Skip to content
Updated for 2026

To make a YouTube Short with MakeThisVid: write a one-sentence scene prompt (or drop a photo with a motion description), pick 9:16 vertical at 720p or 1080p, and click Generate. The MP4 with audio lands in 45–90 seconds and uploads straight to the YouTube Shorts feed.

How to Make a YouTube Short with AI

By MakeThisVid Editorial Updated Methodology

Shorts is the surface YouTube is pushing hardest right now, and the bar for creative is rising fast. Static thumbnails on talking heads don't cut it anymore — Shorts viewers expect motion in the first frame. The walkthrough below covers the 9:16 spec, the credit math, and how to get a YouTube Short out the door every workday without renting a studio.

How to Use MakeThisVid

From prompt to downloadable MP4, ready to deploy.

  1. Pick 9:16 vertical

    Set aspect ratio to 9:16 on the Create page before generation. YouTube uploads horizontal video as a regular video, not a Short — vertical is the gate.

  2. Lead with motion

    Shorts viewers scroll fast. The first 0.5 seconds need motion or contrast. "Snap-cut into a tight close-up, color flash, [subject] in motion" beats a slow fade-in every time.

  3. Pick resolution

    720p (1 credit) is fine for cold-traffic experimentation. 1080p (2 credits) for evergreen Shorts that may get embedded or transcoded again — YouTube's compression is heavy.

  4. Generate the clip

    Click Generate. 45–90 seconds and the MP4 lands in your account with audio baked in. Live progress bar.

  5. Upload as a Short

    Upload to YouTube. Title under 100 characters, hashtag #Shorts in the description. YouTube will route it to the Shorts feed when it detects vertical + under-60s duration.

Who Uses MakeThisVid for This

Daily channel-feeding Shorts

One Short per day on the Standard plan ($49.99/mo, 30 credits) keeps the algorithm fed. Cheaper than a stock subscription, output is unique each time.

Hook-test for long-form videos

Test 6 different hooks as Shorts. The one that lands becomes the opening scene of a long-form video.

Channel trailer and identity loops

Generate an 8-second branded loop and use it as the channel trailer or end-card animation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Shorts max out at 60 seconds, but the platform's data points to the 6-15 second band having the strongest completion rate. MakeThisVid's 6-second 720p or 8-second 1080p clips fit that sweet spot natively.
9:16 vertical (1080×1920 at 1080p). Horizontal video uploads as a regular video, not a Short. Pick 9:16 on the Create page before you generate.
No. Audio is generated and rendered into the file — no copyrighted music, no third-party samples. Safe for monetized Shorts and Shorts Ads.
45–90 seconds per render. Whole loop from prompt to uploaded Short typically lands in under five minutes.
From $1.33 per 720p Short on the Pro plan to $2.00 on Lite. 1080p is 2 credits. The $2.99 starter pack gives you one 720p Short with commercial use.
Yes — YouTube allows AI-generated content in the Shorts Partner Program, with required disclosure for synthetic content that could be confused for real. The Required Label option is in YouTube Studio at upload.
Yes. Every plan and pack includes a commercial-use license. Shorts Ads, sponsored content, and channel-trailer use are all covered.
The credit refunds automatically. Most failures are content-policy related; rephrase the prompt and try again.

Generate your next YouTube Short

Prompt → 9:16 MP4 in under two minutes. Upload directly to YouTube Shorts.

Try MakeThisVid