"Boost Views  Top 10 Free Tools for Custom YouTube Thumbnails"

"Boost Views Top 10 Free Tools for Custom YouTube Thumbnails"

Kevin Lv12

Boost Views: Top 10 Free Tools for Custom YouTube Thumbnails

Top 12 Free YouTube Thumbnail Makers - Filmora

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Video thumbnails are vital to get your videos more views. Many successful YouTubers make nice thumbnails which help them get lots of views and thus tons of subscribers.

If you are searching for software tools that can assist in the creation of YouTube video thumbnails, then you are on the right page because the details available below will provide you with complete information about the top 10+ highly rated YouTube Thumbnail Makers on both desktop and mobile devices. Some of them are free to create YouTube thumbnails; others may need to pay to get more advanced features. Besides, I’ll also show you how to create a thumbnail in the Filmora video editor in detail.

Before we get started, it is highly recommended to watch this video, teaching you how to make a YouTube Thumbnail in 30 seconds with Filmora.

You might be interested in


Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version


Part 1:10+ Free YouTube Thumbnail Makers for Windows/Mac/Online/Android/iPhone/iPad

In this part, we will share with you some Free YouTube Thumbnail Makers that you can use. Some of them are online solutions, so there is no need to download them, some of them can be downloaded on Windows or Mac computers.

If you prefer to edit videos on mobile devices, then it is good to have an app that allows you to create video thumbnails for YouTube videos. So in this part, we have included some video thumbnail maker apps that you can use on iPhone and Android phones.

1. Canva

It is a free thumbnail maker that can be accessed from its official website at Canva.com. This Video Thumbnail Maker is useful for graphic designers as it offers incredible features. The simple to use drag and drop type functions are wonderful, and the effects available for your Thumbnail Creation include free stock-type photos, Illustrations, Lines, Shapes, Frames, Grids, Backgrounds, Text, etc. The quick customer support facility is appreciable. Note: You need to sign up to use the thumbnail templates.

Main Features of this free YouTube Thumbnail Maker:

  • It offers a customized YouTube thumbnail design
  • You can change images, colors and fonts easily
  • You can get more styles and templates if you pay
  • Registration needed

2. Wondershare PixStudio

PixStudio youtube thumbnail maker

Wondershare PixStudio is an all-in-one and powerful online graphic design maker for everyone. It has various types of templates for YouTube Thumbnails, Logos, Posters, etc. You can create a beautiful design by simply dragging and dropping the elements and photos. The online platform is free to use all templates, just One-Click to download your creations and share to your Facebook, Instagram Story, YouTube Thumbnails, etc. immediately.

Features

  • Various types of templates
  • Simple and Fast Design
  • Background remover

Available:
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

3. PicMonkey

picmonkey youtube thumbnail maker

This online thumbnail maker provides numerous filters, exclusive overlays, fonts, frames, and extra beautifying touch-up type tools to users with a single registration to Picmonkey’s premium membership. The exclusive effects like Ombre, zombify, premium fonts and Mirror are a really good collection of this tool. Now you can easily design beautiful collages, edit your memories, and create professional thumbnails with Picmonkey.com. Because of its wide range of options, it is probably the second most popular option for YouTubers who want to make professional thumbnails, right after Canva. One major difference between Picmonkey and Canva is that Picmonkey is no longer free. It costs $4 per month.

Features:

  • As a youtube thumbnail maker, you also can touch up facial beautification
  • Design tools make creative logos
  • Provides 100+ designer-crafted thumbnail templates

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

4. Fotor

fotor youtube thumbnail maker

It is possible to get something outstanding even out of your simple content without making much effort because Fotor serves you with all advanced features, and it covers attractive themes from all over the world. Fotor allows you to re-discover your art and skills without any limitation as it offers all quick editing services online. It is very interactive and simple to use with all rich features, so even beginners who haven’t made any thumbnail before can make a video thumbnail with it easily.

Features:

  • Your thumbnail will be saved on the cloud
  • Fast processing speed while exporting your work
  • Provides YouTube thumbnail templates for different scenarios

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

5. Fotojet

fotojet youtube thumbnail maker

The fotojet.com online tool provides numerous facilities, whereas it is preferably used for collage making, graphic designing, and as a photo editor. With this advanced thumbnail creator tool, now you can easily rotate, crop, resize or filter your images while creating direct posts for social media pages such as Instagram, Facebook, etc. Fotojet.com possesses more than 600 stunning collage making templates that are suitable for your special events.

Features:

  • It owns many templates for you to use
  • Easy to have a high-quality thumbnail with only a few clicks
  • 3 Steps to make a YouTube thumbnail

Available :
Online
Windows
Mac

6. Backgrounder

backgrounder youtube thumbnail maker

It allows you to design masterpieces of customized professional art, avatars, and thumbnails for videos on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc. It is simple to use and contains an interactive user interface that is suitable for professionals as well as beginners.

Features:

  • It owns a community that you can share works with other people
  • The interface is extremely straightforward

Available :
Online

7. Pixlr:

pixlr

It is a specially designs app version of well known Pixlr website where you can feel free to add overlays to your thumbnails. The choice of filters is also good for her with a high-end resolution as compared to available online solutions.

Features:

  • Its free effects are a great source to come up with a new YouTube thumbnail
  • Comprehensive editing tools are handy to use every day

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

8. Photo Editor:

photo editor

Photo Editor is one of the most popular applications that assist users in the easy addition of stickers, frames, etc while it makes adjustment of redeye, brightness, and sharpness much easier. Most people love this application more due to its ability to create memes with available images and text for those images can be adjusted easily. The photo editor also makes it much easier to share edited stuff on Instagram and the quality of edited images use to be very high in this case.

Features:

  • Color splash is a great tool to brighten up your thumbnail
  • You can easily crop, rotate and flip

Available :
iPhone/iPad

9. Insta Collage:

insta collage

The name of this application describes its most special feature that is it allows users to create wonderful collages within very little time. This tool comes with easy editing and sharing features so that users can have an easy interface on other platforms too. There are lots of effects that can be added to images while designing thumbnails and it is rated to have an outstanding quality of results.

Features:

  • The personalized layout will give you a catchy thumbnail
  • It owns 30 patterns and 18 frames to select

Available :
Android

10. Cropic:

cropic

Here is one more application for you that you will need for easy customization as well as fast sharing to YouTube as well as Instagram. Users can bring all size types to this platform, and it is also possible to add text at the time of editing. This tool is suggested for beginners as well as professionals due to its great results.

Features:

  • You can scale the image by hand and cut it
  • Pro version is more powerful for supporting 1224x1224 pixels

Available :
iPhone/iPad

With all these available software tools, it becomes much easier to create video Thumbnails for YouTube. The easy-to-follow steps are well described in different articles on the internet, but first of all, you need to make a selection between whether you need to use the online tool or wish to download the app on your device.

For the second case, you need to spare some memory in your device, whereas for the first one it demands a fast internet connection for easy services. Besides those specially designed YouTube Thumbnail makers, you can also create a thumbnail in Filmora if you’ve already installed it.

11. Snappa:

If you’re looking for a tool that can be upgraded later, then Snappa could be for you. Offering users both free and paid functions, Snappa will allow users to generate some truly alluring thumbnails, while still being able to use the tools for work on other social media platforms.

Features:

  • Pre-Made Templates Available
  • Easily Customize Backgrounds
  • Place Custom Text Anywhere You Want
  • Create a Truly Bespoke YouTube Thumbnail

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

12. Adobe Spark:

Not only is Adobe recognized for creating images in many different contexts, but it is also able to offer YouTubers a free tool to ensure that their video thumbnails are catching the eye of social network visitors.

Features:

  • A Basic and Easy-To-Use Platform
  • Ideal for Beginners
  • Customize Colors, Backgrounds, and Text with Ease
  • Add Additional Images if Needed

Available :
Windows 7 or newer
Mac OS X
Chromebook


Part 2: How to Make YouTube Thumbnails in Wondershare Filmora?

Filmora is easy to use and powerful video editing software for your YouTube videos, which allows you not only to cut, rotate, crop, reverse, or speed up your videos, but also to apply some advanced editing effects like green screen, PIP, audio editing, etc. within clicks.

Here are several creative ways of making thumbnails in Filmora. You can easily create a thumbnail in 30 seconds with Filmora’s new feature, AI portrait.

You can add your image or background image to Filmora and then add some filters, texts, overlay, or elements to the photo, and then take a snapshot, since Filmora features the snapshot tool which allows you to pick up the most attractive images from the video and use it as a video thumbnail.

Create YouTube Video Thumbnail with Photo

Thumbnail created from a photo in Filmora

Or, you can extract frames from the video and use it as a thumbnail and upload it to YouTube later.

Extract Frame from Video and Use as Thumbnail

Thumbnail extracted from video footage in Filmora

One more creative way is to compositevideo footage with the green screen feature .

Compositing with Green Screen to Make Thumbnail

Use Green Screen to Create Video Thumbnail in Filmora

Where to find the thumbnail photo in Wondershare Filmora?

After clicking the Camera icon in Filmora to take a screenshot, you can find the photos by right-clicking the image in the Media library and then selecting Reveal in Explorer to check it.

Find Screenshots in Filmora

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


Part 3: FAQs About YouTube Thumbnail

1. What Does Thumbnail Mean on YouTube?

Thumbnails are reduced-size versions of images or videos. The name is an allusion to images being reduced to roughly the size of a human thumbnail. Thumbnails have special significance in YouTube SEO. They are used for drawing the viewers’ attention. A well-made thumbnail can bring millions of views for a YouTuber .

2. Which Is the Best Thumbnail Maker for YouTube?

Besides the thumbnail maker introduced above, the Filmora video editor and be used as an excellent thumbnail maker as well. Instead of going through the hassle of installing or subscribing to a separate program or website, it is better to use the extensive features of Filmora. It can take free snapshots for you, which you can modify within Filmora. There are stunning title templates, effects, overlays, transitions, and a large library of stock content at your service. From Part 2 in this article, you can see that making a YouTube thumbnail in Filmora is easy and efficient.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Video thumbnails are vital to get your videos more views. Many successful YouTubers make nice thumbnails which help them get lots of views and thus tons of subscribers.

