YouTube Content Requirements: Video, Shorts, and Captions

Whether you're uploading long-form videos or Shorts, it’s important to follow YouTube’s technical requirements to avoid publishing issues. This guide outlines the file specifications, formatting requirements, and caption limitations when posting to YouTube via content platforms.

 

 Video Requirements

• Maximum File Size: 512 MB

• Accepted Format: MP4 only

• Title Length: Maximum of 100 characters

• Note: YouTube does not support image-only posts. You must upload a video file to publish content.

Caption and Hashtag Limits

• Caption Length: Up to 5,000 characters

• Hashtag Limit: Maximum of 15 hashtags per post

YouTube Shorts Requirements

To qualify as a YouTube Short, your video must meet the following criteria:

Vertical Shorts Format (Preferred)

• Length: 3 minutes or less

• Aspect Ratio: 9:16

• Resolution: 1080x1920 pixels

Square Shorts Format (Alternate Option)

• Aspect Ratio: 1:1

• Resolution: 1080x1080 pixels

• YouTube will automatically add black bars at the top and bottom of square videos