforementioned configurations thoroughly, a pictorial depiction is a must. So here it is to give you a vivid vision.

Image from learn.g2

What’s the best YouTube video size for you?

It is recommended by professionals to use the YouTube video dimensions 1080p, or 1920 x 1080.

These ones are the ideal because it will not only facilitate the video with a professional and elite look but also consumes relatively much less data. Moreover, if you use a phone for recording your videos then using the quality higher than the ones mentioned above will cost you with ample memory.

If you are a newbie to the world of YouTube and want to up the device’s storage game then 720p would still do wonders.

What is the video aspect ratio?

This term refers to the proportion of your video. In other words, the video aspect ratio can be defined as the width or breadth (of an image or screen) with respect to its height. Such a ratio can be expressed or represented in the form of “width x height.

That means an aspect ratio of 4x3 refers to an image that is 4 unit wide and 3 units high. Similarly, it can also be expressed with a colon in between the units such as 4:3 or 16:9.

The aspect ratio of a video merely refers to the relationship among the width and height respectively and not the actual physical size of the image.

The most common aspect ratios used in the video are depicted below for sound understanding:

Image from learn.g2

The aspect ratio is the proportion of your video. This image displays the three most common aspect ratios.

Aspect ratio refers to the ratio of height and width although dimensions refer to two separate measurements of height and width rather than a ratio with “pixel” as its unit.

Standard aspect ratios

Below are the most common aspect ratios used for the video. There may be certain amendments to the ones mentioned below but the following formats are used mostly by the film and video makers.

Let’s review the quick breakdown of the available aspect ratio options that you can opt accordingly:

Aspect ratio	Application
1:1 or 1x1	This aspect ratio will mostly be seen in the Instagram video. This 1:1 ratio gives a video a perfect square shape.
4:3 or 4x3	This aspect ratio was mostly seen few ages ago in almost the amidst 20th century on the TV. This was used to be a standard television format back then. So if you are a 90’s kid or an adult then you must be familiar with this format while watching your favorite old schooled sitcoms!
16:9 or 16x9	The format was enhanced to 16:9 aspect ratio for more HD quality and better viewing experience. This format is widely being used in televisions, theatres, DVD or high definition professional videos.
21:9 or 21x9	For more than merely an HD video quality and astonishing user experience, the formats have been upgraded to 21:9 aspect ratio. This is dominantly being used in the cinema for movie theatre releases.

The right aspect ratio for YouTube videos

YouTube recommends using an aspect ratio of 16:9 according to the video player that YouTube uses. You are also given an option to upload your videos vertically but this will amend the aspect ratio respectively.

When you upload a video with an aspect ratio other than the one mention formerly then YouTube will automatically place the black bars on the sides. This is done to display the best quality video with the right resolution otherwise it will be displayed as distorted or cropped.

A vertical ratio with may be 4:3 video aspect ratio will be displayed like the image given below:

Image from learn.g2

The correct video image and YouTube screen size

Videos are undoubtedly the most important asset of YouTube but we cannot ignore the significance of the optimal images there! Using the right channel images will enhance the user experience and will ultimately level up your game!

The appealing and attractive cover photos, banners, thumbnails, channel icons possess equal importance as the video itself.

So don’t forget to tune your images! Just grab a cup of coffee and see how your views increase exponentially by this simple yet most important change!

Just skim through the checklist given below and you will be ready to nail it!

1. Perfect size for your YouTube profile photo

The profile photo of YouTube, often called a YouTube channel icon, is preferably a facial picture when is run by an individual and a respective logo if run by a brand or a business.

The suggested YouTube screen size of your YouTube profile picture or channel icon is 800 x800 pixels.

Image from metricool

2. Perfect size for your YouTube thumbnail photo

What is YouTube thumbnail?

A thumbnail photo is the picture of one of the frames of your video that you select to let the viewers see the quick glace or snapshot of your video while they browse YouTube.

You can choose any of the snapshots, technically known as a thumbnail, right after uploading your video on your channel. Either you can let YouTube choose any thumbnail or you choose your own.

Why is it important?

Choosing the appropriate thumbnail is one of the most important factors you cannot neglect. In order to gain views the most on your videos, a wise selection of a perfect YouTube video thumbnail dimensions will attract the viewers. Hence this will can uplift your views to a drastic extent.

A quick tip for the perfect YouTube thumbnail

Take a look at the popular you tubers and see what strategies they use when uploading their thumbnails. Usually, the video content is not as appealing as the thumbnail itself. That’s what you need to understand! Just see by yourself how large text and striking images will do wonders!

YouTube video thumbnail dimension for a perfect thumbnail image

The preferred YouTube screen size of your thumbnail image is 1280 x 720 pixels.

Similar to the YouTube video, the aspect ratio of your thumbnail is 16:9.

For even more clear understanding, look into this illustration:

Image from learn.g2

3. Perfect size for your YouTube banner

YouTube offers two main areas for image display of your channel. One is an icon image while other is what YouTube calls “Channel Art”. This is the same as Facebook’s cover photo. People often call it “YouTube banner”. It is a header image displayed at the top of your channel.

For each kind of display (mobile, desktop, and TV), channel art (or banner) dimension changes accordingly.

Either your cover photo or your YouTube banner is displayed at the top of the channel so it’s highly significant to consider what you are depicting about your channel through these images.

Hence, this being said or realized, selecting the appropriate banner resolution should be among your topmost priorities.

