Best resolution for YouTube Shorts
Check what you have: open the downloaded file's properties and read its width and height. For a vertical video the width is the short side, and it should match the tier you paid for.
What YouTube's pages say (read November 2, 2026)
| Topic | The page says | Official page |
|---|---|---|
| What counts as a Short | Up to three minutes, with a square or vertical aspect ratio. | Upload YouTube Shorts |
| Resolutions | For the default 16:9 aspect ratio, encode at sizes from 426×240 up to 7680×4320, including 1280×720 and 1920×1080. The player adapts to other shapes; vertical 9:16 videos on computer browsers may get padding. | Video resolution & aspect ratios |
| Padding | Avoid adding padding or black bars directly to your video; it interferes with the player adapting to the video's size. | Video resolution & aspect ratios |
| Encoding | MP4 container, H.264 video, AAC-LC or Opus audio; upload at the frame rate it was recorded. | Recommended upload encoding settings |
That is everything the official pages commit to. Third-party lists give a single “Shorts size”, usually 1080×1920; it is the sensible vertical match for a 1920×1080 master, but it is not a rule on the pages above, so this page calls it arithmetic, not a requirement.
9:16 and 16:9: the arithmetic
| Short side | 9:16 (vertical) | 16:9 (landscape) |
|---|---|---|
| 480 | 480×854 | 854×480 |
| 720 | 720×1280 | 1280×720 |
| 1080 | 1080×1920 | 1920×1080 |
| 1440 | 1440×2560 | 2560×1440 |
The rule behind the table: for 9:16 the height is the width times 16 over 9; for 16:9 the width is the height times 16 over 9. Square (1:1) is the same on both sides; 4:5 is 1.25 times as tall as wide. SceneMixer makes 16:9 and 9:16, not 1:1 or 4:5, so a square Short would have to be cropped from a 9:16 master in another tool. The sizes in the first two columns match YouTube's own list when read sideways (1280×720, 1920×1080 and 854×480 are on it).
Which SceneMixer tier for a Short
Resolution is the tier, not a separate setting, and the picker shows each tier's resolution beside its price. The default is deliberately a low one:
| Tier | Use it for | Per second |
|---|---|---|
| Wan 3.0 · 480P | Drafts: does the shot read at all? | 10 credits |
| Wan 3.0 · 720P | Finals for phones | 19 credits |
| Wan 3.0 · 1080P | Finals you want sharp on a big screen too | 38 credits |
A Short is watched on a phone, which is why 720 is the usual finishing tier for phones and 1080 is for the cases where the same file will also play on a bigger screen. Draft every segment at the cheap tier, fix the storyboard, then regenerate only the keepers at the finishing tier. Which tier for what · Draft cheap, finish sharp · 480, 720 or 1080.
Three habits that protect the sharpness
- Finish every segment on the same tier. When all the segments come from one tier, joining them copies the streams; mix tiers and the join re-encodes everything onto one canvas, which costs a generation of quality. Compositing and sharing.
- Upload the download, not the player. The player streams a lighter copy; Download is the full-quality original. A clip that looks soft in the browser may be fine on disk. Original or play version.
- Do not add bars. A 16:9 project placed on a vertical canvas has black bars baked in, which YouTube's page tells you to avoid. Choose 9:16 in Step 1 instead; it cannot be switched later, so start a new project with the same script if you need the other shape; the cast can come across from the asset library.
9:16 or 16:9?
| Where it will be watched | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube Shorts, TikTok, Reels | 9:16 | Square or vertical for Shorts; vertical for the other feeds |
| A YouTube video on a computer or TV | 16:9 | The standard shape on a computer |
| Both | Two projects | The frame is fixed after Step 1; same script, same cast |
Vertical or landscape · The editor in vertical and landscape · Vertical video AI generator.
Make it in SceneMixer, start to finish
- Script: paste your own on Upload Script, or write the brief above in AI Create and let it draft the episodes.
- Step 1: Type Short Drama; Scene Style Neon Nights, Urban Opulence; Costume Style Smart Casual, Streetwear; Visual Style Digital HD, Soft Glow; Target Region; dialogue language; 9:16 Portrait. Then read the script.
- Step 2: Draw the characters at their normal size; the character sheets are always 9:16 whatever the project is. The first 15 setup images on an account are free.
- Storyboard: generate episode 1 first (free on your first drama) and read it before you render anything. One place per segment.
- Video: render on the default tier at 10 credits a second, fix single shots instead of whole episodes, then put the episode together and post.
| Question | Answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Longest Short | 3 minutes | YouTube help, November 2, 2026 |
| Shape of a Short | Square or vertical | YouTube help, November 2, 2026 |
| Vertical Full-HD size by arithmetic | 1080×1920 | Not a published rule |
| Tier to draft on | Wan 3.0 · 480P | SceneMixer picker |
| Tier to finish on for phones | Wan 3.0 · 720P | SceneMixer picker |
FAQ
What is the best resolution for YouTube Shorts?
Vertical 9:16, at the highest quality you will pay for. YouTube's pages do not publish a Shorts-specific pixel size; 1080×1920 is the vertical equivalent of its 1920×1080 entry.
What aspect ratio is a YouTube Short?
Square or vertical, up to three minutes long, according to YouTube's help pages read on November 2, 2026. SceneMixer makes 9:16 vertical.
Can I upload a 16:9 video as a Short?
YouTube's page says a Short has a square or vertical frame, so a 16:9 landscape video is not categorised as one.
What is 9:16 in pixels?
Width times 16 over 9 gives the height: 1080 wide is 1920 tall, 720 wide is 1280 tall, 480 wide is 854 tall.
Does SceneMixer make square videos?
No. Projects are 16:9 or 9:16. A square version would be cropped from a 9:16 file in another tool.
Which SceneMixer tier should I use for Shorts?
Draft on the default tier, then finish on the 720P tier for phones or the 1080P tier for a sharper file.
Why does my video look soft in the browser?
The player streams a lighter copy; the download is the full-quality original.
Can I change a project from 16:9 to 9:16?
No. The frame is fixed after Step 1; start a new project with the same script and bring the cast across from the asset library.
Does a higher resolution cost more?
Yes, by the second: the 480P tier is 10 credits a second, 720P is 19 and 1080P is 38.
Set 9:16 before the script is read
The frame cannot change later; the tier can.
Updated November 2, 2026