YouTube Shorts safe zone checker and template

YouTube Shorts safe zone size

On a 1080 by 1920 (9:16) YouTube Shorts video, keep these margins clear of captions, titles and logos:

Source: Google Ads Help, YouTube Shorts ads safe zone diagram (Google gives a diagram, not numbers; pixel values are read from it). Read it here. Read 2 November 2026.

What covers your video on YouTube Shorts

YouTube Shorts has the widest button column of the three platforms: like, dislike, comment, share, remix and the sound disc run down the right side. The bottom carries the channel name, subscribe button, title and sound. The top carries search and the menu.

The platform publishes its safe zone for ads, which also leaves room for a call-to-action button. A normal post shows less on screen, so a frame that clears the ad zone is safe for an organic post too. That is why this checker uses the published ad numbers.

How to keep text inside the YouTube Shorts safe zone

1. Shorts needs the biggest right margin, about 192 pixels on a 1080 by 1920 frame. Text that fits on TikTok can still clip on Shorts at the right edge.
2. Keep captions in the middle of the frame and slightly left of centre.
3. Shorts can now run up to three minutes, but the layout is the same at any length, so these margins apply to every Short.
4. Check the frames that carry text, not only the first one. Load the video, slide to each title card and drag a box over it.
5. Export at 1080 by 1920. Other sizes scale, so the pixel numbers above stop matching your edit.

Posting the same clip to more than one app? Use the all-platform safe zone checker: it combines the strictest edge of each. There are also pages for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and the other free tools.