The recommended banner dimensions of a YouTube video as suggested by YouTube are 2560 x 1440 pixels. But the dimensions may slightly vary with the variation in the devices being used by the users.

Displays	Banner image Dimensions
Video display	2560 x 1440 pixels
Desktop display	2560 x 423 pixels
Tablet display	1855 x 423 pixels
Television	2560 x 1440 pixels

For a thorough understanding, refer to the image below:

Image from learn.g2

The right cover photo size on TV

The image displayed when accessing YouTube from TV will appear and be uploaded full or maximized. So a wise image size must be opted. So the accurate resolution would be 2560 x 1440 pixels which will cover the entire background of your channel.

The right cover photo size on desktop displays

The image size may vary to some extent as per the browser you are accessing with or the desktop itself. But generally, the suggested cover photo size for desktop displays is 2560 x 423 pixels.

The right cover photo size on Tablet displays

As per the recommendation for uploading the image while specifically considering the table display is 1855 x 423 pixels. This will cover the area appropriately.

FAQs about Youtube upload settings

What is the maximum YouTube upload limit of size?

The allowed maximum video file size for uploading is 128GB at present.

What is the maximum YouTube upload limit of length?

The allowed maximum video length today for uploading is 12 hours.

How the default upload setting is reset on YouTube?

Step 1: Sign In to your YouTube account using a browser.

Step 2: By clicking your profile icon on the top right corner of the pane, you’ll see the YouTube Studio option. Click on it.

Step 3: Go on settings option where a pop-up window will appear.

Step 4: Look for upload defaults and change the configurations on 2 tabs.

Step 5: Click on save button.

How is YouTube video uploaded using the mobile application?

Step 1: Sign in to your YouTube channel using your mobile phone.

Step 2: Tap on the video camera icon to upload a video. Grant access to your photo gallery and camera is asked by the app while uploading for the first time.

Step 3: You may “Go Live” or simply drag an already made video file to upload.

Step 4: Click “Next”.

Step 5: Enter the video name, select visibility level and then click upload.

How is YouTube video uploaded using a web browser?

Step 1: Sign in to your YouTube account in a web browser.

Step 2: Click on the video icon appearing on the top of the pane.

Step 3: Click on upload video in the drop-down.

Step 4: You will be redirected to the video upload page. Click “public” under “Select files to upload” option and choose visibility level (public, private or scheduled).

Step 5: Click on a large arrow for video file selection or simply drag the file onto the page.

Step 6: You may enter miscellaneous information related to the video while the video is being uploaded.

Step 7: Click on publish and you are done!

Read More to Get : Best Video Websites Like YouTube >>

Basic terminologies that you should know

Video Format

A file format is a way that is standard for the storage of information in the encoded form within the computer file. It entails how exactly the bits are used while encoding the information in a digital storage medium.

So, a video file format is basically a type of file format in order to store the digital data of a video in the computer system. Mostly, video is often stored using the lossy compression in order to reduce the file size.

Frame Rate

“Frame rate” essentially entails the frequency (rate) at which the simultaneous images display on the screen. These images or called “frames”. Frame rate is expressed in “frames per second or FPS”. The unit or term is applicable for film, cameras, motion capture, video, and computer graphics. This is also known as “frame frequency”, expressed in the unit “hertz”

Resolution

Resolution is a measure to entail the clarity and sharpness of an image and most often used as a metric to judge the quality of cameras, monitors, printers, etc.

It basically refers to the number of different pixels in each dimension which can be viewed in any display device.

File Size

File size refers to the space that a file occupies in a storage medium, like hard drive or USB. The measure of file sizes can be expressed in bytes (B), kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB), gigabytes (GB), terabytes (TB), and so on.

As shown in the picture below, the files listed in the Windows Explorer assorted as per the file with the largest size first. The file with the name “family-safety.jpg” occupies the largest size of 47 KB and the smallest one with 32 KB size.

Codec

Codec is a device or maybe a computer program that is used to encode or decode a stream of digital data or signal. A codec is a short form of “coder-decoder”.

The basic function of a coder is to encode the stream of data or signal for storage or transmission, usually in an encrypted form.

While, a decoder decodes the encoded (possibly encrypted) data, which is merely a reverse process of a coder. The application of codec are in streaming media, videoconferencing, and video editing applications.

Aspect ratio:

This term refers to the proportion of your video. In other words, the video aspect ratio can be defined as the width or breadth (of an image or screen) with respect to its height. Such a ratio can be expressed or represented in the form of “width x height.

That means an aspect ratio of 4x3 refers to an image that is 4 units wide and 3 units high. Similarly, it can also be expressed with a colon in between the units such as 4:3 or 16:9.

Need a YouTube support?

If you need any support, guidance or may face any queries related to anything regarding your YouTube channel, here’s the link of YouTube support .

Final Verdict

Hopefully, with this detailed guide, you are now ready to make a wise decision regarding customizing your videos and channel as per viewers likeliness. So get ready to see your channel grow drastically!

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Brief but Impactful: Which Social Platform Leads for Short Video Content?

YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok: Which One Is Better?

Shanoon Cox

Aug 21, 2023• Proven solutions

YouTube Shorts is the latest feature designed to mimic TikTok’s creation, but can it go hand in hand with one of the biggest social media apps? Let’s discuss this scenario in detail in this article!

YouTube’s TikTok competitor, YouTube Shorts, is now rocking globally. Seeing the success of Instagram Reels and TikTok, it seems like YouTube didn’t want to lag behind the game. So in September last year, it decided to step into short-form content via YouTube Shorts, a social platform for quick 60-second videos hosted on the YouTube app.

