Take your Shorts to the next level. While you’re recording, enhance your video with Shorts creation tools to add music, filters, and backgrounds that transform your Short into a dynamic and interactive video. After recording, perfect your Short with stickers, Text-to-Speech, voiceover, and more. Not sure where to start? Learn how to create Shorts.
Top Advice for Growing on Shorts: Hear from Top UK Creators 🔥
Enhance your Shorts while you’re recording
Add music or other audio
Accompany your Shorts with a song or other audio clip. The music and sounds found in our library are free of charge to use, but only for personal, non-commercial use, unless you have the appropriate licenses.
To find our Audio Library when you’re ready to record, tap Add sound 
make your selection.
make your selection.Note that if you use copyright-protected content in your Shorts created outside of YouTube's creation tools, your video may get a Content ID claim or be removed due to a copyright removal request.
Adjust recording speed
Tap Speed 
to speed up or slow down recording.
to speed up or slow down recording.Record with a timer
Tap Timer 
to set the countdown to record hands-free and choose when to automatically stop recording.
to set the countdown to record hands-free and choose when to automatically stop recording.Apply filters
Tap Filters 
to pick from a selection of creative and contrasting filters that let you change the vibe of your Short. You can add different filters to each segment as you record. You can also apply a filter in the editing screen later.
to pick from a selection of creative and contrasting filters that let you change the vibe of your Short. You can add different filters to each segment as you record. You can also apply a filter in the editing screen later.Apply effects
Device requirements: To use these effects, make sure you have the required operating system and the latest version of the YouTube app. Download the latest YouTube app on your smartphone.
- For Android: Requires Android 8.0 or later & YouTube app version 18.06 or above.
- For iOS: Requires iOS 14 or later & YouTube app version 17.47 or above.
Tap Effects 
to choose from a selection of compelling effects to help enhance your Short. You can explore new concepts, change your appearance, or use an AI effect for a surprising transformation. Tap bookmark 
to save your effects for next time.
to choose from a selection of compelling effects to help enhance your Short. You can explore new concepts, change your appearance, or use an AI effect for a surprising transformation. Tap bookmark Effects are created by YouTube and other eligible creators. The creator's handle is displayed on the effects they created.
Add a background
While in the record screen, tap Green screen 
to use a photo or video from your device’s gallery as a background in your Short.
to use a photo or video from your device’s gallery as a background in your Short.Align frames
Tap Align 
to line up your next clip using a transparent overlay of the last frame you captured.
to line up your next clip using a transparent overlay of the last frame you captured.Adjust segments
Tap Trim 
to choose the perfect starting point or trim video segments that are a part of your Short.
to choose the perfect starting point or trim video segments that are a part of your Short.Import segments
While in the record screen, tap the gallery button in the lower-left corner to import clips into your Short or select a longer video to trim to 60 seconds or less.
Navigating the import experience is easy:
- For videos over 60 seconds, use the slider to quickly jump to the desired moment in your video.
- Tap and drag the handles on the video filmstrip to choose where the video starts and ends.
- Tap the duration (15 seconds or 60 seconds) in the upper-right corner to change the length of your Short.
Enhance your Shorts after you've recorded
Add sound
To add a song or other sound bite after you record, tap Sound make your selection.
Sound make your selection.Use Volume 
to adjust audio levels across music, your original video’s audio, and voiceover.
to adjust audio levels across music, your original video’s audio, and voiceover.Note that if you use copyright-protected content in your Shorts created outside of YouTube's creation tools, your video may get a Content ID claim or be removed due to a copyright removal request.
Add text
Tap Text 
to put text on your video after you record. Place messages over your video and change the color, style, and alignment on the screen.
to put text on your video after you record. Place messages over your video and change the color, style, and alignment on the screen.You can also use Timeline 
for even more control.
for even more control.Add stickers
Note: When a viewer responds to your question, their responses become a comment that will be public and visible to other viewers.
Q&A sticker
To add a Q&A sticker after you've recorded, tap Sticker 
"Add yours" sticker
To add a “Add yours” sticker after you've recorded, tap Sticker 
Poll Sticker
HOW TO: Add a POLL STICKER to your Short ✅
Note: The poll sticker can't be applied to unlisted or private Shorts.
To add a poll sticker after you've recorded, tap Sticker and get real-time feedback on your Short. You can add 2 options for your audience to choose from. The poll remains open as long as the Short is published and the viewers can change their vote.
Record voiceover
Use the voiceover feature to narrate what happens in your video.
Here’s how to get started:
- Tap Voiceover
at the bottom of the editing screen to open the voiceover editor.
- Move the playhead left or right to the spot you want to start your voiceover.
- Hold the red record button or tap it to start recording and then again to stop.
- Tap Undo
to remove your narration or tap Redo
to add it back.
at the bottom of the editing screen to open the voiceover editor.
to remove your narration or tap Redo 
to add it back.Use Volume to adjust audio levels across music, your original video’s audio, and voiceover.
to adjust audio levels across music, your original video’s audio, and voiceover.Add and edit your captions
Note: Currently, captions are only available in certain languages and mobile devices.
Tap Captions 
to start adding automatic captioning to your Shorts. You can make edits to the font, text color, and make corrections to the captions.
Adjust timeline
Tap Timeline to edit when text is shown in your Short.
to edit when text is shown in your Short.Drag the start and stop points of a text clip to control when text shows in your Short and when it disappears. Use this feature to trigger different messages at different times in your video.
To reorder text clips, tap and hold them. Move clips from top to bottom to control the front to back order your text is shown.
Add filters
Tap Filters to add a filter. Choose from a number of creative and contrasting filters to change the look and feel of your Short.
to add a filter. Choose from a number of creative and contrasting filters to change the look and feel of your Short.Adjust layout
Tap Layout to choose from the different options:
- Single: The standard option for vertical crop layout.
- Split Screen: A three-way split screen option to display different parts of a video. The sizes of options for the three-way split screens are 50-50, 70-30, and 30-70.
- Square: The best option for wide-angle horizontal videos.
Text-to-Speech
Note: The text you generate is sent to a server and a model generates the voice which is then applied to the video.
You can use Text-to-Speech to help narrate your Shorts.
- While in the recording screen, tap Text
.
- Add your text.
- In the top corner, tap Add voice
.
.- Note: You can edit the voiceover options by tapping the text
Get Shorts editing tips.