YouTube Shorts Eligibility Checker
Choose a video file to check its duration, dimensions and aspect ratio locally. Nothing is uploaded to our servers.
Private, in-browser file check
The selected file never leaves your device. This tool only asks your browser for video metadata; it does not upload, store, or scan the video.
MP4, WebM, MOV, or another video format your browser can read
The categorization date differs for Official Artist Channels
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Is my video eligible for YouTube Shorts?
For a standard YouTube channel, YouTube says that a video uploaded on or after 15 October 2024 is categorized as a Short when it is square or vertical and up to three minutes long. This checker turns those rules into a fast local file check before you open YouTube Studio.
Select a file and your browser reads the duration, width, height, aspect ratio, file size, and format. The video remains on your device: this is not an upload tool and it does not send the file to yttools.pro.
YouTube Shorts aspect ratio and duration rule
| Local video property | Likely classification for a new standard-channel upload |
|---|---|
| 9:16 vertical, 3:00 or less | Short |
| 4:5 vertical, 3:00 or less | Short |
| 1:1 square, 3:00 or less | Short |
| Square or vertical, over 3:00 | Long-form |
| 16:9 horizontal | Long-form |
The rules above explain format classification, not distribution. A Short can still face separate policy, copyright, age-restriction, and monetization decisions after upload. Never treat a technical pass as a promise of views or revenue.
What this Shorts checker can and cannot inspect
It can read the file properties a browser exposes: duration, dimensions, aspect ratio, format, and size. It cannot watch the video, detect reused content, identify music, examine a Content ID claim, or decide whether an upload meets monetization policies. Check music rights separately in YouTube Studio and use licensed or original audio.
YouTube notes that videos in the Shorts Feed can be eligible for monetization subject to its Shorts monetization policies, while globally blocked Shorts are not eligible. That decision belongs to YouTube after upload, not to a browser metadata tool.
Keep a video long-form instead
If you do not want a qualifying video classified as a Short, use a wider aspect ratio such as 16:9. This is particularly helpful when you are optimizing for the long-form watch-hour route to YPP. Plan that route with the YouTube Watch Time Calculator, then compare it with the Shorts route in the Monetization Progress Calculator.
Official YouTube source
Last verified 18 September 2026 against YouTube's three-minute Shorts guidance. The page also describes the separate effective date for Official Artist Channels, which this tool labels so you can choose the right context.
Frequently asked questions
Is my video eligible to become a YouTube Short?
For a standard YouTube channel, a new upload is categorized as a Short when it has a square or vertical aspect ratio and is up to three minutes long. This checker reads those local file properties, but YouTube makes the final classification after upload.
Can a square 1:1 video be a YouTube Short?
Yes. YouTube says square or vertical videos up to three minutes long are categorized as Shorts for standard channels when uploaded on or after 15 October 2024.
Will a 16:9 video become a YouTube Short?
No, not under the current square-or-vertical categorization rule. YouTube specifically recommends using a wider ratio such as 16:9 if you want a video to remain long-form.
Does this tool upload my video?
No. The video file stays on your device. The tool uses your browser to read duration, dimensions, aspect ratio, file size, and format without a server upload.
Can this checker detect copyright claims or music eligibility?
No. It only checks technical metadata. It cannot inspect the audio, scan music rights, find Content ID claims, or guarantee monetization eligibility.
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