According to the Shorts product lead Todd Sherman, the social media giant aims to unleash new grounds for creativity.

On the other hand, TikTok is a short-form, video-sharing app that assists users to share and make 15-second to 60-seconds videos on any topic.

TikTok contains a separate app for the Chinese market, Douyin, with 300 million-plus active monthly users. The new app’s logo is a merger of the Duyin and Musical.ly logos.

And, we’re going to discuss the comparison of both these giants, i.e., YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok, in terms of which app is better for making short videos.

Part 1: Is YouTube Shorts the New TikTok?

In general, we can’t say that YouTube Shorts is the new TikTok because YouTube Shorts is YouTube’s expansion and have its own identity than TikTok.

YouTube Shorts is playing hand in hand with TikTok as the short-form video platform, but the Shorts integration with the broader ecosystem of YouTube is its key selling point according to Google’s service.

Ironically, while YouTube is laying ways to emulate TikTok’s format, TikTok is experimenting with formats that are closer to YouTube’s traditional focus. This is why TikTok has tripled its maximum video length to three minutes for everyone and has been developing apps slowly on TV platforms like Fire TV and Android TV.

At a glance, YouTube Shorts looks pretty similar to TikTok. However, there are certain TikTok features that even the Shorts product manager Todd Sherman disagrees with is that of the YouTube Shorts. Sherman said the way TikTok works is quite an industry-wide standard than the point of view of any single app.

Even though YouTube is quite late to the short-form content game, it has a strong brand of YouTube behind it.

Thus, saying that “YouTube Shorts is the new TikTok” doesn’t even qualify in terms of the $100 million fund sanctioned for the creators of YouTube Shorts.

Part 2: YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok: What Are the Similarities and Differences?

In this section, we’ve defined the analysis of YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok in the form of both a comparison table and specific points of similarities and differences.

Basis of Comparison	YouTube Shorts	TikTok
Video Length/Duration	Up to 60 seconds	Up to 3 minutes
Aspect Ratio	9:16	9:16
Video Captions/Description	You can find the video title in the exact location as the TikTok caption, but the description is visible only after users click on the three dots.	Video captions are located at the bottom left.
Placement of Analytics	YouTube Studio	TikTok app itself
Dislike Button	Yes	No

Section 1. The Similarities Between YouTube Shorts and TikTok

• Both these platforms are for short-form video content.
• The TikTok and YouTube Shorts both assist creators in adding music from their audio libraries, and users can view all videos beneath the audio library.
• Both offer analytics, including video views, likes, comments, watch time, shares, impressions, and reach. You can view these analytics on a desktop or mobile device for both platforms.
• The Shorts and TikTok feed provide a full-screen immersive experience with the engagement menu shown on the right-hand panel.
• Their feeds scroll in the same manner. Plus, there is an endless number of videos lined up for users to discover and watch. Yet, there’s no auto-scroll on either, and users must scroll manually for the following video to come up.
• Both provide tools that assist creators in earning money from their content creation.
• Users can subscribe or follow creators directly from their videos in both feeds.
• Both offer creators the ability to alter their video content’s speed and help them to set timers with the filming process.
• YouTube Shorts TikTok give creators the ability to upload video content they’ve previously filmed.
• You can add closed captions and overlaying text to both of these platforms.
• They both assist creators in setting a video for the public, so anyone can view it or set it to private.

Section 2. The Differences Between YouTube Shorts and TikTok

• The monetization features of both these platforms are entirely different. Shorts offer their ‘Shorts fund,’ whereas TikTok provides Shoutouts and Digital Gifts.
• Shorts can only be 60-seconds long, whereas TikTok’s can be as long as three minutes (it could soon be stretched to five minutes duration as per their recent test).
• TikTok allows users to add video captions that are present in the bottom left area of TikTok. At the same time, users can add a video title in Shorts which is present in the exact location as a TikTok caption. And, a video description that is only viewable when users click the three dots above the link button and click ‘Description’ can be in YouTube Shorts.
• YouTube has a large music library which gives users an abundance of undiscovered and popular songs to select from, possibly more than the TikTok offerings list.
• TikTok has a vast library of filters, including greenscreen and AR effects, whereas Shorts only provides filters that edit the video’s tone, temperature, brightness, etc.
• Shorts’ ‘private’ video option allows creators to choose or see who watches your video. On the other hand, TikTok’s ‘private’ video option only allows the creator to view the video.
• You can view the TikTok analytics directly in the TikTok app. On the other hand, YouTube Shorts analytics can be visible in YouTube Studio.

Features TikTok has, but YouTube Shorts does not…

• A stitch and duet feature, where users can add other creators’ videos to their accounts.
• A Q&A feature to leave questions for creators to answer with a video. Creators can also reply to their comments.
• A discovery tab that assists users in viewing trending sounds, effects, and hashtags.

Features YouTube Shorts has, but TikTok does not…

• A scheduling tool that assists creators in scheduling the timing of their Shorts going live.
• The option to select whether their videos are for kids or not. Or if they’d like to restrict their videos to viewers under 18.
• You can edit even after publishing.
• The option to “unlist” your Shorts, which means anyone can view it with a link to that video.

Part 3: YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok: Which One Is Better for Short Video Promotion

One of the differences that may determine the success of YouTube Shorts is that it is not a traditional social media app. While TikTok entices users to create, watch, and even share videos with friends within the app, the YouTube Shorts format is pretty different from TikTok.

