General Guideline for YouTube Shorts
Before we move on to fixing YouTube Shorts, here’s a quick note on which videos qualify as YouTube Shorts. Shorts are different from YouTube stories. Unlike YouTube stories, it shows up in your regular channel feed along with your other YouTube videos. So, basically, there are 2 criteria for a video to be YouTube Shorts.
The video has to be vertical (portrait-style)The video has to be 60 seconds or less
How to Fix YouTube Shorts Not Showing Up
Fix 1: Update the YouTube App I know it’s the most basic thing. But, check if your YouTube mobile app is updated to the latest version. The latest version of the YouTube mobile app (Version: 16.17.36) has a dedicated Shorts tab at the bottom. It replaces the Trending tab from the YouTube app. Additionally, the option to upload Shorts is now hidden behind the + icon. Tap on the + icon to get to the Create a Short option. Fix 2: Check if Shorts is available in your country YouTube Shorts is currently a beta feature. It is only available in the US and India as of now which could be a reason why you can’t view Shorts in the YouTube app. However, if you want to bypass these geo-restrictions, the best way is to access Shorts is free VPNs like ProtonVPN. However, at TechWiser, we recommend paid VPNs as they work better and usually are safer than free options. Fix 3: YouTube Shorts is mobile only As of now, YouTube Shorts is mobile-only due to the nature of the content. It’s not available on the YouTube web app. Hence, there’s no point searching for Shorts on your computer. Having said that, you can upload Shorts videos from the laptop. The entire process is similar to uploading a normal video. However, you have to mention #Shorts in the title and description to distinguish it as a Shorts video.
How to Upload Shorts
YouTube Shorts was designed to be mobile-first just like other similar apps. Although you can upload Shorts from the desktop app as well, I would recommend against it. Do it through the mobile app to avoid confusion and get the best experience.
- Head over to the YouTube app and tap on the + icon at the bottom. Next, tap on the Create a Short option which is still in Beta.
- You can either create a short from the Shorts camera app or upload an existing video. In order to upload an existing video, tap on the Photo icon at the bottom-left corner.
Why My Video Doesn’t Show Up as Shorts on My Feed
There’s a common misconception that Shorts has to be accompanied by #Shorts in the title and description. However, it’s not required. If and only if you upload your Shorts videos from the desktop YouTube app, you have to put up #Shorts in the title and description. But generally, it doesn’t make any difference. In case you upload normal and shorts videos to the same channel, you can mark the Shorts video as #Shorts to avoid confusion in your timeline. In order to confirm if your video is uploaded as Shorts, head over to the Manage Video section in the YouTube app. You would see your Shorts video with a small Shorts logo at the bottom. Moreover, if you visit your Home feed, you’ll see all the Shorts video at the bottom stacked across.
Where to Watch YouTube Shorts
YouTube, in the latest update, has created a dedicated Shorts tab. So, now you can head over to the Shorts tab and directly watch recommended Shorts videos. Note that Shorts will still pop up in the home feed, just like before, based on your browsing habits and pattern. So, all in all, there are 2 ways to see Shorts within the mobile app. Moreover, if you want to watch a particular creator’s Shorts, you can always search the channel. Under the Channel, navigate to the bottom of their home feed to view their entire Shorts catalog.
Closing Words: YouTube Shorts Not Showing
Google is also setting up a $100M creator fund for Shorts creators in the US and India. This fund will be distributed over the course of 2021-2022. So, basically, YouTube will reach out to creators every month who have received the most engagement and views. These creators will be rewarded by Google. So, seems like Google is on the push for Shorts. There was never a better time to start creating some short videos for YouTube Shorts. Also Read: 7 Best Instagram Reel Editing Apps to Create Viral Videos
