--- title: "Using YouTube Shorts with Buffer" description: "Using YouTube Shorts with Buffer" canonical_url: "https://support.buffer.com/articles/using-youtube-shorts-with-buffer-Jl8iR6jIck" md_url: "https://support.buffer.com/articles/using-youtube-shorts-with-buffer-Jl8iR6jIck.md" --- # Using YouTube Shorts with Buffer YouTube has more users than any other video platform, offering unparalleled distribution on desktop and mobile. You can reach more people on the world’s most popular video platform with [Buffer’s YouTube Shorts](https://buffer.com/youtube) scheduling and content planning tools. Let's get into the details. :::warning YouTube Shorts scheduling is available on our [new Buffer plans](https://buffer.com/pricing). On a Legacy plan? Get in touch with us at [hello@buffer.com](mailto:hello@buffer.com) to discuss your options! ::: ## These features are available for YouTube Shorts * **Publishing**: Yes * **Analytics**: No * **Engagement**: Yes ## How YouTube Shorts works with Buffer When it comes to YouTube, there are two types of publishing: * **Automatic publishing** - schedule your Short in Buffer, and we'll publish it for you. * **Notification publishing** - schedule your Short in Buffer and you'll get a notification on your phone when it's time to publish your Short, and you can finish publishing in the YouTube app. You'll see these options in the composer, where you can either choose *Automatic* (if your post can be scheduled automatically) or *Notify Me* (if you either choose to get a mobile notification for your post or if it contains content that can't be published automatically, such as videos that are over the duration limit). ![image.png](https://support.buffer.com/api/attachments.redirect?id=ee05a168-5b68-4c67-b6a1-731a8a77d712 " =950x768") :::warning If you have a YouTube account connected and wish to use notification based publishing, you must [set up notifications](https://support.buffer.com/en-us/articles/using-notification-publishing-gvZQiMxVa2) on your mobile device to ensure you don't miss any posts. (Download our mobile app on [iOS](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/buffer-plan-schedule-posts/id490474324) or [Android](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.buffer.android&hl=en_US&gl=US&pli=1)). ::: --- ## Connecting and refreshing your YouTube channel Head to your Channels area to connect your YouTube channel: You can connect multiple YouTube channels to Buffer. To make sure Buffer knows which one want to connect, log in to the Google account that is the owner of the YouTube channel in another browser tab before trying to connect it to Buffer. To see a step-by-step guide and troubleshooting steps, check out the article: [Connect your channels to Buffer](https://support.buffer.com/en-us/articles/connecting-your-channels-to-buffer-HvWLgAJvL9). If your connected YouTube/X channel requires a refresh, check out the article [Refreshing a channel in Buffer](https://support.buffer.com/en-us/articles/refreshing-a-channel-in-buffer-7oDS4jk7l1). :::info **Good-to-knows** * Due to API limitations, you must be logged into Google as the **owner** of the YouTube channel to connect it to Buffer. Unfortunately, we are not able to connect to a YouTube channel if you are set as a Manager of the brand account. * To access full functionality for YouTube, make sure to [verify your email](https://myaccount.google.com/identity-document/submit?pli=1) with YouTube. * Unverified users will see a limit of 10 posts within 24 hours. They will also not be allowed to add external links to their post descriptions. Verified users have no posting limitations. ::: ## Scheduling YouTube Shorts ### YouTube post title When you create a new post for YouTube in the Buffer composer, the *title* field is automatically filled in with the first line of your caption. As you keep editing the caption, the title stays in sync so the title always reflects the first line until you change it. If you'd prefer a different title, just type your own in the title field. Once you edit the title manually (or clear it), Buffer stops syncing it with the caption and keeps your version. Titles are capped at YouTube's 100-character limit. Check out the table below to see which features are available while scheduling posts for YouTube Shorts. ### Limitations * The "best time to post" feature in Analyze is not available for YouTube. For advice on creating an optimal posting schedule, check out our blog post: [The Best Time to Post on YouTube](https://buffer.com/resources/best-time-to-post-on-youtube/). * YouTube Community posting isn’t available through Buffer. If this is something you’d like to see, feel free to upvote it on our [Suggestions Board](https://suggestions.buffer.com/p/youtube-posts-to-community-tab). * Sounds and music from YouTube’s library aren’t available for Shorts published automatically by Buffer. If you’d like to add sounds to your Shorts, please schedule them using our [notification publishing feature](https://support.buffer.com/en-us/articles/using-notification-publishing-gvZQiMxVa2). | Features & good-to-knows | Notes | |:---|:---| | **Scheduling posts** | Check out our step-by-step guide to [scheduling posts](https://support.buffer.com/en-us/articles/scheduling-posts-4Qdld7giAZ) on any social channel or peruse YouTube-specific details below. | | **Daily posting limit** | 10 posts per 24 hours for users who have not verified their email addresses. Unlimited posts per 24 hours for users who have verified their email address. Learn more about [Daily posting limits here](https://support.buffer.com/en-us/articles/daily-posting-limits-kJ0JtpsdvD). | | **Character limit** | 100 characters for the title (Title field). 