Since YouTube doesn’t have this simple method of direct messaging and isn’t wholly dependent on creating, sharing, and watching Shorts, it looks that it may have a hard time keeping up with TikTok’s success.

Another drawback of YouTube Shorts in comparing YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok is that Shorts isn’t available through a dedicated app like TikTok. Thus, even though it keeps up the promise of creating, watching, and sharing both long and short-form content, it may turn away those who prefer focused access to quick content. Regardless, with YouTube Shorts now starting to become available to more users, the battle in the viral video market with TikTok is sure to heat up.

Before giving you our opinion on which is the better platform for short video promotion, go through the following conversation first.

Ramona Pringle is an associate professor and a tech expert at Toronto’s Ryerson University. She said in an interview that because YouTube already has figured out video content, the transformation to add short-form video will be natural.

She also mentioned that YouTube Shorts is the platform best placed with the competition from TikTok than all other platforms. However, YouTube doesn’t need to be TikTok as it has its strategies and broad audience base.

Like Pringle, Matt Navarra, a social media consultant based in the U.K., said in an interview that Shorts is a logical evolution and extension of YouTube, which has further given rise to TikTok. But unlike TikTok, Shorts has a few features that it can take benefit from. Among these features is the extensive audio library content, the greater scope for users to remix and create duets and stuff from scratch. Undoubtedly, you can’t deny the experience of YouTube in terms of access to partnerships with the music industry and licensing.

Thus, keeping all these factors in mind, we’d like to conclude that both the YouTube Shorts and TikTok are great and considerable platforms for short video promotion. Still, we’d like to place YouTube Shorts in the upper place due to its global availability. Whereas TikTok is already banned in certain countries.

It also depends upon the audience base of the country as to which platform is in use the most. Suppose it’s TikTok that people primarily use in a particular country or location where the brand wants to advertise itself. In that case, going with TikTok for short video promotion is better and vice versa.

To get more information, click the following video!

TikTok or YouTube? Creators at VidCon 2023 Reveal Their Platform of Choice

Conclusion

So, this is our detailed overview of YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok.

Since YouTube wants its new platform to progress and stand a chance in front of TikTok, they will make Shorts a priority, and thus much more likely to promote it to a broad audience.

As we step further into the year, it is yet to consider which short-form video platform will be popular among the creators, marketers, and consumers.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Aug 21, 2023• Proven solutions

YouTube Shorts is the latest feature designed to mimic TikTok’s creation, but can it go hand in hand with one of the biggest social media apps? Let’s discuss this scenario in detail in this article!

YouTube’s TikTok competitor, YouTube Shorts, is now rocking globally. Seeing the success of Instagram Reels and TikTok, it seems like YouTube didn’t want to lag behind the game. So in September last year, it decided to step into short-form content via YouTube Shorts, a social platform for quick 60-second videos hosted on the YouTube app.

According to the Shorts product lead Todd Sherman, the social media giant aims to unleash new grounds for creativity.

On the other hand, TikTok is a short-form, video-sharing app that assists users to share and make 15-second to 60-seconds videos on any topic.

TikTok contains a separate app for the Chinese market, Douyin, with 300 million-plus active monthly users. The new app’s logo is a merger of the Duyin and Musical.ly logos.

And, we’re going to discuss the comparison of both these giants, i.e., YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok, in terms of which app is better for making short videos.

Part 1: Is YouTube Shorts the New TikTok?

In general, we can’t say that YouTube Shorts is the new TikTok because YouTube Shorts is YouTube’s expansion and have its own identity than TikTok.

YouTube Shorts is playing hand in hand with TikTok as the short-form video platform, but the Shorts integration with the broader ecosystem of YouTube is its key selling point according to Google’s service.

Ironically, while YouTube is laying ways to emulate TikTok’s format, TikTok is experimenting with formats that are closer to YouTube’s traditional focus. This is why TikTok has tripled its maximum video length to three minutes for everyone and has been developing apps slowly on TV platforms like Fire TV and Android TV.

At a glance, YouTube Shorts looks pretty similar to TikTok. However, there are certain TikTok features that even the Shorts product manager Todd Sherman disagrees with is that of the YouTube Shorts. Sherman said the way TikTok works is quite an industry-wide standard than the point of view of any single app.

Even though YouTube is quite late to the short-form content game, it has a strong brand of YouTube behind it.

Thus, saying that “YouTube Shorts is the new TikTok” doesn’t even qualify in terms of the $100 million fund sanctioned for the creators of YouTube Shorts.

Part 2: YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok: What Are the Similarities and Differences?

In this section, we’ve defined the analysis of YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok in the form of both a comparison table and specific points of similarities and differences.

