Prepare video for YouTube Shorts

Create a practical 1080×1920 MP4 working copy and keep the result square or vertical and no longer than three minutes so YouTube can classify it as a Short. The media stays on this device during normal processing.

Practical browser-local workflows for cutting, framing, compression, audio and subtitles.

Recommended flow

Open Prepare video for YouTube Shorts from this guide; the Video Editor starts with the relevant mode and preset already selected.

Choose the source video from the browser file picker. Inspect its duration, dimensions and available audio track before changing settings.

Adjust the prepared settings for this particular source. Use the player and timeline to check the beginning, middle, transitions and ending.

Export the result, open the downloaded file once and confirm duration, framing, sound and format before publishing or sharing.

What to watch

Create a practical 1080×1920 MP4 working copy and keep the result square or vertical and no longer than three minutes so YouTube can classify it as a Short.

Keep the original file unchanged so you can return to it if another format or framing is needed.

Browser codec support and available memory depend on the current device; use the compatibility report shown by the editor.

Choose settings from the destination backwards

Create a practical 1080×1920 MP4 working copy and keep the result square or vertical and no longer than three minutes so YouTube can classify it as a Short.

A 1080×1920 canvas is a practical 9:16 production target, not a universal minimum imposed by every platform. Requirements vary by placement. Keep faces, captions, logos and calls to action away from interface overlays and verify the current destination-specific profile before publication.

For standard channels, YouTube classifies square or vertical uploads up to three minutes as Shorts. The 1080×1920 preset is a practical 9:16 target, not an official minimum. A Short longer than one minute with an active third-party Content ID claim may be blocked globally, so music rights must be checked separately.

Quality control before publishing

Open the exported file outside the editor. Confirm duration, orientation, framing, audio synchronization and container. Check the first frame, every edit boundary and the final frame; a technically successful export can still contain a clipped subject, silent section or unwanted padding.

Compare output duration with the intended active timeline.

Check the result at normal size and full-screen.

Keep the untouched source until the destination accepts the export.

Repeatable preset for agents

Agents can use the official recipe `youtube_shorts` through window.QuokkaPixVideoAgent or the Video MCP tools. The recipe prepares settings only: the source file is still selected locally in the browser, the exact payment tier is measured after selection, and the result manifest remains the source of truth for completion and QA.

recipeId: youtube_shorts

ruleProfile: youtube.shorts-video

Official sources and scope

These links support the technical method or destination profile. Strict requirements and recommendations are intentionally kept separate. Sources were checked on 13 September 2026.

FAQ

Does prepare video for youtube shorts upload my video?

No. QuokkaPix performs the editing in the browser. Normal media processing does not send source or output bytes to a QuokkaPix processing server.

Why does the guide open the editor with settings already filled in?

The guide passes documented URL parameters to the same Video Editor. It selects a useful starting configuration; you can still change every setting after choosing the file.