YouTube is now extending the duration of its Shorts vertical video format to a new maximum duration of three (3) minutes per upload, as opposed to its previous time limit of 60 seconds or one minute. In the four years of YouTube Shorts operations, the renowned streaming giant took the name quite literally as it only allowed short-form video durations for creators.
However, due to popular demand, Google and YouTube caved to the requests of its content creators to allow longer Shorts uploads on the platform, and it will be joined by a handful of updates.
YouTube Shorts is Extending to 3 Minutes Max Video Uploads
YouTube announced via a new blog post that Shorts is getting an extended maximum video upload limit which will allow users to share 3-minute videos to the platform. These latest capabilities from YouTube Shorts will take effect this October 15, expanding more of the content creation possibilities available for creators and influencers to enjoy.
With this creators who want to share their vertical videos will no longer have to cut it into different parts or have it available on the main YouTube platform to offer longer streaming for users.
This latest update brings Shorts to three times more than its previous maximum duration for uploads, and according to the company, this was one of the most highly requested features by content creators.
New Updates to YouTube Shorts Announced
In the latest announcement, YouTube is also adding more features to its Shorts experience for creators and users to enjoy. According to YouTube, Shorts will offer "improved recommendations" that will showcase the longer videos in its vertical format.
Additionally, Shorts will now feature "Trends" that will be different per country, and it will be accessible at the top of the page when a video is paused. Shorts videos will also share comment previews before tapping the button itself.
TikTok Still Holds Longest Duration
TikTok made a significant buzz when it first rose to popularity several years ago, and it made the vertical video format the hip and jive experience when consuming content on social media. However, its early days saw the platform only accepting 15-second videos, but it was later extended to a full minute and then three minutes, but this still led to its users asking for more.
Creators and uploaders became crafty with these set duration limits of the TikTok platform, particularly as they resorted to uploading "Part 2" and so forth of videos, sharing links to these uploads, or creating a playlist to showcase them better. It was reported that TikTok expanded its maximum video limit not only because creators asked for it, but also to compete with YouTube's main platform.
That being said, TikTok now features the longest video uploads amongst vertical video platforms, including YouTube Shorts, Facebook and Instagram Reels, and Snapchat. However, its most recent update to the experience earlier this year saw it jump almost six times from the 10-minute video duration, as TikTok ushered in a maximum limit of 60 minutes that is still unmatched to this day.