Basis of Comparison	YouTube Shorts	TikTok
Video Length/Duration	Up to 60 seconds	Up to 3 minutes
Aspect Ratio	9:16	9:16
Video Captions/Description	You can find the video title in the exact location as the TikTok caption, but the description is visible only after users click on the three dots.	Video captions are located at the bottom left.
Placement of Analytics	YouTube Studio	TikTok app itself
Dislike Button	Yes	No

Section 1. The Similarities Between YouTube Shorts and TikTok

• Both these platforms are for short-form video content.
• The TikTok and YouTube Shorts both assist creators in adding music from their audio libraries, and users can view all videos beneath the audio library.
• Both offer analytics, including video views, likes, comments, watch time, shares, impressions, and reach. You can view these analytics on a desktop or mobile device for both platforms.
• The Shorts and TikTok feed provide a full-screen immersive experience with the engagement menu shown on the right-hand panel.
• Their feeds scroll in the same manner. Plus, there is an endless number of videos lined up for users to discover and watch. Yet, there’s no auto-scroll on either, and users must scroll manually for the following video to come up.
• Both provide tools that assist creators in earning money from their content creation.
• Users can subscribe or follow creators directly from their videos in both feeds.
• Both offer creators the ability to alter their video content’s speed and help them to set timers with the filming process.
• YouTube Shorts TikTok give creators the ability to upload video content they’ve previously filmed.
• You can add closed captions and overlaying text to both of these platforms.
• They both assist creators in setting a video for the public, so anyone can view it or set it to private.

Section 2. The Differences Between YouTube Shorts and TikTok

• The monetization features of both these platforms are entirely different. Shorts offer their ‘Shorts fund,’ whereas TikTok provides Shoutouts and Digital Gifts.
• Shorts can only be 60-seconds long, whereas TikTok’s can be as long as three minutes (it could soon be stretched to five minutes duration as per their recent test).
• TikTok allows users to add video captions that are present in the bottom left area of TikTok. At the same time, users can add a video title in Shorts which is present in the exact location as a TikTok caption. And, a video description that is only viewable when users click the three dots above the link button and click ‘Description’ can be in YouTube Shorts.
• YouTube has a large music library which gives users an abundance of undiscovered and popular songs to select from, possibly more than the TikTok offerings list.
• TikTok has a vast library of filters, including greenscreen and AR effects, whereas Shorts only provides filters that edit the video’s tone, temperature, brightness, etc.
• Shorts’ ‘private’ video option allows creators to choose or see who watches your video. On the other hand, TikTok’s ‘private’ video option only allows the creator to view the video.
• You can view the TikTok analytics directly in the TikTok app. On the other hand, YouTube Shorts analytics can be visible in YouTube Studio.

Features TikTok has, but YouTube Shorts does not…

• A stitch and duet feature, where users can add other creators’ videos to their accounts.
• A Q&A feature to leave questions for creators to answer with a video. Creators can also reply to their comments.
• A discovery tab that assists users in viewing trending sounds, effects, and hashtags.

Features YouTube Shorts has, but TikTok does not…

• A scheduling tool that assists creators in scheduling the timing of their Shorts going live.
• The option to select whether their videos are for kids or not. Or if they’d like to restrict their videos to viewers under 18.
• You can edit even after publishing.
• The option to “unlist” your Shorts, which means anyone can view it with a link to that video.

Part 3: YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok: Which One Is Better for Short Video Promotion

One of the differences that may determine the success of YouTube Shorts is that it is not a traditional social media app. While TikTok entices users to create, watch, and even share videos with friends within the app, the YouTube Shorts format is pretty different from TikTok.

Since YouTube doesn’t have this simple method of direct messaging and isn’t wholly dependent on creating, sharing, and watching Shorts, it looks that it may have a hard time keeping up with TikTok’s success.

Another drawback of YouTube Shorts in comparing YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok is that Shorts isn’t available through a dedicated app like TikTok. Thus, even though it keeps up the promise of creating, watching, and sharing both long and short-form content, it may turn away those who prefer focused access to quick content. Regardless, with YouTube Shorts now starting to become available to more users, the battle in the viral video market with TikTok is sure to heat up.

Before giving you our opinion on which is the better platform for short video promotion, go through the following conversation first.

Ramona Pringle is an associate professor and a tech expert at Toronto’s Ryerson University. She said in an interview that because YouTube already has figured out video content, the transformation to add short-form video will be natural.

She also mentioned that YouTube Shorts is the platform best placed with the competition from TikTok than all other platforms. However, YouTube doesn’t need to be TikTok as it has its strategies and broad audience base.

Like Pringle, Matt Navarra, a social media consultant based in the U.K., said in an interview that Shorts is a logical evolution and extension of YouTube, which has further given rise to TikTok. But unlike TikTok, Shorts has a few features that it can take benefit from. Among these features is the extensive audio library content, the greater scope for users to remix and create duets and stuff from scratch. Undoubtedly, you can’t deny the experience of YouTube in terms of access to partnerships with the music industry and licensing.

Thus, keeping all these factors in mind, we’d like to conclude that both the YouTube Shorts and TikTok are great and considerable platforms for short video promotion. Still, we’d like to place YouTube Shorts in the upper place due to its global availability. Whereas TikTok is already banned in certain countries.

It also depends upon the audience base of the country as to which platform is in use the most. Suppose it’s TikTok that people primarily use in a particular country or location where the brand wants to advertise itself. In that case, going with TikTok for short video promotion is better and vice versa.

To get more information, click the following video!

TikTok or YouTube? Creators at VidCon 2023 Reveal Their Platform of Choice

Conclusion

So, this is our detailed overview of YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok.

Since YouTube wants its new platform to progress and stand a chance in front of TikTok, they will make Shorts a priority, and thus much more likely to promote it to a broad audience.

As we step further into the year, it is yet to consider which short-form video platform will be popular among the creators, marketers, and consumers.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Aug 21, 2023• Proven solutions

YouTube Shorts is the latest feature designed to mimic TikTok’s creation, but can it go hand in hand with one of the biggest social media apps? Let’s discuss this scenario in detail in this article!