If you are searching for software tools that can assist in the creation of YouTube video thumbnails, then you are on the right page because the details available below will provide you with complete information about the top 10+ highly rated YouTube Thumbnail Makers on both desktop and mobile devices. Some of them are free to create YouTube thumbnails; others may need to pay to get more advanced features. Besides, I’ll also show you how to create a thumbnail in the Filmora video editor in detail.

Before we get started, it is highly recommended to watch this video, teaching you how to make a YouTube Thumbnail in 30 seconds with Filmora.

You might be interested in


Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version


Part 1:10+ Free YouTube Thumbnail Makers for Windows/Mac/Online/Android/iPhone/iPad

In this part, we will share with you some Free YouTube Thumbnail Makers that you can use. Some of them are online solutions, so there is no need to download them, some of them can be downloaded on Windows or Mac computers.

If you prefer to edit videos on mobile devices, then it is good to have an app that allows you to create video thumbnails for YouTube videos. So in this part, we have included some video thumbnail maker apps that you can use on iPhone and Android phones.

1. Canva

It is a free thumbnail maker that can be accessed from its official website at Canva.com. This Video Thumbnail Maker is useful for graphic designers as it offers incredible features. The simple to use drag and drop type functions are wonderful, and the effects available for your Thumbnail Creation include free stock-type photos, Illustrations, Lines, Shapes, Frames, Grids, Backgrounds, Text, etc. The quick customer support facility is appreciable. Note: You need to sign up to use the thumbnail templates.

Main Features of this free YouTube Thumbnail Maker:

  • It offers a customized YouTube thumbnail design
  • You can change images, colors and fonts easily
  • You can get more styles and templates if you pay
  • Registration needed

2. Wondershare PixStudio

PixStudio youtube thumbnail maker

Wondershare PixStudio is an all-in-one and powerful online graphic design maker for everyone. It has various types of templates for YouTube Thumbnails, Logos, Posters, etc. You can create a beautiful design by simply dragging and dropping the elements and photos. The online platform is free to use all templates, just One-Click to download your creations and share to your Facebook, Instagram Story, YouTube Thumbnails, etc. immediately.

Features

  • Various types of templates
  • Simple and Fast Design
  • Background remover

Available:
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

3. PicMonkey

picmonkey youtube thumbnail maker

This online thumbnail maker provides numerous filters, exclusive overlays, fonts, frames, and extra beautifying touch-up type tools to users with a single registration to Picmonkey’s premium membership. The exclusive effects like Ombre, zombify, premium fonts and Mirror are a really good collection of this tool. Now you can easily design beautiful collages, edit your memories, and create professional thumbnails with Picmonkey.com. Because of its wide range of options, it is probably the second most popular option for YouTubers who want to make professional thumbnails, right after Canva. One major difference between Picmonkey and Canva is that Picmonkey is no longer free. It costs $4 per month.

Features:

  • As a youtube thumbnail maker, you also can touch up facial beautification
  • Design tools make creative logos
  • Provides 100+ designer-crafted thumbnail templates

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

4. Fotor

fotor youtube thumbnail maker

It is possible to get something outstanding even out of your simple content without making much effort because Fotor serves you with all advanced features, and it covers attractive themes from all over the world. Fotor allows you to re-discover your art and skills without any limitation as it offers all quick editing services online. It is very interactive and simple to use with all rich features, so even beginners who haven’t made any thumbnail before can make a video thumbnail with it easily.

Features:

  • Your thumbnail will be saved on the cloud
  • Fast processing speed while exporting your work
  • Provides YouTube thumbnail templates for different scenarios

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

5. Fotojet

fotojet youtube thumbnail maker

The fotojet.com online tool provides numerous facilities, whereas it is preferably used for collage making, graphic designing, and as a photo editor. With this advanced thumbnail creator tool, now you can easily rotate, crop, resize or filter your images while creating direct posts for social media pages such as Instagram, Facebook, etc. Fotojet.com possesses more than 600 stunning collage making templates that are suitable for your special events.

Features:

  • It owns many templates for you to use
  • Easy to have a high-quality thumbnail with only a few clicks
  • 3 Steps to make a YouTube thumbnail

Available :
Online
Windows
Mac

6. Backgrounder

backgrounder youtube thumbnail maker

It allows you to design masterpieces of customized professional art, avatars, and thumbnails for videos on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc. It is simple to use and contains an interactive user interface that is suitable for professionals as well as beginners.

Features:

  • It owns a community that you can share works with other people
  • The interface is extremely straightforward

Available :
Online

7. Pixlr:

pixlr

It is a specially designs app version of well known Pixlr website where you can feel free to add overlays to your thumbnails. The choice of filters is also good for her with a high-end resolution as compared to available online solutions.

Features:

  • Its free effects are a great source to come up with a new YouTube thumbnail
  • Comprehensive editing tools are handy to use every day

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

8. Photo Editor:

photo editor

Photo Editor is one of the most popular applications that assist users in the easy addition of stickers, frames, etc while it makes adjustment of redeye, brightness, and sharpness much easier. Most people love this application more due to its ability to create memes with available images and text for those images can be adjusted easily. The photo editor also makes it much easier to share edited stuff on Instagram and the quality of edited images use to be very high in this case.

Features:

  • Color splash is a great tool to brighten up your thumbnail
  • You can easily crop, rotate and flip

Available :
iPhone/iPad

9. Insta Collage:

insta collage

The name of this application describes its most special feature that is it allows users to create wonderful collages within very little time. This tool comes with easy editing and sharing features so that users can have an easy interface on other platforms too. There are lots of effects that can be added to images while designing thumbnails and it is rated to have an outstanding quality of results.

Features:

  • The personalized layout will give you a catchy thumbnail
  • It owns 30 patterns and 18 frames to select

Available :
Android

10. Cropic:

cropic

Here is one more application for you that you will need for easy customization as well as fast sharing to YouTube as well as Instagram. Users can bring all size types to this platform, and it is also possible to add text at the time of editing. This tool is suggested for beginners as well as professionals due to its great results.

Features:

  • You can scale the image by hand and cut it
  • Pro version is more powerful for supporting 1224x1224 pixels

Available :
iPhone/iPad

With all these available software tools, it becomes much easier to create video Thumbnails for YouTube. The easy-to-follow steps are well described in different articles on the internet, but first of all, you need to make a selection between whether you need to use the online tool or wish to download the app on your device.

For the second case, you need to spare some memory in your device, whereas for the first one it demands a fast internet connection for easy services. Besides those specially designed YouTube Thumbnail makers, you can also create a thumbnail in Filmora if you’ve already installed it.

11. Snappa:

If you’re looking for a tool that can be upgraded later, then Snappa could be for you. Offering users both free and paid functions, Snappa will allow users to generate some truly alluring thumbnails, while still being able to use the tools for work on other social media platforms.

Features:

  • Pre-Made Templates Available
  • Easily Customize Backgrounds
  • Place Custom Text Anywhere You Want
  • Create a Truly Bespoke YouTube Thumbnail

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

12. Adobe Spark:

Not only is Adobe recognized for creating images in many different contexts, but it is also able to offer YouTubers a free tool to ensure that their video thumbnails are catching the eye of social network visitors.

Features:

  • A Basic and Easy-To-Use Platform
  • Ideal for Beginners
  • Customize Colors, Backgrounds, and Text with Ease
  • Add Additional Images if Needed

Available :
Windows 7 or newer
Mac OS X
Chromebook


Part 2: How to Make YouTube Thumbnails in Wondershare Filmora?

Filmora is easy to use and powerful video editing software for your YouTube videos, which allows you not only to cut, rotate, crop, reverse, or speed up your videos, but also to apply some advanced editing effects like green screen, PIP, audio editing, etc. within clicks.

Here are several creative ways of making thumbnails in Filmora. You can easily create a thumbnail in 30 seconds with Filmora’s new feature, AI portrait.

You can add your image or background image to Filmora and then add some filters, texts, overlay, or elements to the photo, and then take a snapshot, since Filmora features the snapshot tool which allows you to pick up the most attractive images from the video and use it as a video thumbnail.

Create YouTube Video Thumbnail with Photo

Thumbnail created from a photo in Filmora

Or, you can extract frames from the video and use it as a thumbnail and upload it to YouTube later.

Extract Frame from Video and Use as Thumbnail

Thumbnail extracted from video footage in Filmora

One more creative way is to compositevideo footage with the green screen feature .

Compositing with Green Screen to Make Thumbnail

Use Green Screen to Create Video Thumbnail in Filmora

Where to find the thumbnail photo in Wondershare Filmora?

After clicking the Camera icon in Filmora to take a screenshot, you can find the photos by right-clicking the image in the Media library and then selecting Reveal in Explorer to check it.

Find Screenshots in Filmora

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


Part 3: FAQs About YouTube Thumbnail

1. What Does Thumbnail Mean on YouTube?

Thumbnails are reduced-size versions of images or videos. The name is an allusion to images being reduced to roughly the size of a human thumbnail. Thumbnails have special significance in YouTube SEO. They are used for drawing the viewers’ attention. A well-made thumbnail can bring millions of views for a YouTuber .

2. Which Is the Best Thumbnail Maker for YouTube?

Besides the thumbnail maker introduced above, the Filmora video editor and be used as an excellent thumbnail maker as well. Instead of going through the hassle of installing or subscribing to a separate program or website, it is better to use the extensive features of Filmora. It can take free snapshots for you, which you can modify within Filmora. There are stunning title templates, effects, overlays, transitions, and a large library of stock content at your service. From Part 2 in this article, you can see that making a YouTube thumbnail in Filmora is easy and efficient.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Video thumbnails are vital to get your videos more views. Many successful YouTubers make nice thumbnails which help them get lots of views and thus tons of subscribers.

