YouTube Shorts specs
| Spec | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Length | Up to 3 minutes | YouTube Help |
| Shape | Vertical (9:16) or square | Common guidance |
| Resolution | 1080 × 1920 px for vertical | Common guidance |
| File | MP4 (H.264 video, AAC audio) is the safe choice | Common guidance |
Length: YouTube Help, which says Shorts can be “up to 3 minutes long.” Shape, resolution and file guidance: PostFast and vidIQ. Check YouTube’s current requirements before uploading.
In Pika, pick a vertical aspect ratio in Video Studio when the model offers it, draft at base resolution, and upscale the final clip.
Keep clear of YouTube’s controls
The Shorts player places the channel name, title and subscribe button across the bottom, and like, comment, share and remix buttons down the right. Keep important details in the centre.
- Bottom: the largest area to keep clear. Don’t put captions or products there.
- Right edge: keep faces and on-screen text away from the button column.
- Top: leave a small margin for the search and menu icons.
- Centre: put the subject and any text here.
In prompts, ask for the subject “centred in a vertical frame, with space above and below.”
The Shorts workflow in Pika
- Plan the Short: one idea, a hook for the opening second, and three to six shots.
- Open Video Studio, choose vertical, and attach any character or product references.
- Generate the hook shot first, then the rest with the same references and style words.
- Lengthen and match: extend short shots and grade all shots to one look.
- Add sound with Pika Soundtrack, a voiceover, or audio from YouTube’s library.
- Edit in the YouTube app or your editor: trim dead air, add captions inside the safe zone.
- Upload with a clear title, set the AI disclosure where required, and link a related long video if you have one.
Credit costs depend on the model; Pika’s pricing page lists a 720p, 5-second clip at 33 credits on Wan 3.0 and 122 on Seedance 2.5. A six-shot Short on Wan 3.0 would be around 200 credits before retries. See Pika pricing.
Shorts ideas that suit AI video
| Format | Idea | Pika tool |
|---|---|---|
| “What if…” scenes | A city made of glass, a whale in the sky | Text-to-video |
| Explainers | Narrated visuals of a fact, process or history moment | Video Studio + Pika Speech |
| Micro stories | A 30–60 second story with one twist | Short Film |
| Character series | The same character in a new situation each episode | Character Studio + Video Studio |
| Transformations | Sketch to render, day to night, season changes | Pikaframes |
| Old photos brought to life | Family or archive photos, with permission | Image-to-video |
| Product demos | A product shown in action | Product Ad |
| Satisfying loops | Smooth, repeating motion that rewards rewatching | Video Studio + Pikaframes |
Plan a series, not a one-off
A run of Shorts with a recognisable format is easier to produce and easier for viewers to follow. AI video makes that repeatable if you lock the ingredients:
Same character or host
Build one character and attach the same reference to every episode.
Same look
Keep one style line in every prompt and grade each episode to the same reference frame.
Same structure
Hook, three beats, payoff. Viewers learn the rhythm and stay for it.
A link to longer videos
If you make long-form videos, link the related one from the Short so interested viewers can go deeper.
Prompt templates for Shorts
These are our own templates; replace the bracketed parts.
“What if” hook
Vertical 9:16 frame. [Impossible scene, e.g. a giant koi fish swimming through city streets]. Seen from street level, camera slowly tilts up. [Light and weather]. Cinematic, awe-inspiring. Subject centred. No text.
Explainer visual
Vertical frame. [Process or object, e.g. a honeybee collecting pollen] in extreme close-up, [action]. Slow push-in, macro detail, soft natural light. Leave space at the top for a caption. No text.
Series episode
Vertical frame. @character [new situation for this episode]. [Setting]. [Camera]. Same style as the series: [your fixed style line]. Keep @character exactly as in the reference.
More ideas: 50 Pika prompts and prompts with example results.
Shorts examples
Each example lists the format, the Pika tools used and what to check. The concepts are our own.
What if: glass city
Check: the concept is clear in the first second.
60-second explainer
Check: visuals change in time with the narration.
Character series, episode 1
Check: the character matches the reference in every shot.
Season loop
Check: the loop point is invisible on replay.
Poster images: Pika. Concepts and review notes are our own.
Disclosing AI-generated content on YouTube
YouTube requires creators to disclose content that is “meaningfully altered or synthetically generated” when it looks realistic. According to YouTube Help, that includes content that makes a real person appear to say or do something they didn’t, alters footage of real events or places, or generates a realistic-looking scene that didn’t happen.
Usually needs disclosure
- Photorealistic AI scenes presented as if they happened.
- Real people shown doing or saying things they didn’t.
- AI-altered footage of real places or events.
Usually doesn’t
- Clearly unrealistic or fantastical content.
- Animation and obviously stylised visuals.
- Minor aesthetic edits such as colour adjustment.
To disclose, choose “Yes” for AI use in the video’s details in YouTube Studio when you upload. YouTube warns that creators who consistently don’t disclose may get a label applied or face penalties. Policies change, so check the current rules each time.
Common problems and fixes
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Upload isn’t treated as a Short | Check it’s vertical or square and within YouTube’s current length limit |
| Subject hidden by the title bar | Ask for the subject centred with space below; move captions up |
| Episodes don’t look like a series | Reuse the same character reference, style line and grade reference |
| Viewers leave in the first seconds | Open on the most surprising shot; cut any build-up |
| Looks soft on phones | Upscale before exporting |
| Garbled text in the video | Add “no text” to prompts and add captions in the editor |
YouTube Shorts FAQs
How long can a YouTube Short be?
YouTube Help says Shorts can be up to 3 minutes long. Many creators keep them much shorter; with AI video, 15 to 60 seconds is easier to make well.
What size should my Pika video be?
Vertical 9:16 (commonly 1080 × 1920 px) or square. Generate vertically where the model allows, then upscale.
Do I have to label Pika videos as AI on YouTube?
If the content is realistic and could be mistaken for real, YouTube requires you to disclose it. Clearly fantastical or animated content usually doesn’t need it. See AI disclosure.
Can I monetise Shorts made with Pika?
That depends on YouTube’s monetisation policies and your Pika plan. Pika’s pricing page lists a commercial license on the Creator and Fancy plans.
Is this the official Pika website?
No. pikaais.com is an independent informational guide, not affiliated with Pika or YouTube. Generation and purchases take place on Pika’s official services.
Make the first episode
Pick one format, build a character or style you can reuse, and generate a vertical 15-second Short with a strong first shot.
Open Video Studio ↗Next: Instagram Reels · Short films · All AI video guides
Sources: YouTube Help: Shorts, YouTube Help: disclosing altered or synthetic content, PostFast, vidIQ, Pika Video Studio and Pika pricing, checked September 24, 2026. Images: Pika. Workflow, ideas and templates are our own. Not affiliated with YouTube or Google.