YouTube Shorts ad specs
YouTube Shorts ads play between Shorts in the vertical feed. Google recommends under 60 seconds. A billable TrueView view counts when someone watches 10 seconds or to the end, whichever comes first. Google's video requirements accept 9:16 vertical alongside other ratios, with 1080p recommended.
Updated
The spec sheet
| Spec | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Length | Under 60 seconds recommended |
| Billable view | 10 seconds watched, or to the end if shorter |
| Aspect ratio | 9:16 vertical for the Shorts feed |
| Resolution | 1080p recommended; 720p minimum HD |
Competing with creators
A Shorts ad appears in a feed of short creator videos, and viewers swipe the moment something feels like an ad. The production values that work in in-stream, such as polished intros and logo animations, tend to stand out in the wrong way here.
What works looks native: a person talking to camera, the product in hand, captions in the creator style, sound on. The same creative principles as TikTok and Reels apply, which is why one well-made vertical cut can often serve all three with small edits.
The 10-second billing threshold
Because a view is billed at 10 seconds or completion, an ad shorter than 10 seconds is billed when it finishes. A very short Shorts ad is not automatically cheaper per result; it depends on whether people watch it through.
Questions
- How long should a YouTube Shorts ad be?
- Google recommends under 60 seconds.
- When is a YouTube Shorts ad view billed?
- When the viewer watches 10 seconds or to the end of the video, whichever comes first.
Sources
Read on 13 October 2026. Platforms change specs and policies without notice; check the source before you build to a number.