If you are searching for software tools that can assist in the creation of YouTube video thumbnails, then you are on the right page because the details available below will provide you with complete information about the top 10+ highly rated YouTube Thumbnail Makers on both desktop and mobile devices. Some of them are free to create YouTube thumbnails; others may need to pay to get more advanced features. Besides, I’ll also show you how to create a thumbnail in the Filmora video editor in detail.

Before we get started, it is highly recommended to watch this video, teaching you how to make a YouTube Thumbnail in 30 seconds with Filmora.

You might be interested in


Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version


Part 1:10+ Free YouTube Thumbnail Makers for Windows/Mac/Online/Android/iPhone/iPad

In this part, we will share with you some Free YouTube Thumbnail Makers that you can use. Some of them are online solutions, so there is no need to download them, some of them can be downloaded on Windows or Mac computers.

If you prefer to edit videos on mobile devices, then it is good to have an app that allows you to create video thumbnails for YouTube videos. So in this part, we have included some video thumbnail maker apps that you can use on iPhone and Android phones.

1. Canva

It is a free thumbnail maker that can be accessed from its official website at Canva.com. This Video Thumbnail Maker is useful for graphic designers as it offers incredible features. The simple to use drag and drop type functions are wonderful, and the effects available for your Thumbnail Creation include free stock-type photos, Illustrations, Lines, Shapes, Frames, Grids, Backgrounds, Text, etc. The quick customer support facility is appreciable. Note: You need to sign up to use the thumbnail templates.

Main Features of this free YouTube Thumbnail Maker:

  • It offers a customized YouTube thumbnail design
  • You can change images, colors and fonts easily
  • You can get more styles and templates if you pay
  • Registration needed

2. Wondershare PixStudio

PixStudio youtube thumbnail maker

Wondershare PixStudio is an all-in-one and powerful online graphic design maker for everyone. It has various types of templates for YouTube Thumbnails, Logos, Posters, etc. You can create a beautiful design by simply dragging and dropping the elements and photos. The online platform is free to use all templates, just One-Click to download your creations and share to your Facebook, Instagram Story, YouTube Thumbnails, etc. immediately.

Features

  • Various types of templates
  • Simple and Fast Design
  • Background remover

Available:
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

3. PicMonkey

picmonkey youtube thumbnail maker

This online thumbnail maker provides numerous filters, exclusive overlays, fonts, frames, and extra beautifying touch-up type tools to users with a single registration to Picmonkey’s premium membership. The exclusive effects like Ombre, zombify, premium fonts and Mirror are a really good collection of this tool. Now you can easily design beautiful collages, edit your memories, and create professional thumbnails with Picmonkey.com. Because of its wide range of options, it is probably the second most popular option for YouTubers who want to make professional thumbnails, right after Canva. One major difference between Picmonkey and Canva is that Picmonkey is no longer free. It costs $4 per month.

Features:

  • As a youtube thumbnail maker, you also can touch up facial beautification
  • Design tools make creative logos
  • Provides 100+ designer-crafted thumbnail templates

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

4. Fotor

fotor youtube thumbnail maker

It is possible to get something outstanding even out of your simple content without making much effort because Fotor serves you with all advanced features, and it covers attractive themes from all over the world. Fotor allows you to re-discover your art and skills without any limitation as it offers all quick editing services online. It is very interactive and simple to use with all rich features, so even beginners who haven’t made any thumbnail before can make a video thumbnail with it easily.

Features:

  • Your thumbnail will be saved on the cloud
  • Fast processing speed while exporting your work
  • Provides YouTube thumbnail templates for different scenarios

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

5. Fotojet

fotojet youtube thumbnail maker

The fotojet.com online tool provides numerous facilities, whereas it is preferably used for collage making, graphic designing, and as a photo editor. With this advanced thumbnail creator tool, now you can easily rotate, crop, resize or filter your images while creating direct posts for social media pages such as Instagram, Facebook, etc. Fotojet.com possesses more than 600 stunning collage making templates that are suitable for your special events.

Features:

  • It owns many templates for you to use
  • Easy to have a high-quality thumbnail with only a few clicks
  • 3 Steps to make a YouTube thumbnail

Available :
Online
Windows
Mac

6. Backgrounder

backgrounder youtube thumbnail maker

It allows you to design masterpieces of customized professional art, avatars, and thumbnails for videos on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc. It is simple to use and contains an interactive user interface that is suitable for professionals as well as beginners.

Features:

  • It owns a community that you can share works with other people
  • The interface is extremely straightforward

Available :
Online

7. Pixlr:

pixlr

It is a specially designs app version of well known Pixlr website where you can feel free to add overlays to your thumbnails. The choice of filters is also good for her with a high-end resolution as compared to available online solutions.

Features:

  • Its free effects are a great source to come up with a new YouTube thumbnail
  • Comprehensive editing tools are handy to use every day

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

8. Photo Editor:

photo editor

Photo Editor is one of the most popular applications that assist users in the easy addition of stickers, frames, etc while it makes adjustment of redeye, brightness, and sharpness much easier. Most people love this application more due to its ability to create memes with available images and text for those images can be adjusted easily. The photo editor also makes it much easier to share edited stuff on Instagram and the quality of edited images use to be very high in this case.

Features:

  • Color splash is a great tool to brighten up your thumbnail
  • You can easily crop, rotate and flip

Available :
iPhone/iPad

9. Insta Collage:

insta collage

The name of this application describes its most special feature that is it allows users to create wonderful collages within very little time. This tool comes with easy editing and sharing features so that users can have an easy interface on other platforms too. There are lots of effects that can be added to images while designing thumbnails and it is rated to have an outstanding quality of results.

Features:

  • The personalized layout will give you a catchy thumbnail
  • It owns 30 patterns and 18 frames to select

Available :
Android

10. Cropic:

cropic

Here is one more application for you that you will need for easy customization as well as fast sharing to YouTube as well as Instagram. Users can bring all size types to this platform, and it is also possible to add text at the time of editing. This tool is suggested for beginners as well as professionals due to its great results.

Features:

  • You can scale the image by hand and cut it
  • Pro version is more powerful for supporting 1224x1224 pixels

Available :
iPhone/iPad

With all these available software tools, it becomes much easier to create video Thumbnails for YouTube. The easy-to-follow steps are well described in different articles on the internet, but first of all, you need to make a selection between whether you need to use the online tool or wish to download the app on your device.

For the second case, you need to spare some memory in your device, whereas for the first one it demands a fast internet connection for easy services. Besides those specially designed YouTube Thumbnail makers, you can also create a thumbnail in Filmora if you’ve already installed it.

11. Snappa:

If you’re looking for a tool that can be upgraded later, then Snappa could be for you. Offering users both free and paid functions, Snappa will allow users to generate some truly alluring thumbnails, while still being able to use the tools for work on other social media platforms.

Features:

  • Pre-Made Templates Available
  • Easily Customize Backgrounds
  • Place Custom Text Anywhere You Want
  • Create a Truly Bespoke YouTube Thumbnail

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

12. Adobe Spark:

Not only is Adobe recognized for creating images in many different contexts, but it is also able to offer YouTubers a free tool to ensure that their video thumbnails are catching the eye of social network visitors.

Features:

  • A Basic and Easy-To-Use Platform
  • Ideal for Beginners
  • Customize Colors, Backgrounds, and Text with Ease
  • Add Additional Images if Needed

Available :
Windows 7 or newer
Mac OS X
Chromebook


Part 2: How to Make YouTube Thumbnails in Wondershare Filmora?

Filmora is easy to use and powerful video editing software for your YouTube videos, which allows you not only to cut, rotate, crop, reverse, or speed up your videos, but also to apply some advanced editing effects like green screen, PIP, audio editing, etc. within clicks.

Here are several creative ways of making thumbnails in Filmora. You can easily create a thumbnail in 30 seconds with Filmora’s new feature, AI portrait.

You can add your image or background image to Filmora and then add some filters, texts, overlay, or elements to the photo, and then take a snapshot, since Filmora features the snapshot tool which allows you to pick up the most attractive images from the video and use it as a video thumbnail.

Create YouTube Video Thumbnail with Photo

Thumbnail created from a photo in Filmora

Or, you can extract frames from the video and use it as a thumbnail and upload it to YouTube later.

Extract Frame from Video and Use as Thumbnail

Thumbnail extracted from video footage in Filmora

One more creative way is to compositevideo footage with the green screen feature .

Compositing with Green Screen to Make Thumbnail

Use Green Screen to Create Video Thumbnail in Filmora

Where to find the thumbnail photo in Wondershare Filmora?

After clicking the Camera icon in Filmora to take a screenshot, you can find the photos by right-clicking the image in the Media library and then selecting Reveal in Explorer to check it.

Find Screenshots in Filmora

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


Part 3: FAQs About YouTube Thumbnail

1. What Does Thumbnail Mean on YouTube?

Thumbnails are reduced-size versions of images or videos. The name is an allusion to images being reduced to roughly the size of a human thumbnail. Thumbnails have special significance in YouTube SEO. They are used for drawing the viewers’ attention. A well-made thumbnail can bring millions of views for a YouTuber .

2. Which Is the Best Thumbnail Maker for YouTube?

Besides the thumbnail maker introduced above, the Filmora video editor and be used as an excellent thumbnail maker as well. Instead of going through the hassle of installing or subscribing to a separate program or website, it is better to use the extensive features of Filmora. It can take free snapshots for you, which you can modify within Filmora. There are stunning title templates, effects, overlays, transitions, and a large library of stock content at your service. From Part 2 in this article, you can see that making a YouTube thumbnail in Filmora is easy and efficient.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Video thumbnails are vital to get your videos more views. Many successful YouTubers make nice thumbnails which help them get lots of views and thus tons of subscribers.

If you are searching for software tools that can assist in the creation of YouTube video thumbnails, then you are on the right page because the details available below will provide you with complete information about the top 10+ highly rated YouTube Thumbnail Makers on both desktop and mobile devices. Some of them are free to create YouTube thumbnails; others may need to pay to get more advanced features. Besides, I’ll also show you how to create a thumbnail in the Filmora video editor in detail.

