YouTube has introduced a series of updates for its short-form video platform, YouTube Shorts, aimed at enhancing the user experience and helping creators compete with TikTok. Among the most notable updates is the option for creators to upload videos up to three minutes long. This comes as TikTok already supports longer videos, allowing up to 10 minutes when recording directly on the app and 60 minutes for uploaded videos.
In addition to the extended video length, YouTube is updating the Shorts player. The redesign aims to streamline the appearance of Shorts by shifting the interaction buttons—such as comment and share—to the right side of the screen and using outlined icons instead of solid ones. This change allows more of the video to be visible to viewers. The information at the bottom of the screen, including the creator’s name and description, has also been compressed to reduce clutter, although this does mean the description is now truncated, requiring users to click “more” to read the full text.
To make it easier for creators to participate in trends, YouTube has introduced templates for Shorts, similar to TikTok’s integration with the CapCut app. Users can now tap the “Remix” option on a Short and select “Use this template” to create their own version of a trending video. In the coming months, YouTube will also allow users to access templates directly from the Shorts camera, making it even easier to remix clips from various videos, including music videos.
YouTube is also launching a new Shorts trends page on mobile devices, allowing users to stay updated on the latest popular trends in their country. This differs from TikTok’s approach, where trends are discovered through the “For You” feed. Though TikTok once had a Discover page for trending content, it was replaced with a Friends tab to focus more on social interactions.
In the future, YouTube will introduce a feature that lets users preview comments directly from the Shorts feed, encouraging more interaction with videos. However, there are concerns this could lead to more “rage bait” content designed to provoke reactions and increase engagement.
Additionally, YouTube is rolling out a “Show fewer Shorts” option, allowing users to temporarily reduce the number of Shorts in their feed. However, the platform did not clarify how long this reduction will last.
Lastly, YouTube will soon integrate Google DeepMind’s AI-powered video generator, Veo, allowing creators to change video backgrounds or create standalone clips, with this update expected later this year.
