YouTube is set to expand the video length for its popular YouTube Shorts format, allowing creators to upload videos up to three minutes in length. This update, effective from October 15, will increase the current limit of 60 seconds, giving creators more flexibility to tell their stories and engage their audience.
According to YouTube, this change has been one of the most requested features by creators.
The update applies specifically to square or taller aspect ratio videos, ensuring a seamless transition for Shorts creators. Videos uploaded before the update will remain unaffected. Along with this enhancement, YouTube is working on improving recommendations for longer Shorts to enhance visibility and user engagement, The Times of India reported.
YouTube is also rolling out several new features to enhance the Shorts experience. These include:
Templates for Remixes: Users will be able to recreate their favorite Shorts using templates, making it easier to follow trends. By tapping the “Remix” option and selecting “Use this template”, users can add new audio and customize it to their liking.
Expanded Shorts Camera Access: In the coming months, users will have access to more YouTube content through the Shorts camera. This feature will enable them to remix clips from various videos, including music videos and more, allowing for greater creativity.
Google DeepMind’s Veo Integration: YouTube confirmed that its Shorts platform will soon integrate Google DeepMind’s video-generating model, Veo, allowing creators to produce videos with imaginary backgrounds and unique visual elements.
To enhance user control over content, YouTube has introduced a new option called “Show fewer Shorts”. Users can enable this by selecting the three-dot menu on any Shorts grid in their Home feed, reducing the number of Shorts they see temporarily based on their preferences.
With these new updates, YouTube is poised to provide creators and users with more interactive, flexible, and personalized content experiences.