Before we get started, it is highly recommended to watch this video, teaching you how to make a YouTube Thumbnail in 30 seconds with Filmora.

You might be interested in


Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version


Part 1:10+ Free YouTube Thumbnail Makers for Windows/Mac/Online/Android/iPhone/iPad

In this part, we will share with you some Free YouTube Thumbnail Makers that you can use. Some of them are online solutions, so there is no need to download them, some of them can be downloaded on Windows or Mac computers.

If you prefer to edit videos on mobile devices, then it is good to have an app that allows you to create video thumbnails for YouTube videos. So in this part, we have included some video thumbnail maker apps that you can use on iPhone and Android phones.

1. Canva

It is a free thumbnail maker that can be accessed from its official website at Canva.com. This Video Thumbnail Maker is useful for graphic designers as it offers incredible features. The simple to use drag and drop type functions are wonderful, and the effects available for your Thumbnail Creation include free stock-type photos, Illustrations, Lines, Shapes, Frames, Grids, Backgrounds, Text, etc. The quick customer support facility is appreciable. Note: You need to sign up to use the thumbnail templates.

Main Features of this free YouTube Thumbnail Maker:

  • It offers a customized YouTube thumbnail design
  • You can change images, colors and fonts easily
  • You can get more styles and templates if you pay
  • Registration needed

2. Wondershare PixStudio

PixStudio youtube thumbnail maker

Wondershare PixStudio is an all-in-one and powerful online graphic design maker for everyone. It has various types of templates for YouTube Thumbnails, Logos, Posters, etc. You can create a beautiful design by simply dragging and dropping the elements and photos. The online platform is free to use all templates, just One-Click to download your creations and share to your Facebook, Instagram Story, YouTube Thumbnails, etc. immediately.

Features

  • Various types of templates
  • Simple and Fast Design
  • Background remover

Available:
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

3. PicMonkey

picmonkey youtube thumbnail maker

This online thumbnail maker provides numerous filters, exclusive overlays, fonts, frames, and extra beautifying touch-up type tools to users with a single registration to Picmonkey’s premium membership. The exclusive effects like Ombre, zombify, premium fonts and Mirror are a really good collection of this tool. Now you can easily design beautiful collages, edit your memories, and create professional thumbnails with Picmonkey.com. Because of its wide range of options, it is probably the second most popular option for YouTubers who want to make professional thumbnails, right after Canva. One major difference between Picmonkey and Canva is that Picmonkey is no longer free. It costs $4 per month.

Features:

  • As a youtube thumbnail maker, you also can touch up facial beautification
  • Design tools make creative logos
  • Provides 100+ designer-crafted thumbnail templates

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

4. Fotor

fotor youtube thumbnail maker

It is possible to get something outstanding even out of your simple content without making much effort because Fotor serves you with all advanced features, and it covers attractive themes from all over the world. Fotor allows you to re-discover your art and skills without any limitation as it offers all quick editing services online. It is very interactive and simple to use with all rich features, so even beginners who haven’t made any thumbnail before can make a video thumbnail with it easily.

Features:

  • Your thumbnail will be saved on the cloud
  • Fast processing speed while exporting your work
  • Provides YouTube thumbnail templates for different scenarios

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

5. Fotojet

fotojet youtube thumbnail maker

The fotojet.com online tool provides numerous facilities, whereas it is preferably used for collage making, graphic designing, and as a photo editor. With this advanced thumbnail creator tool, now you can easily rotate, crop, resize or filter your images while creating direct posts for social media pages such as Instagram, Facebook, etc. Fotojet.com possesses more than 600 stunning collage making templates that are suitable for your special events.

Features:

  • It owns many templates for you to use
  • Easy to have a high-quality thumbnail with only a few clicks
  • 3 Steps to make a YouTube thumbnail

Available :
Online
Windows
Mac

6. Backgrounder

backgrounder youtube thumbnail maker

It allows you to design masterpieces of customized professional art, avatars, and thumbnails for videos on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc. It is simple to use and contains an interactive user interface that is suitable for professionals as well as beginners.

Features:

  • It owns a community that you can share works with other people
  • The interface is extremely straightforward

Available :
Online

7. Pixlr:

pixlr

It is a specially designs app version of well known Pixlr website where you can feel free to add overlays to your thumbnails. The choice of filters is also good for her with a high-end resolution as compared to available online solutions.

Features:

  • Its free effects are a great source to come up with a new YouTube thumbnail
  • Comprehensive editing tools are handy to use every day

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

8. Photo Editor:

photo editor

Photo Editor is one of the most popular applications that assist users in the easy addition of stickers, frames, etc while it makes adjustment of redeye, brightness, and sharpness much easier. Most people love this application more due to its ability to create memes with available images and text for those images can be adjusted easily. The photo editor also makes it much easier to share edited stuff on Instagram and the quality of edited images use to be very high in this case.

Features:

  • Color splash is a great tool to brighten up your thumbnail
  • You can easily crop, rotate and flip

Available :
iPhone/iPad

9. Insta Collage:

insta collage

The name of this application describes its most special feature that is it allows users to create wonderful collages within very little time. This tool comes with easy editing and sharing features so that users can have an easy interface on other platforms too. There are lots of effects that can be added to images while designing thumbnails and it is rated to have an outstanding quality of results.

Features:

  • The personalized layout will give you a catchy thumbnail
  • It owns 30 patterns and 18 frames to select

Available :
Android

10. Cropic:

cropic

Here is one more application for you that you will need for easy customization as well as fast sharing to YouTube as well as Instagram. Users can bring all size types to this platform, and it is also possible to add text at the time of editing. This tool is suggested for beginners as well as professionals due to its great results.

Features:

  • You can scale the image by hand and cut it
  • Pro version is more powerful for supporting 1224x1224 pixels

Available :
iPhone/iPad

With all these available software tools, it becomes much easier to create video Thumbnails for YouTube. The easy-to-follow steps are well described in different articles on the internet, but first of all, you need to make a selection between whether you need to use the online tool or wish to download the app on your device.

For the second case, you need to spare some memory in your device, whereas for the first one it demands a fast internet connection for easy services. Besides those specially designed YouTube Thumbnail makers, you can also create a thumbnail in Filmora if you’ve already installed it.

11. Snappa:

If you’re looking for a tool that can be upgraded later, then Snappa could be for you. Offering users both free and paid functions, Snappa will allow users to generate some truly alluring thumbnails, while still being able to use the tools for work on other social media platforms.

Features:

  • Pre-Made Templates Available
  • Easily Customize Backgrounds
  • Place Custom Text Anywhere You Want
  • Create a Truly Bespoke YouTube Thumbnail

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

12. Adobe Spark:

Not only is Adobe recognized for creating images in many different contexts, but it is also able to offer YouTubers a free tool to ensure that their video thumbnails are catching the eye of social network visitors.

Features:

  • A Basic and Easy-To-Use Platform
  • Ideal for Beginners
  • Customize Colors, Backgrounds, and Text with Ease
  • Add Additional Images if Needed

Available :
Windows 7 or newer
Mac OS X
Chromebook


Part 2: How to Make YouTube Thumbnails in Wondershare Filmora?

Filmora is easy to use and powerful video editing software for your YouTube videos, which allows you not only to cut, rotate, crop, reverse, or speed up your videos, but also to apply some advanced editing effects like green screen, PIP, audio editing, etc. within clicks.

Here are several creative ways of making thumbnails in Filmora. You can easily create a thumbnail in 30 seconds with Filmora’s new feature, AI portrait.

You can add your image or background image to Filmora and then add some filters, texts, overlay, or elements to the photo, and then take a snapshot, since Filmora features the snapshot tool which allows you to pick up the most attractive images from the video and use it as a video thumbnail.

Create YouTube Video Thumbnail with Photo

Thumbnail created from a photo in Filmora

Or, you can extract frames from the video and use it as a thumbnail and upload it to YouTube later.

Extract Frame from Video and Use as Thumbnail

Thumbnail extracted from video footage in Filmora

One more creative way is to compositevideo footage with the green screen feature .

Compositing with Green Screen to Make Thumbnail

Use Green Screen to Create Video Thumbnail in Filmora

Where to find the thumbnail photo in Wondershare Filmora?

After clicking the Camera icon in Filmora to take a screenshot, you can find the photos by right-clicking the image in the Media library and then selecting Reveal in Explorer to check it.

Find Screenshots in Filmora

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


Part 3: FAQs About YouTube Thumbnail

1. What Does Thumbnail Mean on YouTube?

Thumbnails are reduced-size versions of images or videos. The name is an allusion to images being reduced to roughly the size of a human thumbnail. Thumbnails have special significance in YouTube SEO. They are used for drawing the viewers’ attention. A well-made thumbnail can bring millions of views for a YouTuber .

2. Which Is the Best Thumbnail Maker for YouTube?

Besides the thumbnail maker introduced above, the Filmora video editor and be used as an excellent thumbnail maker as well. Instead of going through the hassle of installing or subscribing to a separate program or website, it is better to use the extensive features of Filmora. It can take free snapshots for you, which you can modify within Filmora. There are stunning title templates, effects, overlays, transitions, and a large library of stock content at your service. From Part 2 in this article, you can see that making a YouTube thumbnail in Filmora is easy and efficient.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Exploring YouTube Shorts: A Beginner’s Guide to Video Crafting

YouTube Shorts Ultimate Guide in 2024

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Since smartphones are cheap and easily available in the market today, and there is also a huge range of contents to view online, a majority of users prefer watching videos that are both short enough to convey the message within a few seconds, and can be seen on your phone’s screen with decent picture quality. Considering this, Google lately came up with a Tik Tok-style app calledYouTube shorts that can be accessed right from your Android or iPhone as long as you are using the YouTube app, and are signed in to your Google account.

That said, in the following sections you will learn everything about the YouTube Shorts app, and how it could help you gain more viewers for your YouTube channel.


Part 1: What Is YouTube Shorts?

