YouTube announced a significant update to its Shorts platform, extending the maximum video length from 60 seconds to 3 minutes. 

The change, which will take effect on October 15, applies to square or vertically-oriented videos and responds to creator demand for increased storytelling flexibility.

The platform plans to refine recommendations for longer Shorts in the coming months. This update does not affect previously uploaded content.

In addition to the length extension, YouTube introduces several new features for Shorts creators and viewers:

1. Templates: Users can recreate popular Shorts by tapping “Remix” and selecting “Use this template” to add their content.
2. Enhanced remixing capabilities: In the near future, creators will be able to incorporate clips from across YouTube directly into their Shorts.
3. AI-generated content: Later this year, Google DeepMind’s Veo model will enable creators to generate video backgrounds and standalone clips for use in Shorts.
4. Trends page: A new mobile feature allows users to discover trending content in their country.
5. Comment previews: Viewers will soon be able to see comment previews in the Shorts feed before entering the full comments section.
6. Feed customization: Users can choose to “Show fewer Shorts” in their Home feed, which is accessible through the menu on any Shorts grid.

“Whether you’re looking to discover something new or dive into creating, these tools will empower you to express yourself, get inspired, engage more deeply, and keep up with the latest trends,” wrote Todd Sherman, Director of Product Management of YouTube Shorts, in a blog post.

These features build on the previous six Shorts updates, which YouTube’s Chief Product Officer Johanna Voolich introduced in July.

YouTube’s rival, TikTok, recently revealed it is experimenting with long-form video formats.