YouTube’s TikTok competitor, YouTube Shorts, is now rocking globally. Seeing the success of Instagram Reels and TikTok, it seems like YouTube didn’t want to lag behind the game. So in September last year, it decided to step into short-form content via YouTube Shorts, a social platform for quick 60-second videos hosted on the YouTube app.

According to the Shorts product lead Todd Sherman, the social media giant aims to unleash new grounds for creativity.

On the other hand, TikTok is a short-form, video-sharing app that assists users to share and make 15-second to 60-seconds videos on any topic.

TikTok contains a separate app for the Chinese market, Douyin, with 300 million-plus active monthly users. The new app’s logo is a merger of the Duyin and Musical.ly logos.

And, we’re going to discuss the comparison of both these giants, i.e., YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok, in terms of which app is better for making short videos.

Part 1: Is YouTube Shorts the New TikTok?

In general, we can’t say that YouTube Shorts is the new TikTok because YouTube Shorts is YouTube’s expansion and have its own identity than TikTok.

YouTube Shorts is playing hand in hand with TikTok as the short-form video platform, but the Shorts integration with the broader ecosystem of YouTube is its key selling point according to Google’s service.

Ironically, while YouTube is laying ways to emulate TikTok’s format, TikTok is experimenting with formats that are closer to YouTube’s traditional focus. This is why TikTok has tripled its maximum video length to three minutes for everyone and has been developing apps slowly on TV platforms like Fire TV and Android TV.

At a glance, YouTube Shorts looks pretty similar to TikTok. However, there are certain TikTok features that even the Shorts product manager Todd Sherman disagrees with is that of the YouTube Shorts. Sherman said the way TikTok works is quite an industry-wide standard than the point of view of any single app.

Even though YouTube is quite late to the short-form content game, it has a strong brand of YouTube behind it.

Thus, saying that “YouTube Shorts is the new TikTok” doesn’t even qualify in terms of the $100 million fund sanctioned for the creators of YouTube Shorts.

Part 2: YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok: What Are the Similarities and Differences?

In this section, we’ve defined the analysis of YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok in the form of both a comparison table and specific points of similarities and differences.

Basis of Comparison	YouTube Shorts	TikTok
Video Length/Duration	Up to 60 seconds	Up to 3 minutes
Aspect Ratio	9:16	9:16
Video Captions/Description	You can find the video title in the exact location as the TikTok caption, but the description is visible only after users click on the three dots.	Video captions are located at the bottom left.
Placement of Analytics	YouTube Studio	TikTok app itself
Dislike Button	Yes	No

Section 1. The Similarities Between YouTube Shorts and TikTok

• Both these platforms are for short-form video content.
• The TikTok and YouTube Shorts both assist creators in adding music from their audio libraries, and users can view all videos beneath the audio library.
• Both offer analytics, including video views, likes, comments, watch time, shares, impressions, and reach. You can view these analytics on a desktop or mobile device for both platforms.
• The Shorts and TikTok feed provide a full-screen immersive experience with the engagement menu shown on the right-hand panel.
• Their feeds scroll in the same manner. Plus, there is an endless number of videos lined up for users to discover and watch. Yet, there’s no auto-scroll on either, and users must scroll manually for the following video to come up.
• Both provide tools that assist creators in earning money from their content creation.
• Users can subscribe or follow creators directly from their videos in both feeds.
• Both offer creators the ability to alter their video content’s speed and help them to set timers with the filming process.
• YouTube Shorts TikTok give creators the ability to upload video content they’ve previously filmed.
• You can add closed captions and overlaying text to both of these platforms.
• They both assist creators in setting a video for the public, so anyone can view it or set it to private.

Section 2. The Differences Between YouTube Shorts and TikTok

• The monetization features of both these platforms are entirely different. Shorts offer their ‘Shorts fund,’ whereas TikTok provides Shoutouts and Digital Gifts.
• Shorts can only be 60-seconds long, whereas TikTok’s can be as long as three minutes (it could soon be stretched to five minutes duration as per their recent test).
• TikTok allows users to add video captions that are present in the bottom left area of TikTok. At the same time, users can add a video title in Shorts which is present in the exact location as a TikTok caption. And, a video description that is only viewable when users click the three dots above the link button and click ‘Description’ can be in YouTube Shorts.
• YouTube has a large music library which gives users an abundance of undiscovered and popular songs to select from, possibly more than the TikTok offerings list.
• TikTok has a vast library of filters, including greenscreen and AR effects, whereas Shorts only provides filters that edit the video’s tone, temperature, brightness, etc.
• Shorts’ ‘private’ video option allows creators to choose or see who watches your video. On the other hand, TikTok’s ‘private’ video option only allows the creator to view the video.
• You can view the TikTok analytics directly in the TikTok app. On the other hand, YouTube Shorts analytics can be visible in YouTube Studio.

Features TikTok has, but YouTube Shorts does not…

• A stitch and duet feature, where users can add other creators’ videos to their accounts.
• A Q&A feature to leave questions for creators to answer with a video. Creators can also reply to their comments.
• A discovery tab that assists users in viewing trending sounds, effects, and hashtags.

Features YouTube Shorts has, but TikTok does not…

• A scheduling tool that assists creators in scheduling the timing of their Shorts going live.
• The option to select whether their videos are for kids or not. Or if they’d like to restrict their videos to viewers under 18.
• You can edit even after publishing.
• The option to “unlist” your Shorts, which means anyone can view it with a link to that video.