A short and quick answer to the question is, YouTube Shorts is a Tik Tok competitor developed by Google and can be accessed via the YouTube app on an Android or iOS device. In order to use the YouTube Shorts app, all you need to do is, sign in to your YouTube account on the YouTube app, and you are good to go.

1. YouTube Shorts Release History

At the time of this writing, YouTube Shorts is still in the Beta phase, and there is a lot more that the developers at Google have yet to explore and discover. However, for now, the fully functional variant of the program is available only for users in India on Android and iOS platforms.

2. YouTube Shorts Target Audience

A majority of people who can be called the target audience for YouTube Shorts are the artists and creators looking forward to getting noticed. Some of them could also be among those who wish to become an influencer, or get their YouTube channel more subscribers to be able to become eligible for YouTube Partnership Program.

And of course, the viewers and subscribers cannot be left alone when talking about the target audiences of YouTube Shorts as without them, there’s no point in creating short videos in the first place.

The type of contents that the viewers expect to see as YouTube Shorts could include:

  • Entertainment – While movies are of longer duration, roasting the characters in it, or explaining some other stuff to the subscribers could be one of the things that could keep the viewers engaged
  • Gaming – Some extraordinary gaming tips, tricks, and skills can be demonstrated in a short video
  • How-To – A couple of brief how-to illustrations can yet be another attraction for DIY-loving viewers
  • Science and Technology – A short introduction of upcoming gadgets or applications along with their usability can be explained within the timeframe of 60 seconds as well

In addition to the above, a few other categories could be People and Places, Music, Domestic and Wild Animals, Education, etc.

3. YouTube Shorts Content Requirements

While creating YouTube Shorts, there are certain guidelines that must be followed. These points include:

  • YouTube Shorts videos must not be more than 60 seconds long
  • The videos must be vertically shot, and must not be in the landscape orientation
  • You can have multiple short videos clubbed together. However, the total length of the final video must not exceed 60 seconds in duration
  • While posting YouTube Shorts videos, the title or the description must contain ‘#shorts’ in it

Certain things that you must keep in mind while creating YouTube Shorts include:

  • YouTube Shorts cannot be monetized. However, they can serve as a good medium to attract and redirect the audiences to your main YouTube channel which may contain several videos that are eligible for monetization.
  • The number of views and the total playtime of the YouTube Shorts videos DO affect your YouTube channel statistics

4. Where People Can Find YouTube Shorts

As mentioned earlier, YouTube Shorts can be accessed by launching the YouTube app on your Android or iOS device. You can use YouTube Shorts by clicking the + (Add) icon present at the bottom. Once the YouTube Shorts app is initialized, you can easily create and publish short videos by following the simple on-screen instructions.

Part 2: How to Make and Upload a YouTube Shorts Video with Shorts App?

You can follow the instructions given below to make and upload a YouTube Shorts video using the YouTube Shorts app:

Step 1: Record a Video with YouTube Shorts

 Record YouTube Shorts video

Launch the YouTube app on your Android or iOS smart device (Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ is used here for demonstration), make sure that you are signed in to your Google account, tap the + (Add) button present at the bottom of the screen, tap Create a Short on the popup box that appears next, tap the Record button on the next window to start the recording. Once you are done, tap the Stop button to stop the recording.

Step 2: Edit the Video

Tap Music from the bottom of the screen to add background music to the video. The music that you can use in your short videos must be either created by you, or you should have permission to use them. However, the audio files that the Music library contains is made available by Google, is royalty-free, and can be used throughout the platform.

 Edit YouTube Shorts video - Add text and music

Likewise, you can tap Text to add captions as well. As for the text type, the app offers various formatting options such as alignment (left, center, and right), text highlighter, font changer, and even color selector. Further, the Speed and Timer icons at the top-right area allow you to manage the playback speed anywhere between 0.3x to 3x, and automatically stop the recording after the set time limit respectively. Once everything is set up, tap NEXT from the top-right corner to proceed to the next step.

Step 3: Pick Target Audience Type

On the Add details window, tap Select audience, and on the Select audience window, tap to select the appropriate radio button to define whether the video is suitable for kids. Tap the Back button once the target audience is selected.

 Upload YouTube Shorts video - add details

Step 4: Add Details and Upload the Video

Enter a title for the video in the Title field. Make sure to include #shorts to help YouTube understand that you are preparing a YouTube Shorts video. Next, tap UPLOAD from the upper-right corner of the screen to submit the video for review. Once YouTube reviews the recording and finds it appropriate, it will be published on the portal, and will be visible throughout and even under the Shorts category of the main page.

 Upload YouTube Shorts video

Part 3: How to Create a Vertical YouTube Shorts Video in Filmora?

The YouTube Shorts app is pretty convenient to access and use alright. However, it doesn’t allow you to fine edit the videos. The app doesn’t even have many filtering options such as Effects, Elements, etc. to make your videos more engaging.

With that said, you can always use an efficient third-party program like Wondershare Filmora to create professionally-looking YouTube Shorts videos to attract your viewers.

When talking about Wondershare Filmora, it is a production and post-production app available for both Windows and Mac computers, and gives tough competition to some of the globally accepted similar programs like Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X, etc. Furthermore, Filmora has its own built-in screen, webcam, and voice recording features that can be used to prepare interactive videos, game walkthroughs, and voiceovers as needed.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Filmora secure download Secure Download

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Filmora secure download Secure Download

The following step-by-step guide teaches you how to use Wondershare Filmora to create a vertical YouTube Shorts video:

Note: Before proceeding to the instructions, make sure that you have already recorded a vertical video using your cellphone, and that it has been transferred to your PC.

Step 1: Add the Video to Timeline

Launch Wondershare Filmora on your Windows or Mac PC (a Windows 10 computer is used here for demonstration), go to File > New Project, and click 9:16 (Portrait). Click anywhere inside the Media box, and select and import the source vertical video from your PC to Filmora.

 Upload YouTube Shorts video

Next, hover the mouse over the clip in the Media box, click the + button that appears at the bottom-right corner of the thumbnail, and in the resolution confirmation box that comes up next, click the button under the Match to Media section to add the video in the correct orientation to the Timeline at the bottom.

Step 2: Edit the Video

Select the clip in the Timeline, and use the Split, Crop, Speed, etc. buttons above the Timeline itself to remove the unwanted portions from the clip, manage its playback speed, and do other fine-tuning tasks.

 Edit YouTube Shorts video in Filmora - split/crop/change speed

You can even click the Edit button, and use the available editing features like Motion Tracking and Stabilization to add text or objects to a moving body in the video and stabilize the clip if the camera shook during the recording session respectively. Click OK to save the changes when done.

 Edit YouTube Shorts video in Filmora

Note: To be able to remain compliant with the YouTube Shorts policies, make sure that the video length is no longer than 60 seconds.

Step 3: Beautify the Video

Add Title to YouTube Shorts video with Filmora

Click Titles from the standard toolbox at the top, choose your preferred text category from the list in the left, hover the mouse over a decent preset in the right window, and click the + button at the bottom-right corner of the thumbnail to add the preset on top of the media track in the Timeline. Next, you can double-click the preset track in the Timeline to modify the text and make granular modifications to it as needed. Click OK to save the changes.

Similarly, you can select the Effects and Elements tools to add effects and elements to the video as needed. To add background music, you can go to the Audio tool, and pick your preferred preset from the available options. A custom music can be added by going to the Media tool, and importing an audio file from your PC using the method explained in Step 1.

Add effects to YouTube Shorts video with Filmora

After this, optionally, you can go to Split Screen from the standard toolbar at the top, and use your preferred Split Screen preset to club multiple video clips into one screen. In Filmora, you can add as many as 6 screens in a video.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Filmora secure download Secure Download

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Filmora secure download Secure Download

Step 4: Render the Final Output

Once everything is set up, click EXPORT from the top of the window, go to the Local tab on the Export window, select MP4 from the formats list in the left, give a name and configure other settings from the available options in the right, and click EXPORT from the bottom-right corner to create a YouTube Shorts video. Once the clip is generated, you can upload the video to YouTube using #Shorts in the title or description to publish the video under the YouTube Shorts section.

 Edit YouTube Shorts video in Filmora- export

FAQs About YouTube Shorts

  1. Where to download the YouTube Shorts app?

The YouTube Shorts app is already present in the YouTube app that your Android or iOS smartphone has. All you need to do to access it is, sign in to your Google account, tap the + button at the bottom, and tap Create a Short in the popup box that comes up.

  1. What if YouTube Shorts is not showing on my YouTube app?

Make sure that your YouTube app is updated to its latest version. If the app is already updated, and YouTube Shorts is still unavailable, the chances are that Google hasn’t rolled the app in your region. Since YouTube Shorts is still in its Beta phase, only the region of India can use all the functions of the app at the time of this writing. In such a case, you are suggested to wait until the YouTube Shorts app is made available for your location.

  1. What’s the YouTube Shorts video duration?

A YouTube Shorts video can be of only up to 60 seconds.

  1. What’s the YouTube Shorts size limitation?

YouTube hasn’t provided any information related to this as of now. However, you can rest assure that a 60 seconds long video file wouldn’t be too large for YouTube to handle.

  1. How many subs do you need to access Shorts?

YouTube Shorts is available for everyone regardless of the number of subscribers the channel has.

  1. Can you make money on Shorts?

Unfortunately, NO. Although you cannot monetize the recordings published as YouTube Shorts, they can be a good source to drive subscribers to your main YouTube channel that may have the videos that can be monetized.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Since smartphones are cheap and easily available in the market today, and there is also a huge range of contents to view online, a majority of users prefer watching videos that are both short enough to convey the message within a few seconds, and can be seen on your phone’s screen with decent picture quality. Considering this, Google lately came up with a Tik Tok-style app calledYouTube shorts that can be accessed right from your Android or iPhone as long as you are using the YouTube app, and are signed in to your Google account.

That said, in the following sections you will learn everything about the YouTube Shorts app, and how it could help you gain more viewers for your YouTube channel.


Part 1: What Is YouTube Shorts?

