Creating YouTube Shorts has become a popular way to share short, engaging videos with a wide audience. Whether it's a funny clip, a quick tutorial, or a creative snippet, shorts can reach millions in a matter of seconds. However, some users face a frustrating issue when trying to upload their videos.
In this article, we will explore some common reasons why you couldn't export YouTube Shorts videos and provide possible solutions.
What is YouTube Shorts
YouTube Shorts is YouTube's short-form video platform designed for creating and sharing 60-second or shorter vertical videos. It offers a fast and easy way for creators to create bite-sized, shareable content on a smartphone alone. Shorts are designed to stop people in their tracks in an instant, typically through bold imagery, catchy music, and minimal messaging to deliver a complete story or idea in under a minute.
The feature is organically a part of the core YouTube app, thus making Shorts immediately accessible to users on the home page, a Shorts-specific page, and in search. With full-fledged editing capabilities like text overlays, music libraries, and speed controls, YouTube Shorts allows creators to reach a broader audience, become discoverable, and interact with viewers looking for quick, bite-sized content. It's an ideal format for trends, tutorials, behind-the-scenes, and creative storytelling.
5 reasons why you couldn't export video to YouTube Shorts
Sometimes, when you try to export a video to YouTube Shorts, you might face problems that didn’t happen while uploading the video. Below are some of the most commonly held reasons that hinder users from exporting YouTube Shorts, along with their appropriate solutions:
- 1
- Outdated apps or software bugs
If the application you are using is old, it might not work as intended. For example, exporting a video to YouTube Shorts might become impossible. Certain workflow bugs in older versions might prevent completion, and you'd end up unable to upload due to not being able to complete the process.
Solution: Confirm that the app and software you use are updated to the current version. Go to the Play Store, App Store, or their official website to check for any available updates, and install them to ensure exporting functionality.
- 2
- Unsupported format or resolution
There are explicitly set guidelines regarding the format and the overall resolution of YouTube Shorts. In case your video fails to meet such requirements, you will receive an error notification stating that you cannot export the video to YouTube Shorts. In other instances, videos might be in the wrong format or bigger than the required size, which can result in failure to export.
Solution: It is better to change the file format to MP4, which is the most common, and also make sure to change the resolution to at least 720p to be compliant with YouTube Shorts' requirements.
- 3
- Corrupt video files or codec issues
Video files can also be corrupted or have incompatible codecs, which will disable exporting to YouTube Shorts. This could result in the video failing to appear in the export queue or showing error messages intermittently, causing delays, confusion, and frustration during the upload process.
Solution: To resolve a corrupt file or codec problem, re-encode your video. Use online tools to make a video that is usable for YouTube Shorts.
- 4
- Storage limits or permission errors
You may encounter some restrictions when trying to export to YouTube Shorts if your device storage is capped or you lack the permissions needed. Restricted storage or limited app permissions could be the reason, preventing the export process from completing or causing unexpected errors during the upload.
Solution: Clear some files from your device or modify permission settings for the app to grant access to storage. After enabling these settings, attempt to export once again.
- 5
- Wrong aspect ratio during editing
Aspect ratio 9:16 is considered vertical, and short videos are meant to be shown in vertical view too. Therefore, if you edit the video in square or 16:9 format, you will face the issue of not being able to export YouTube Shorts like this app.
Solution: Check the aspect ratio before hitting the export button. Most editing applications will have the correct aspect ratio set up in their presets.
Best practices for easily exporting videos to YouTube Shorts
If you are planning to export videos on YouTube Shorts, it can be considered smooth if the following simple steps are followed. Make sure to have the following guidelines in mind if you wish to achieve your desired results effortlessly:
- Correct format and size
Directly uploading to YouTube may result in technical difficulties or the video failing to upload entirely. Exporting directly to your gallery or camera roll grants the opportunity to check the quality and format of the video before manually uploading it to YouTube.
- Stay under 60 seconds
Using copyrighted audio tracks like music can cause the video to be blocked or removed from YouTube. Alternatively, if audio extraction is used, YouTube may restrict the ability to upload the video. In order to avoid these roadblocks, it is advised to use music and audio tracks provided by YouTube's library.
- Export to the gallery first
Exporting directly from your editing app to YouTube can sometimes cause technical problems or prevent the video from uploading. By exporting the video first to your gallery or camera roll, you can check the video's quality and format before uploading it manually to YouTube.
- No copyrighted audio
Using copyrighted music or sounds can result in your video being blocked or removed from YouTube. If your video contains copyrighted audio, YouTube may prevent it from being exported or uploaded. To avoid this, it's essential to use royalty-free music or audio provided by YouTube's library.