Part 3: YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok: Which One Is Better for Short Video Promotion

One of the differences that may determine the success of YouTube Shorts is that it is not a traditional social media app. While TikTok entices users to create, watch, and even share videos with friends within the app, the YouTube Shorts format is pretty different from TikTok.

Since YouTube doesn’t have this simple method of direct messaging and isn’t wholly dependent on creating, sharing, and watching Shorts, it looks that it may have a hard time keeping up with TikTok’s success.

Another drawback of YouTube Shorts in comparing YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok is that Shorts isn’t available through a dedicated app like TikTok. Thus, even though it keeps up the promise of creating, watching, and sharing both long and short-form content, it may turn away those who prefer focused access to quick content. Regardless, with YouTube Shorts now starting to become available to more users, the battle in the viral video market with TikTok is sure to heat up.

Before giving you our opinion on which is the better platform for short video promotion, go through the following conversation first.

Ramona Pringle is an associate professor and a tech expert at Toronto’s Ryerson University. She said in an interview that because YouTube already has figured out video content, the transformation to add short-form video will be natural.

She also mentioned that YouTube Shorts is the platform best placed with the competition from TikTok than all other platforms. However, YouTube doesn’t need to be TikTok as it has its strategies and broad audience base.

Like Pringle, Matt Navarra, a social media consultant based in the U.K., said in an interview that Shorts is a logical evolution and extension of YouTube, which has further given rise to TikTok. But unlike TikTok, Shorts has a few features that it can take benefit from. Among these features is the extensive audio library content, the greater scope for users to remix and create duets and stuff from scratch. Undoubtedly, you can’t deny the experience of YouTube in terms of access to partnerships with the music industry and licensing.

Thus, keeping all these factors in mind, we’d like to conclude that both the YouTube Shorts and TikTok are great and considerable platforms for short video promotion. Still, we’d like to place YouTube Shorts in the upper place due to its global availability. Whereas TikTok is already banned in certain countries.

It also depends upon the audience base of the country as to which platform is in use the most. Suppose it’s TikTok that people primarily use in a particular country or location where the brand wants to advertise itself. In that case, going with TikTok for short video promotion is better and vice versa.

To get more information, click the following video!

TikTok or YouTube? Creators at VidCon 2023 Reveal Their Platform of Choice

Conclusion

So, this is our detailed overview of YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok.

Since YouTube wants its new platform to progress and stand a chance in front of TikTok, they will make Shorts a priority, and thus much more likely to promote it to a broad audience.

As we step further into the year, it is yet to consider which short-form video platform will be popular among the creators, marketers, and consumers.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Aug 21, 2023• Proven solutions

YouTube Shorts is the latest feature designed to mimic TikTok’s creation, but can it go hand in hand with one of the biggest social media apps? Let’s discuss this scenario in detail in this article!

YouTube’s TikTok competitor, YouTube Shorts, is now rocking globally. Seeing the success of Instagram Reels and TikTok, it seems like YouTube didn’t want to lag behind the game. So in September last year, it decided to step into short-form content via YouTube Shorts, a social platform for quick 60-second videos hosted on the YouTube app.

According to the Shorts product lead Todd Sherman, the social media giant aims to unleash new grounds for creativity.

On the other hand, TikTok is a short-form, video-sharing app that assists users to share and make 15-second to 60-seconds videos on any topic.

TikTok contains a separate app for the Chinese market, Douyin, with 300 million-plus active monthly users. The new app’s logo is a merger of the Duyin and Musical.ly logos.

And, we’re going to discuss the comparison of both these giants, i.e., YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok, in terms of which app is better for making short videos.

Part 1: Is YouTube Shorts the New TikTok?

In general, we can’t say that YouTube Shorts is the new TikTok because YouTube Shorts is YouTube’s expansion and have its own identity than TikTok.

YouTube Shorts is playing hand in hand with TikTok as the short-form video platform, but the Shorts integration with the broader ecosystem of YouTube is its key selling point according to Google’s service.

Ironically, while YouTube is laying ways to emulate TikTok’s format, TikTok is experimenting with formats that are closer to YouTube’s traditional focus. This is why TikTok has tripled its maximum video length to three minutes for everyone and has been developing apps slowly on TV platforms like Fire TV and Android TV.

At a glance, YouTube Shorts looks pretty similar to TikTok. However, there are certain TikTok features that even the Shorts product manager Todd Sherman disagrees with is that of the YouTube Shorts. Sherman said the way TikTok works is quite an industry-wide standard than the point of view of any single app.

Even though YouTube is quite late to the short-form content game, it has a strong brand of YouTube behind it.

Thus, saying that “YouTube Shorts is the new TikTok” doesn’t even qualify in terms of the $100 million fund sanctioned for the creators of YouTube Shorts.

Part 2: YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok: What Are the Similarities and Differences?

In this section, we’ve defined the analysis of YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok in the form of both a comparison table and specific points of similarities and differences.