A short and quick answer to the question is, YouTube Shorts is a Tik Tok competitor developed by Google and can be accessed via the YouTube app on an Android or iOS device. In order to use the YouTube Shorts app, all you need to do is, sign in to your YouTube account on the YouTube app, and you are good to go.

1. YouTube Shorts Release History

At the time of this writing, YouTube Shorts is still in the Beta phase, and there is a lot more that the developers at Google have yet to explore and discover. However, for now, the fully functional variant of the program is available only for users in India on Android and iOS platforms.

2. YouTube Shorts Target Audience

A majority of people who can be called the target audience for YouTube Shorts are the artists and creators looking forward to getting noticed. Some of them could also be among those who wish to become an influencer, or get their YouTube channel more subscribers to be able to become eligible for YouTube Partnership Program.

And of course, the viewers and subscribers cannot be left alone when talking about the target audiences of YouTube Shorts as without them, there’s no point in creating short videos in the first place.

The type of contents that the viewers expect to see as YouTube Shorts could include:

  • Entertainment – While movies are of longer duration, roasting the characters in it, or explaining some other stuff to the subscribers could be one of the things that could keep the viewers engaged
  • Gaming – Some extraordinary gaming tips, tricks, and skills can be demonstrated in a short video
  • How-To – A couple of brief how-to illustrations can yet be another attraction for DIY-loving viewers
  • Science and Technology – A short introduction of upcoming gadgets or applications along with their usability can be explained within the timeframe of 60 seconds as well

In addition to the above, a few other categories could be People and Places, Music, Domestic and Wild Animals, Education, etc.

3. YouTube Shorts Content Requirements

While creating YouTube Shorts, there are certain guidelines that must be followed. These points include:

  • YouTube Shorts videos must not be more than 60 seconds long
  • The videos must be vertically shot, and must not be in the landscape orientation
  • You can have multiple short videos clubbed together. However, the total length of the final video must not exceed 60 seconds in duration
  • While posting YouTube Shorts videos, the title or the description must contain ‘#shorts’ in it

Certain things that you must keep in mind while creating YouTube Shorts include:

  • YouTube Shorts cannot be monetized. However, they can serve as a good medium to attract and redirect the audiences to your main YouTube channel which may contain several videos that are eligible for monetization.
  • The number of views and the total playtime of the YouTube Shorts videos DO affect your YouTube channel statistics

4. Where People Can Find YouTube Shorts

As mentioned earlier, YouTube Shorts can be accessed by launching the YouTube app on your Android or iOS device. You can use YouTube Shorts by clicking the + (Add) icon present at the bottom. Once the YouTube Shorts app is initialized, you can easily create and publish short videos by following the simple on-screen instructions.

Part 2: How to Make and Upload a YouTube Shorts Video with Shorts App?

You can follow the instructions given below to make and upload a YouTube Shorts video using the YouTube Shorts app:

Step 1: Record a Video with YouTube Shorts

 Record YouTube Shorts video

Launch the YouTube app on your Android or iOS smart device (Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ is used here for demonstration), make sure that you are signed in to your Google account, tap the + (Add) button present at the bottom of the screen, tap Create a Short on the popup box that appears next, tap the Record button on the next window to start the recording. Once you are done, tap the Stop button to stop the recording.

Step 2: Edit the Video

Tap Music from the bottom of the screen to add background music to the video. The music that you can use in your short videos must be either created by you, or you should have permission to use them. However, the audio files that the Music library contains is made available by Google, is royalty-free, and can be used throughout the platform.

 Edit YouTube Shorts video - Add text and music

Likewise, you can tap Text to add captions as well. As for the text type, the app offers various formatting options such as alignment (left, center, and right), text highlighter, font changer, and even color selector. Further, the Speed and Timer icons at the top-right area allow you to manage the playback speed anywhere between 0.3x to 3x, and automatically stop the recording after the set time limit respectively. Once everything is set up, tap NEXT from the top-right corner to proceed to the next step.

Step 3: Pick Target Audience Type

On the Add details window, tap Select audience, and on the Select audience window, tap to select the appropriate radio button to define whether the video is suitable for kids. Tap the Back button once the target audience is selected.

 Upload YouTube Shorts video - add details

Step 4: Add Details and Upload the Video

Enter a title for the video in the Title field. Make sure to include #shorts to help YouTube understand that you are preparing a YouTube Shorts video. Next, tap UPLOAD from the upper-right corner of the screen to submit the video for review. Once YouTube reviews the recording and finds it appropriate, it will be published on the portal, and will be visible throughout and even under the Shorts category of the main page.

 Upload YouTube Shorts video

Part 3: How to Create a Vertical YouTube Shorts Video in Filmora?

The YouTube Shorts app is pretty convenient to access and use alright. However, it doesn’t allow you to fine edit the videos. The app doesn’t even have many filtering options such as Effects, Elements, etc. to make your videos more engaging.

With that said, you can always use an efficient third-party program like Wondershare Filmora to create professionally-looking YouTube Shorts videos to attract your viewers.

When talking about Wondershare Filmora, it is a production and post-production app available for both Windows and Mac computers, and gives tough competition to some of the globally accepted similar programs like Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X, etc. Furthermore, Filmora has its own built-in screen, webcam, and voice recording features that can be used to prepare interactive videos, game walkthroughs, and voiceovers as needed.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Filmora secure download Secure Download

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Filmora secure download Secure Download

The following step-by-step guide teaches you how to use Wondershare Filmora to create a vertical YouTube Shorts video:

Note: Before proceeding to the instructions, make sure that you have already recorded a vertical video using your cellphone, and that it has been transferred to your PC.

Step 1: Add the Video to Timeline

Launch Wondershare Filmora on your Windows or Mac PC (a Windows 10 computer is used here for demonstration), go to File > New Project, and click 9:16 (Portrait). Click anywhere inside the Media box, and select and import the source vertical video from your PC to Filmora.

 Upload YouTube Shorts video

Next, hover the mouse over the clip in the Media box, click the + button that appears at the bottom-right corner of the thumbnail, and in the resolution confirmation box that comes up next, click the button under the Match to Media section to add the video in the correct orientation to the Timeline at the bottom.

Step 2: Edit the Video

Select the clip in the Timeline, and use the Split, Crop, Speed, etc. buttons above the Timeline itself to remove the unwanted portions from the clip, manage its playback speed, and do other fine-tuning tasks.

 Edit YouTube Shorts video in Filmora - split/crop/change speed

You can even click the Edit button, and use the available editing features like Motion Tracking and Stabilization to add text or objects to a moving body in the video and stabilize the clip if the camera shook during the recording session respectively. Click OK to save the changes when done.

 Edit YouTube Shorts video in Filmora

Note: To be able to remain compliant with the YouTube Shorts policies, make sure that the video length is no longer than 60 seconds.

Step 3: Beautify the Video

Add Title to YouTube Shorts video with Filmora

Click Titles from the standard toolbox at the top, choose your preferred text category from the list in the left, hover the mouse over a decent preset in the right window, and click the + button at the bottom-right corner of the thumbnail to add the preset on top of the media track in the Timeline. Next, you can double-click the preset track in the Timeline to modify the text and make granular modifications to it as needed. Click OK to save the changes.

Similarly, you can select the Effects and Elements tools to add effects and elements to the video as needed. To add background music, you can go to the Audio tool, and pick your preferred preset from the available options. A custom music can be added by going to the Media tool, and importing an audio file from your PC using the method explained in Step 1.

Add effects to YouTube Shorts video with Filmora

After this, optionally, you can go to Split Screen from the standard toolbar at the top, and use your preferred Split Screen preset to club multiple video clips into one screen. In Filmora, you can add as many as 6 screens in a video.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Filmora secure download Secure Download

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Filmora secure download Secure Download

Step 4: Render the Final Output

Once everything is set up, click EXPORT from the top of the window, go to the Local tab on the Export window, select MP4 from the formats list in the left, give a name and configure other settings from the available options in the right, and click EXPORT from the bottom-right corner to create a YouTube Shorts video. Once the clip is generated, you can upload the video to YouTube using #Shorts in the title or description to publish the video under the YouTube Shorts section.

 Edit YouTube Shorts video in Filmora- export

FAQs About YouTube Shorts

  1. Where to download the YouTube Shorts app?

The YouTube Shorts app is already present in the YouTube app that your Android or iOS smartphone has. All you need to do to access it is, sign in to your Google account, tap the + button at the bottom, and tap Create a Short in the popup box that comes up.

  1. What if YouTube Shorts is not showing on my YouTube app?

Make sure that your YouTube app is updated to its latest version. If the app is already updated, and YouTube Shorts is still unavailable, the chances are that Google hasn’t rolled the app in your region. Since YouTube Shorts is still in its Beta phase, only the region of India can use all the functions of the app at the time of this writing. In such a case, you are suggested to wait until the YouTube Shorts app is made available for your location.

  1. What’s the YouTube Shorts video duration?

A YouTube Shorts video can be of only up to 60 seconds.

  1. What’s the YouTube Shorts size limitation?

YouTube hasn’t provided any information related to this as of now. However, you can rest assure that a 60 seconds long video file wouldn’t be too large for YouTube to handle.

  1. How many subs do you need to access Shorts?

YouTube Shorts is available for everyone regardless of the number of subscribers the channel has.

  1. Can you make money on Shorts?

Unfortunately, NO. Although you cannot monetize the recordings published as YouTube Shorts, they can be a good source to drive subscribers to your main YouTube channel that may have the videos that can be monetized.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Since smartphones are cheap and easily available in the market today, and there is also a huge range of contents to view online, a majority of users prefer watching videos that are both short enough to convey the message within a few seconds, and can be seen on your phone’s screen with decent picture quality. Considering this, Google lately came up with a Tik Tok-style app calledYouTube shorts that can be accessed right from your Android or iPhone as long as you are using the YouTube app, and are signed in to your Google account.

That said, in the following sections you will learn everything about the YouTube Shorts app, and how it could help you gain more viewers for your YouTube channel.


