YouTube has introduced in-app creation tools for Shorts videos to all users in the United States, adding four completely new features. After launching the beta version in March, Shorts is now available for use by all users across the U.S. American content creators can use the Shorts camera in the YouTube mobile app to record, edit, and publish short clips.
In addition to the new creation tools, new features have been added to the Shorts camera, providing users with more editing options.
**60-Second Recordings:** Users can switch between recording clips with a maximum duration of 15 seconds or a maximum of 60 seconds using the Shorts camera. This extends the length of Shorts videos on YouTube, which was previously limited to 15 seconds. However, when recording Shorts videos with music from YouTube's library, videos remain capped at 15 seconds.
**Shorts Video Filters:** YouTube content creators can switch between different filters in the recording and editing screens within the Shorts camera. These filters allow users to colorize their shots or change the look and feel of the video. YouTube states that this is just the beginning, with a much larger set of filters and effects being rolled out throughout the year.
**Captions:** The platform aims to enhance access to Shorts videos. Accordingly, content creators can now add captions to their videos in two different ways. Creators can either allow the platform to add captions automatically, utilizing speech-to-text technology, or they can manually add their own captions. Given that speech-to-text technology is far from perfect, the ability to add manual captions can help eliminate any errors. Users will have the option to choose between manual and automatic captions when watching a video.
**Shorts Tab on the Homepage:** Users in the YouTube mobile app can explore more Shorts content through a new tab located at the bottom of the screen. The Shorts tab appears where the Explore tab used to be; however, the platform has not removed the Explore section but has moved it to the top of the screen. This update allows users to find Explore as the top topic in the homepage feed. The Explore feature continues to be a place where users can discover content from emerging and upcoming creators, as well as trending videos and topics. YouTube noted that the Explore feature naturally fits at the top of the app's homepage, which showcases a curated selection of organized topics to help users discover content that may interest them.