- Test with CapCut
Most content creators working with YouTube Shorts use CapCut to edit their videos. The application provides dedicated features for formatting Ultra Short Videos (USVs), ensuring they meet every requirement to be labeled as Shorts.
- Choose a video editor with one-click YouTube sharing
Choosing a video editing app that supports direct sharing to YouTube can streamline your workflow. For example, CapCut’s AI video maker not only turns your scripts into Shorts, but also provides a one-click export option to upload your videos directly to YouTube. This reduces manual steps and ensures that your video settings are optimized for YouTube Shorts.
Bonus tip: Edit and export videos to YouTube Shorts with CapCut
The CapCut desktop video editor is a user-friendly tool that simplifies the process of editing and exporting videos for YouTube Shorts. With its advanced tools, CapCut helps creators format their videos to meet YouTube's requirements, ensuring the correct aspect ratio, duration, and quality. By using CapCut, you can easily prepare your video for shorts and export it without hassle.
Key features
The CapCut desktop video editor has a range of features designed to streamline video creation for platforms like YouTube Shorts. Here are some of its standout features:
- AI video maker
CapCut's script-to-video maker helps turn text into engaging videos quickly. This feature speeds up video creation, making it easier to produce shorts with minimal effort.
- Convert long videos to short ones
With CapCut, you can easily trim long videos to fit within YouTube Shorts' 60-second limit. It helps you quickly create shorts from longer content without compromising quality.
- Auto captions
You can use CapCut to instantly add subtitles to videos, ensuring accessibility and better engagement. This is especially useful for shorts, where quick, readable content is key to viewer retention.
- Export 4k videos
CapCut lets you export your videos in 4K resolution, ensuring the highest quality for your content. Exporting in 4K enhances the visual experience for YouTube Shorts viewers, making your videos stand out.
- Share videos on YouTube Shorts
Once your video is edited, CapCut enables you to share it directly with YouTube Shorts. This seamless export feature simplifies the process, saving you time from manual uploads.
How to edit and export videos to YouTube Shorts with CapCut
To download and install CapCut, visit the official CapCut website. Click the download button below and follow the installation instructions. Once installed, you're ready to start editing and exporting videos to YouTube Shorts.
- STEP 1
- Import the video
To get started, upload your video into CapCut's desktop editor. Use the "Import" button or just drag the file into the workspace, and then drop it onto the timeline to start editing.
- STEP 2
- Edit the video with AI tools
Click on "Ratio" below the video preview, then select either "Custom" or 9:16 to format your video for YouTube Shorts. Add text to highlight key points, and enhance it with a variety of AI-generated fonts to make your message stand out. To adjust the audio, click on it in the timeline, open the "Voice changer" tool, and explore the available AI voice filters and characters. Apply the one that best fits your content style.
- STEP 3
- Export and share to YouTube Shorts
When your video is ready, press "Export", choose your preferred resolution, format, and codec settings, then either save it or upload it to YouTube Shorts by clicking "Share".
Conclusion
If you couldn’t export YouTube Shorts videos, the issue might be related to common problems like format errors or copyright issues. While these challenges can be frustrating, they are often easy to fix once you understand the underlying causes. Whether it's your video being upside down or the wrong aspect ratio, most problems can be solved with a few adjustments. To make the editing and exporting process smoother, try using CapCut, a desktop editor designed specifically for creating shorts.
FAQs
- 1
- Could device storage issues prevent exporting a YouTube Shorts video?
Yes, a lack of storage space can prevent YouTube Shorts from being exported. The video may fail to save or the rendering may be interrupted if there is insufficient space available. System slowdowns, crashes, or freezes during the export process may also occur. CapCut's desktop editor streamlines storage utilization and smoothing fulfilled export, so these issues are no longer a concern.
- 2
- How does the video format impact the ability to export YouTube Shorts?
For YouTube Shorts to recognize your video, it must be contained within the 9:16 aspect ratio frame. Any videos that are saved in the incorrect format will either be rejected or corrupted. Furthermore, having the correct format is essential in ensuring a successful export. You can use features like auto-reframe in CapCut to perfectly resize your videos for YouTube Shorts.
- 3
- Why can't you export YouTube Shorts videos on certain devices?
In specific devices, export issues can arise internally due to more external unsupported settings or outdated device software. Due to certain hardware limitations, your device may be unable to support some video formats or be powerful enough to handle sizable chunks of data. There are fewer export issues with CapCut as it can work in the desktop version, which has been optimized for all devices.