Part 1: What Is YouTube Shorts?

A short and quick answer to the question is, YouTube Shorts is a Tik Tok competitor developed by Google and can be accessed via the YouTube app on an Android or iOS device. In order to use the YouTube Shorts app, all you need to do is, sign in to your YouTube account on the YouTube app, and you are good to go.

1. YouTube Shorts Release History

At the time of this writing, YouTube Shorts is still in the Beta phase, and there is a lot more that the developers at Google have yet to explore and discover. However, for now, the fully functional variant of the program is available only for users in India on Android and iOS platforms.

2. YouTube Shorts Target Audience

A majority of people who can be called the target audience for YouTube Shorts are the artists and creators looking forward to getting noticed. Some of them could also be among those who wish to become an influencer, or get their YouTube channel more subscribers to be able to become eligible for YouTube Partnership Program.

And of course, the viewers and subscribers cannot be left alone when talking about the target audiences of YouTube Shorts as without them, there’s no point in creating short videos in the first place.

The type of contents that the viewers expect to see as YouTube Shorts could include:

  • Entertainment – While movies are of longer duration, roasting the characters in it, or explaining some other stuff to the subscribers could be one of the things that could keep the viewers engaged
  • Gaming – Some extraordinary gaming tips, tricks, and skills can be demonstrated in a short video
  • How-To – A couple of brief how-to illustrations can yet be another attraction for DIY-loving viewers
  • Science and Technology – A short introduction of upcoming gadgets or applications along with their usability can be explained within the timeframe of 60 seconds as well

In addition to the above, a few other categories could be People and Places, Music, Domestic and Wild Animals, Education, etc.

3. YouTube Shorts Content Requirements

While creating YouTube Shorts, there are certain guidelines that must be followed. These points include:

  • YouTube Shorts videos must not be more than 60 seconds long
  • The videos must be vertically shot, and must not be in the landscape orientation
  • You can have multiple short videos clubbed together. However, the total length of the final video must not exceed 60 seconds in duration
  • While posting YouTube Shorts videos, the title or the description must contain ‘#shorts’ in it

Certain things that you must keep in mind while creating YouTube Shorts include:

  • YouTube Shorts cannot be monetized. However, they can serve as a good medium to attract and redirect the audiences to your main YouTube channel which may contain several videos that are eligible for monetization.
  • The number of views and the total playtime of the YouTube Shorts videos DO affect your YouTube channel statistics

4. Where People Can Find YouTube Shorts

As mentioned earlier, YouTube Shorts can be accessed by launching the YouTube app on your Android or iOS device. You can use YouTube Shorts by clicking the + (Add) icon present at the bottom. Once the YouTube Shorts app is initialized, you can easily create and publish short videos by following the simple on-screen instructions.

Part 2: How to Make and Upload a YouTube Shorts Video with Shorts App?

You can follow the instructions given below to make and upload a YouTube Shorts video using the YouTube Shorts app:

Step 1: Record a Video with YouTube Shorts

 Record YouTube Shorts video

Launch the YouTube app on your Android or iOS smart device (Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ is used here for demonstration), make sure that you are signed in to your Google account, tap the + (Add) button present at the bottom of the screen, tap Create a Short on the popup box that appears next, tap the Record button on the next window to start the recording. Once you are done, tap the Stop button to stop the recording.

Step 2: Edit the Video

Tap Music from the bottom of the screen to add background music to the video. The music that you can use in your short videos must be either created by you, or you should have permission to use them. However, the audio files that the Music library contains is made available by Google, is royalty-free, and can be used throughout the platform.

 Edit YouTube Shorts video - Add text and music

Likewise, you can tap Text to add captions as well. As for the text type, the app offers various formatting options such as alignment (left, center, and right), text highlighter, font changer, and even color selector. Further, the Speed and Timer icons at the top-right area allow you to manage the playback speed anywhere between 0.3x to 3x, and automatically stop the recording after the set time limit respectively. Once everything is set up, tap NEXT from the top-right corner to proceed to the next step.

Step 3: Pick Target Audience Type

On the Add details window, tap Select audience, and on the Select audience window, tap to select the appropriate radio button to define whether the video is suitable for kids. Tap the Back button once the target audience is selected.

 Upload YouTube Shorts video - add details

Step 4: Add Details and Upload the Video

Enter a title for the video in the Title field. Make sure to include #shorts to help YouTube understand that you are preparing a YouTube Shorts video. Next, tap UPLOAD from the upper-right corner of the screen to submit the video for review. Once YouTube reviews the recording and finds it appropriate, it will be published on the portal, and will be visible throughout and even under the Shorts category of the main page.

 Upload YouTube Shorts video

Part 3: How to Create a Vertical YouTube Shorts Video in Filmora?

The YouTube Shorts app is pretty convenient to access and use alright. However, it doesn’t allow you to fine edit the videos. The app doesn’t even have many filtering options such as Effects, Elements, etc. to make your videos more engaging.

With that said, you can always use an efficient third-party program like Wondershare Filmora to create professionally-looking YouTube Shorts videos to attract your viewers.

When talking about Wondershare Filmora, it is a production and post-production app available for both Windows and Mac computers, and gives tough competition to some of the globally accepted similar programs like Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X, etc. Furthermore, Filmora has its own built-in screen, webcam, and voice recording features that can be used to prepare interactive videos, game walkthroughs, and voiceovers as needed.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Filmora secure download Secure Download

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Filmora secure download Secure Download

The following step-by-step guide teaches you how to use Wondershare Filmora to create a vertical YouTube Shorts video:

Note: Before proceeding to the instructions, make sure that you have already recorded a vertical video using your cellphone, and that it has been transferred to your PC.

Step 1: Add the Video to Timeline

Launch Wondershare Filmora on your Windows or Mac PC (a Windows 10 computer is used here for demonstration), go to File > New Project, and click 9:16 (Portrait). Click anywhere inside the Media box, and select and import the source vertical video from your PC to Filmora.

 Upload YouTube Shorts video

Next, hover the mouse over the clip in the Media box, click the + button that appears at the bottom-right corner of the thumbnail, and in the resolution confirmation box that comes up next, click the button under the Match to Media section to add the video in the correct orientation to the Timeline at the bottom.

Step 2: Edit the Video

Select the clip in the Timeline, and use the Split, Crop, Speed, etc. buttons above the Timeline itself to remove the unwanted portions from the clip, manage its playback speed, and do other fine-tuning tasks.

 Edit YouTube Shorts video in Filmora - split/crop/change speed

You can even click the Edit button, and use the available editing features like Motion Tracking and Stabilization to add text or objects to a moving body in the video and stabilize the clip if the camera shook during the recording session respectively. Click OK to save the changes when done.

 Edit YouTube Shorts video in Filmora

Note: To be able to remain compliant with the YouTube Shorts policies, make sure that the video length is no longer than 60 seconds.

Step 3: Beautify the Video

Add Title to YouTube Shorts video with Filmora

Click Titles from the standard toolbox at the top, choose your preferred text category from the list in the left, hover the mouse over a decent preset in the right window, and click the + button at the bottom-right corner of the thumbnail to add the preset on top of the media track in the Timeline. Next, you can double-click the preset track in the Timeline to modify the text and make granular modifications to it as needed. Click OK to save the changes.

Similarly, you can select the Effects and Elements tools to add effects and elements to the video as needed. To add background music, you can go to the Audio tool, and pick your preferred preset from the available options. A custom music can be added by going to the Media tool, and importing an audio file from your PC using the method explained in Step 1.

Add effects to YouTube Shorts video with Filmora

After this, optionally, you can go to Split Screen from the standard toolbar at the top, and use your preferred Split Screen preset to club multiple video clips into one screen. In Filmora, you can add as many as 6 screens in a video.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Filmora secure download Secure Download

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Filmora secure download Secure Download

Step 4: Render the Final Output

Once everything is set up, click EXPORT from the top of the window, go to the Local tab on the Export window, select MP4 from the formats list in the left, give a name and configure other settings from the available options in the right, and click EXPORT from the bottom-right corner to create a YouTube Shorts video. Once the clip is generated, you can upload the video to YouTube using #Shorts in the title or description to publish the video under the YouTube Shorts section.

 Edit YouTube Shorts video in Filmora- export

FAQs About YouTube Shorts

  1. Where to download the YouTube Shorts app?

The YouTube Shorts app is already present in the YouTube app that your Android or iOS smartphone has. All you need to do to access it is, sign in to your Google account, tap the + button at the bottom, and tap Create a Short in the popup box that comes up.

  1. What if YouTube Shorts is not showing on my YouTube app?

Make sure that your YouTube app is updated to its latest version. If the app is already updated, and YouTube Shorts is still unavailable, the chances are that Google hasn’t rolled the app in your region. Since YouTube Shorts is still in its Beta phase, only the region of India can use all the functions of the app at the time of this writing. In such a case, you are suggested to wait until the YouTube Shorts app is made available for your location.

  1. What’s the YouTube Shorts video duration?

A YouTube Shorts video can be of only up to 60 seconds.

  1. What’s the YouTube Shorts size limitation?

YouTube hasn’t provided any information related to this as of now. However, you can rest assure that a 60 seconds long video file wouldn’t be too large for YouTube to handle.

  1. How many subs do you need to access Shorts?

YouTube Shorts is available for everyone regardless of the number of subscribers the channel has.

  1. Can you make money on Shorts?

Unfortunately, NO. Although you cannot monetize the recordings published as YouTube Shorts, they can be a good source to drive subscribers to your main YouTube channel that may have the videos that can be monetized.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Since smartphones are cheap and easily available in the market today, and there is also a huge range of contents to view online, a majority of users prefer watching videos that are both short enough to convey the message within a few seconds, and can be seen on your phone’s screen with decent picture quality. Considering this, Google lately came up with a Tik Tok-style app calledYouTube shorts that can be accessed right from your Android or iPhone as long as you are using the YouTube app, and are signed in to your Google account.

That said, in the following sections you will learn everything about the YouTube Shorts app, and how it could help you gain more viewers for your YouTube channel.


