Key Takeaways:
- Eligible long-form videos can be converted into Shorts by using YouTube’s native “Edit into a Short” tool.
- Pick a strong, stand-alone segment of your video that can work on its own without viewers needing the entire video for context.
- Include captions, text, effects, or a simple call to action to help make the Short more understandable and engaging.
- Whenever possible, replace links with the original video link to help viewers discover the longer-form content.
- Reusing content from the channel’s previous archives can speed up production and help older videos gain more viewers as Shorts.
Do you have popular videos on your YouTube channel and want to scale them up and keep getting attention on the same video? If yes, you can accelerate the video’s growth and turn it into a YouTube Short. If you’re curious about how to make a YouTube Short from an existing video, YouTube has built-in tools that allow eligible creators to make Shorts from existing clips of content. Here’s how to create YouTube Shorts from an existing video.
“If you aren’t making Shorts, you are invisible to massive pockets of potential fans.” — Julia Lee Harter, Culture & Entertainment Editor.
How To Make A YouTube Video A Short?
If you want to know how to make a YouTube Short from an existing video, just click on “Edit into a Short” on a qualifying video. YouTube Shorts are catching up with TikTok and Instagram Reels to attract and retain audience attention. Repurposing parts of your existing content can be a game-changing solution for creators looking to quickly produce short-form content.
Let us learn to convert and create YouTube Shorts from existing videos on PC and Mobile. Follow these steps to make a new YouTube Short in no time:
- First, log in to your YouTube account and select a video you want to repurpose from your channel. The key here is to choose a video with good viewership.
- Once you choose a video, tap on Create and select the “Edit into a Short” option, where available.
- Choose the section of the existing video you want to use for your Short by adjusting the available selection controls.
- You have 3 minutes to create a YouTube Short. Drag the sliders and choose which section of the existing video you want to use for your short.
- If the selected section is less than 3 minutes, you can record more footage in the Shorts camera to add more content.
- Next, you can import footage from your phone’s gallery to add more content to the Shorts video.
- After adding content, you can add features like text, filters, and effects, and edit the video to include more information.
- Lastly, you can change the video title for better visibility and engagement, then post the Short Video by tapping the tick mark icon.
If you’re wondering how to make YouTube Shorts from existing videos, these steps will help you create a shorter piece of content from a portion of a previously uploaded video, and you can include additional footage or edits.
Also, remember that in addition to attracting viewers from YouTube, long-form content can benefit from imported Shorts because Shorts created from eligible existing videos should also be able to bring viewers to the original content via the platform’s linking features.
Reasons To Repurpose Existing Videos In YouTube Shorts
Long-form videos require time and patience to shoot, edit, and upload. But, since Google launched the new tool for creators to repurpose and use existing videos in short-form content, it has served as an excellent platform for older content. Let us see how repurposing pre-existing content can benefit and open the door to new opportunities.
- Short-form video helps you attract more viewers and followers. Bite-sized videos reach newer audiences and help you connect with younger viewers.
- Editing and making a short video is easy, saving time and resources. You don’t need to start from scratch with planning, scripting, and editing.
- You can use this to your advantage by recycling old content and giving it a viral boost with new content.
- Creating a short video improves the channel’s discoverability, keeps it active, and drives traffic to longer videos.
- Converting long-form videos into Shorts also lets you monetise Shorts.
- Reusing relevant portions and clips from older videos to align with trending topics will help you save a lot of time and money from shooting again.
Best Practices For Effectively Repurposing Your Videos Into Shorts
Attention-grabbing YouTube Shorts clips attract new viewers and increase views. If viewers like your content, they may also explore your channel and subscribe. To make this happen, follow these tips.
- Always keep the highlighted part of your video short
- If you use music or audio, make sure you have the rights or use the audio options available on YouTube.
- Audio-free shorts are always a good idea. Add trendy audio or music to engage viewers.
- Add trending hashtags to boost discoverability.
- Adding captions to your YouTube Shorts makes your video more accessible and helps your viewers understand the content.
- Create compelling and attention-grabbing thumbnails for YouTube Shorts.
- Include a strong Call to Action and encourage viewers to take action. This will help to increase engagement.
- Upload in the best quality and create YouTube Shorts with a vertical 9:16 aspect ratio for mobile-first viewing and a great user experience.
How to Create YouTube Shorts From Existing YouTube Video: Quick Comparison
The best method depends on how much of your existing footage you want to reuse and how much new editing you plan to add. Here’s a quick comparison to help you decide among these options:
| Method | Best for | Main advantage |
| Edit into a Short | Repurposing your existing YouTube upload | Uses an existing video without starting from scratch |
| Record with Shorts camera | Adding new footage | Lets you combine original and new content |
| Import footage | Adding clips from your device | Provides more flexibility when editing |
| Third party editing tools | More advanced editing | Offers additional editing and formatting options |
Final Thoughts
This was all about creating YouTube Shorts from an existing video. We have also explained the benefits of converting old popular videos into Short video formats. Use the built-in tool to maximise your channel’s growth potential, attract new subscribers, and boost visibility in search results. If getting views is the ultimate goal of converting long videos into shorts, you can buy YouTube views from a promotion service.
After you film and finish a Short, focus on a clear title, a strong hook, and a relevant description instead of copying the original long-form video. Tools like YouTube title generators and description generators can help you create compelling content to boost your Shorts’ performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Can I Upload The Same Video On YouTube And Shorts?
Yes, YouTube allows you to post the same video in long-form and short-form formats. But posting the same video repeatedly isn’t always the best solution. By cutting a relevant section into a tight Short, you can make even long-form content more suitable for short-form viewing.
Q2. Is there a free tool for creating YouTube Shorts?
You can create a short video using the built-in camera on the YouTube mobile app. You can record, edit, and publish directly from the smartphone. However, several other free tools can also save you time. Options include Canva and InShot, which offer many more editing features.
Q3. How To Create Shorts Through Existing Videos Using AI?
Multiple AI-powered third-party tools, such as Vizard, let you create Shorts from existing videos on your computer. Upload your video to Vizard and select the content language. Once uploaded, the tool will automatically generate clips, which may take a few minutes. You can then edit the clips as needed by trimming or resizing them, adding logos, and including subtitles.
Q4. What resolution should I use for my YouTube Shorts?
For best quality, YouTube Shorts recommends 1080 x 1920 pixels with a 9:16 aspect ratio, which suits vertical mobile viewing.
Q5. How can I stay consistent with YouTube Shorts posting?
To stay consistent, use a content calendar, plan how many short videos you will upload, batch-produce videos, use scheduling tools, and use YouTube Shorts to maintain a regular posting schedule.