5,000 characters for the description (type this into the main composer). Learn more about [Character limits for each social network here](https://support.buffer.com/en-us/articles/character-limits-for-each-social-network-mNDqsEV9Nf). | | **Hashtags** | In the composer, type the hashtags you'd like to use. When the post is published, the hashtags will hyperlink just as if they were sent from the native platform itself. Learn more about [How hashtags work in Buffer](https://support.buffer.com/en-us/articles/how-hashtags-work-in-buffer-kusRDsVgD8). | | **Thumbnails** | Please note we do not currently support selecting a custom thumbnail for YouTube Shorts. | --- ## Video specifications for YouTube Shorts YouTube supports videos only, and YouTube posts cannot be created without a video attached. Buffer currently supports *YouTube Shorts* only. We do not support long-form YouTube videos at this time. | Feature | Videos | |:---|:---| | **Number allowed per post** | 1 | | **Video length** | Up to 3 minutes | | **File size** | 10GB or less | | **Dimensions / Aspect ratio** | Either Square (1:1) or Portrait (9:16). Portrait is recommended and will appear best on mobile devices. | | **File types supported** | .mov, .mp4, .mpg, .mpeg, .avi, .WebM | | **Custom thumbnail supported** | No | | **Giphy and Canva integration** | No | | **Alt text** | It is not possible to add alt text to YouTube videos via Buffer. Learn more about [adding alt text to your images here](https://support.buffer.com/en-us/articles/adding-alt-text-to-your-images-Oqn4WJGS1j). | --- ## Engaging with YouTube comments Engagement features are available for YouTube accounts within [Buffer's Community feature](https://support.buffer.com/en-us/articles/using-community-in-buffer-jvTv4uQacA) on the desktop version of Buffer (support on the Android & iOS apps coming soon!). To use Community on the desktop version of Buffer: 1. Head to the *Community* tab on the left side of the dashboard. 2. Select your YouTube channel on the left menu and start replying to your comments. ![image.png](https://support.buffer.com/api/attachments.redirect?id=3f95466f-9cd6-4aa0-b8e1-b49490d8c0fb " =2434x910") --- ## YouTube analytics We can post all day, but the real excitement comes when seeing the reactions to our posts. You can view analytics for each of your YouTube Shorts (views, likes, and comments) by heading to the *Publish* tab and then the *Sent* tab. YouTube is not currently supported within Analyze. ![image.png](https://support.buffer.com/api/attachments.redirect?id=0842c510-ff72-4b56-81d6-85517c5c9c94 " =2546x770") --- ## YouTube error library If you're (unfortunately) hitting YouTube errors in Buffer, the [YouTube error library](https://support.buffer.com/en-us/articles/youtube-error-library-jyNcFhrJQf) is the place to go for solutions. :::info Do you have a YouTube feature suggestion? We’d love for you to submit or upvote it [here on our feature suggestions board](https://suggestions.buffer.com/). ::: --- ## FAQ ### Is it possible to change the default category for YouTube Shorts? Currently, Buffer does not support changing the default category for YouTube Shorts when posting. YouTube automatically assigns Shorts as the category, and this setting cannot be customized through Buffer. If you want to change the category for a Short after it’s published, you’ll need to update it directly in YouTube Studio. :::info Do you have a YouTube feature suggestion? We’d love for you to submit or upvote it [here on our feature suggestions board](https://suggestions.buffer.com/). ::: --- ## More resources from our blog * [How To Get More Views on YouTube](https://buffer.com/resources/how-to-get-more-views-on-youtube?utm_source=helpscout&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=hc_to_blog) * [The Best Time to Post on YouTube — Backed by Data](https://buffer.com/resources/best-time-to-post-on-youtube?utm_source=helpscout&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=hc_to_blog) * [How the YouTube Algorithm Works](https://buffer.com/resources/youtube-algorithm/?utm_source=helpscout&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=hc_to_blog) * [How to Create Scroll-stopping YouTube Thumbnails](https://buffer.com/resources/youtube-thumbnails?utm_source=helpscout&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=hc_to_blog) * [25 Creative YouTube Shorts Ideas](https://buffer.com/resources/youtube-shorts-ideas/?utm_source=helpscout&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=hc_to_blog)