Part 1: What Is YouTube Shorts?

A short and quick answer to the question is, YouTube Shorts is a Tik Tok competitor developed by Google and can be accessed via the YouTube app on an Android or iOS device. In order to use the YouTube Shorts app, all you need to do is, sign in to your YouTube account on the YouTube app, and you are good to go.

1. YouTube Shorts Release History

At the time of this writing, YouTube Shorts is still in the Beta phase, and there is a lot more that the developers at Google have yet to explore and discover. However, for now, the fully functional variant of the program is available only for users in India on Android and iOS platforms.

2. YouTube Shorts Target Audience

A majority of people who can be called the target audience for YouTube Shorts are the artists and creators looking forward to getting noticed. Some of them could also be among those who wish to become an influencer, or get their YouTube channel more subscribers to be able to become eligible for YouTube Partnership Program.

And of course, the viewers and subscribers cannot be left alone when talking about the target audiences of YouTube Shorts as without them, there’s no point in creating short videos in the first place.

The type of contents that the viewers expect to see as YouTube Shorts could include:

  • Entertainment – While movies are of longer duration, roasting the characters in it, or explaining some other stuff to the subscribers could be one of the things that could keep the viewers engaged
  • Gaming – Some extraordinary gaming tips, tricks, and skills can be demonstrated in a short video
  • How-To – A couple of brief how-to illustrations can yet be another attraction for DIY-loving viewers
  • Science and Technology – A short introduction of upcoming gadgets or applications along with their usability can be explained within the timeframe of 60 seconds as well

In addition to the above, a few other categories could be People and Places, Music, Domestic and Wild Animals, Education, etc.

3. YouTube Shorts Content Requirements

While creating YouTube Shorts, there are certain guidelines that must be followed. These points include:

  • YouTube Shorts videos must not be more than 60 seconds long
  • The videos must be vertically shot, and must not be in the landscape orientation
  • You can have multiple short videos clubbed together. However, the total length of the final video must not exceed 60 seconds in duration
  • While posting YouTube Shorts videos, the title or the description must contain ‘#shorts’ in it

Certain things that you must keep in mind while creating YouTube Shorts include:

  • YouTube Shorts cannot be monetized. However, they can serve as a good medium to attract and redirect the audiences to your main YouTube channel which may contain several videos that are eligible for monetization.
  • The number of views and the total playtime of the YouTube Shorts videos DO affect your YouTube channel statistics

4. Where People Can Find YouTube Shorts

As mentioned earlier, YouTube Shorts can be accessed by launching the YouTube app on your Android or iOS device. You can use YouTube Shorts by clicking the + (Add) icon present at the bottom. Once the YouTube Shorts app is initialized, you can easily create and publish short videos by following the simple on-screen instructions.

Part 2: How to Make and Upload a YouTube Shorts Video with Shorts App?

You can follow the instructions given below to make and upload a YouTube Shorts video using the YouTube Shorts app:

Step 1: Record a Video with YouTube Shorts

 Record YouTube Shorts video

Launch the YouTube app on your Android or iOS smart device (Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ is used here for demonstration), make sure that you are signed in to your Google account, tap the + (Add) button present at the bottom of the screen, tap Create a Short on the popup box that appears next, tap the Record button on the next window to start the recording. Once you are done, tap the Stop button to stop the recording.

Step 2: Edit the Video

Tap Music from the bottom of the screen to add background music to the video. The music that you can use in your short videos must be either created by you, or you should have permission to use them. However, the audio files that the Music library contains is made available by Google, is royalty-free, and can be used throughout the platform.

 Edit YouTube Shorts video - Add text and music

Likewise, you can tap Text to add captions as well. As for the text type, the app offers various formatting options such as alignment (left, center, and right), text highlighter, font changer, and even color selector. Further, the Speed and Timer icons at the top-right area allow you to manage the playback speed anywhere between 0.3x to 3x, and automatically stop the recording after the set time limit respectively. Once everything is set up, tap NEXT from the top-right corner to proceed to the next step.

Step 3: Pick Target Audience Type

On the Add details window, tap Select audience, and on the Select audience window, tap to select the appropriate radio button to define whether the video is suitable for kids. Tap the Back button once the target audience is selected.

 Upload YouTube Shorts video - add details

Step 4: Add Details and Upload the Video

Enter a title for the video in the Title field. Make sure to include #shorts to help YouTube understand that you are preparing a YouTube Shorts video. Next, tap UPLOAD from the upper-right corner of the screen to submit the video for review. Once YouTube reviews the recording and finds it appropriate, it will be published on the portal, and will be visible throughout and even under the Shorts category of the main page.

 Upload YouTube Shorts video

Part 3: How to Create a Vertical YouTube Shorts Video in Filmora?

The YouTube Shorts app is pretty convenient to access and use alright. However, it doesn’t allow you to fine edit the videos. The app doesn’t even have many filtering options such as Effects, Elements, etc. to make your videos more engaging.

With that said, you can always use an efficient third-party program like Wondershare Filmora to create professionally-looking YouTube Shorts videos to attract your viewers.

When talking about Wondershare Filmora, it is a production and post-production app available for both Windows and Mac computers, and gives tough competition to some of the globally accepted similar programs like Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X, etc. Furthermore, Filmora has its own built-in screen, webcam, and voice recording features that can be used to prepare interactive videos, game walkthroughs, and voiceovers as needed.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Filmora secure download Secure Download

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Filmora secure download Secure Download

The following step-by-step guide teaches you how to use Wondershare Filmora to create a vertical YouTube Shorts video:

Note: Before proceeding to the instructions, make sure that you have already recorded a vertical video using your cellphone, and that it has been transferred to your PC.

Step 1: Add the Video to Timeline

Launch Wondershare Filmora on your Windows or Mac PC (a Windows 10 computer is used here for demonstration), go to File > New Project, and click 9:16 (Portrait). Click anywhere inside the Media box, and select and import the source vertical video from your PC to Filmora.

 Upload YouTube Shorts video

Next, hover the mouse over the clip in the Media box, click the + button that appears at the bottom-right corner of the thumbnail, and in the resolution confirmation box that comes up next, click the button under the Match to Media section to add the video in the correct orientation to the Timeline at the bottom.

Step 2: Edit the Video

Select the clip in the Timeline, and use the Split, Crop, Speed, etc. buttons above the Timeline itself to remove the unwanted portions from the clip, manage its playback speed, and do other fine-tuning tasks.

 Edit YouTube Shorts video in Filmora - split/crop/change speed

You can even click the Edit button, and use the available editing features like Motion Tracking and Stabilization to add text or objects to a moving body in the video and stabilize the clip if the camera shook during the recording session respectively. Click OK to save the changes when done.

 Edit YouTube Shorts video in Filmora

Note: To be able to remain compliant with the YouTube Shorts policies, make sure that the video length is no longer than 60 seconds.

Step 3: Beautify the Video

Add Title to YouTube Shorts video with Filmora

Click Titles from the standard toolbox at the top, choose your preferred text category from the list in the left, hover the mouse over a decent preset in the right window, and click the + button at the bottom-right corner of the thumbnail to add the preset on top of the media track in the Timeline. Next, you can double-click the preset track in the Timeline to modify the text and make granular modifications to it as needed. Click OK to save the changes.

Similarly, you can select the Effects and Elements tools to add effects and elements to the video as needed. To add background music, you can go to the Audio tool, and pick your preferred preset from the available options. A custom music can be added by going to the Media tool, and importing an audio file from your PC using the method explained in Step 1.

Add effects to YouTube Shorts video with Filmora

After this, optionally, you can go to Split Screen from the standard toolbar at the top, and use your preferred Split Screen preset to club multiple video clips into one screen. In Filmora, you can add as many as 6 screens in a video.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Filmora secure download Secure Download

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Filmora secure download Secure Download

Step 4: Render the Final Output

Once everything is set up, click EXPORT from the top of the window, go to the Local tab on the Export window, select MP4 from the formats list in the left, give a name and configure other settings from the available options in the right, and click EXPORT from the bottom-right corner to create a YouTube Shorts video. Once the clip is generated, you can upload the video to YouTube using #Shorts in the title or description to publish the video under the YouTube Shorts section.

 Edit YouTube Shorts video in Filmora- export

FAQs About YouTube Shorts

  1. Where to download the YouTube Shorts app?

The YouTube Shorts app is already present in the YouTube app that your Android or iOS smartphone has. All you need to do to access it is, sign in to your Google account, tap the + button at the bottom, and tap Create a Short in the popup box that comes up.

  1. What if YouTube Shorts is not showing on my YouTube app?

Make sure that your YouTube app is updated to its latest version. If the app is already updated, and YouTube Shorts is still unavailable, the chances are that Google hasn’t rolled the app in your region. Since YouTube Shorts is still in its Beta phase, only the region of India can use all the functions of the app at the time of this writing. In such a case, you are suggested to wait until the YouTube Shorts app is made available for your location.

  1. What’s the YouTube Shorts video duration?

A YouTube Shorts video can be of only up to 60 seconds.

  1. What’s the YouTube Shorts size limitation?

YouTube hasn’t provided any information related to this as of now. However, you can rest assure that a 60 seconds long video file wouldn’t be too large for YouTube to handle.

  1. How many subs do you need to access Shorts?

YouTube Shorts is available for everyone regardless of the number of subscribers the channel has.

  1. Can you make money on Shorts?

Unfortunately, NO. Although you cannot monetize the recordings published as YouTube Shorts, they can be a good source to drive subscribers to your main YouTube channel that may have the videos that can be monetized.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Also read:

  • Title: "Boost Views Top 10 Free Tools for Custom YouTube Thumbnails"
  • Author: Kevin
  • Created at : 2024-05-25 14:44:07
  • Updated at : 2024-05-26 14:44:07
  • Link: https://youtube-videos.techidaily.com/boost-views-top-10-free-tools-for-custom-youtube-thumbnails/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
On this page
"Boost Views Top 10 Free Tools for Custom YouTube Thumbnails"