Basis of Comparison	YouTube Shorts	TikTok
Video Length/Duration	Up to 60 seconds	Up to 3 minutes
Aspect Ratio	9:16	9:16
Video Captions/Description	You can find the video title in the exact location as the TikTok caption, but the description is visible only after users click on the three dots.	Video captions are located at the bottom left.
Placement of Analytics	YouTube Studio	TikTok app itself
Dislike Button	Yes	No

Section 1. The Similarities Between YouTube Shorts and TikTok

• Both these platforms are for short-form video content.
• The TikTok and YouTube Shorts both assist creators in adding music from their audio libraries, and users can view all videos beneath the audio library.
• Both offer analytics, including video views, likes, comments, watch time, shares, impressions, and reach. You can view these analytics on a desktop or mobile device for both platforms.
• The Shorts and TikTok feed provide a full-screen immersive experience with the engagement menu shown on the right-hand panel.
• Their feeds scroll in the same manner. Plus, there is an endless number of videos lined up for users to discover and watch. Yet, there’s no auto-scroll on either, and users must scroll manually for the following video to come up.
• Both provide tools that assist creators in earning money from their content creation.
• Users can subscribe or follow creators directly from their videos in both feeds.
• Both offer creators the ability to alter their video content’s speed and help them to set timers with the filming process.
• YouTube Shorts TikTok give creators the ability to upload video content they’ve previously filmed.
• You can add closed captions and overlaying text to both of these platforms.
• They both assist creators in setting a video for the public, so anyone can view it or set it to private.

Section 2. The Differences Between YouTube Shorts and TikTok

• The monetization features of both these platforms are entirely different. Shorts offer their ‘Shorts fund,’ whereas TikTok provides Shoutouts and Digital Gifts.
• Shorts can only be 60-seconds long, whereas TikTok’s can be as long as three minutes (it could soon be stretched to five minutes duration as per their recent test).
• TikTok allows users to add video captions that are present in the bottom left area of TikTok. At the same time, users can add a video title in Shorts which is present in the exact location as a TikTok caption. And, a video description that is only viewable when users click the three dots above the link button and click ‘Description’ can be in YouTube Shorts.
• YouTube has a large music library which gives users an abundance of undiscovered and popular songs to select from, possibly more than the TikTok offerings list.
• TikTok has a vast library of filters, including greenscreen and AR effects, whereas Shorts only provides filters that edit the video’s tone, temperature, brightness, etc.
• Shorts’ ‘private’ video option allows creators to choose or see who watches your video. On the other hand, TikTok’s ‘private’ video option only allows the creator to view the video.
• You can view the TikTok analytics directly in the TikTok app. On the other hand, YouTube Shorts analytics can be visible in YouTube Studio.

Features TikTok has, but YouTube Shorts does not…

• A stitch and duet feature, where users can add other creators’ videos to their accounts.
• A Q&A feature to leave questions for creators to answer with a video. Creators can also reply to their comments.
• A discovery tab that assists users in viewing trending sounds, effects, and hashtags.

Features YouTube Shorts has, but TikTok does not…

• A scheduling tool that assists creators in scheduling the timing of their Shorts going live.
• The option to select whether their videos are for kids or not. Or if they’d like to restrict their videos to viewers under 18.
• You can edit even after publishing.
• The option to “unlist” your Shorts, which means anyone can view it with a link to that video.

Part 3: YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok: Which One Is Better for Short Video Promotion

One of the differences that may determine the success of YouTube Shorts is that it is not a traditional social media app. While TikTok entices users to create, watch, and even share videos with friends within the app, the YouTube Shorts format is pretty different from TikTok.

Since YouTube doesn’t have this simple method of direct messaging and isn’t wholly dependent on creating, sharing, and watching Shorts, it looks that it may have a hard time keeping up with TikTok’s success.

Another drawback of YouTube Shorts in comparing YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok is that Shorts isn’t available through a dedicated app like TikTok. Thus, even though it keeps up the promise of creating, watching, and sharing both long and short-form content, it may turn away those who prefer focused access to quick content. Regardless, with YouTube Shorts now starting to become available to more users, the battle in the viral video market with TikTok is sure to heat up.

Before giving you our opinion on which is the better platform for short video promotion, go through the following conversation first.

Ramona Pringle is an associate professor and a tech expert at Toronto’s Ryerson University. She said in an interview that because YouTube already has figured out video content, the transformation to add short-form video will be natural.

She also mentioned that YouTube Shorts is the platform best placed with the competition from TikTok than all other platforms. However, YouTube doesn’t need to be TikTok as it has its strategies and broad audience base.

Like Pringle, Matt Navarra, a social media consultant based in the U.K., said in an interview that Shorts is a logical evolution and extension of YouTube, which has further given rise to TikTok. But unlike TikTok, Shorts has a few features that it can take benefit from. Among these features is the extensive audio library content, the greater scope for users to remix and create duets and stuff from scratch. Undoubtedly, you can’t deny the experience of YouTube in terms of access to partnerships with the music industry and licensing.

Thus, keeping all these factors in mind, we’d like to conclude that both the YouTube Shorts and TikTok are great and considerable platforms for short video promotion. Still, we’d like to place YouTube Shorts in the upper place due to its global availability. Whereas TikTok is already banned in certain countries.

It also depends upon the audience base of the country as to which platform is in use the most. Suppose it’s TikTok that people primarily use in a particular country or location where the brand wants to advertise itself. In that case, going with TikTok for short video promotion is better and vice versa.

To get more information, click the following video!

TikTok or YouTube? Creators at VidCon 2023 Reveal Their Platform of Choice

Conclusion

So, this is our detailed overview of YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok.

Since YouTube wants its new platform to progress and stand a chance in front of TikTok, they will make Shorts a priority, and thus much more likely to promote it to a broad audience.

As we step further into the year, it is yet to consider which short-form video platform will be popular among the creators, marketers, and consumers.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox