In response to growing competition from TikTok and Reels, YouTube has announced a series of enhancements to its short-form video platform, YouTube Shorts. Chief Product Officer Johanna Voolich introduced six new tools in a video update for creators, aimed at making Shorts videos more engaging. These tools include features that automatically convert longer videos into Shorts and tools to inspire creativity, such as the “Add Yours” sticker that encourages users to share related content.
“Anyone can create a Short – even I can – thanks to the accessibility of our tools for becoming a creator,” Voolich expressed in anticipation of the new tools and features.
Among the updates are tools for managing audio and speech in videos. One tool allows creators to create auto-generated captions that can be customized with different fonts and colors, while another lets users choose from four different voices for narration or text-to-speech functionality.
In addition to the “Add Yours” sticker, creators can now utilize two new effects celebrating Minecraft’s 15th anniversary. “Minecraft Spring” enables filming within the Minecraft world, while “Minecraft Rush” introduces a new in-game mini-game for users to engage with directly in the Shorts player.
New tools leverage YouTube’s vast library of public videos, such as an auto layout feature for easier conversion of regular videos into Shorts. The auto-layout tool, initially available on Android, automatically follows the main subject of a video when creating a Short, dynamically panning, zooming, and cropping the video accordingly.
Another new feature allows users to remix existing remixes, in addition to creating remixes from original videos or Shorts. This expands the creative possibilities for user-generated content on the platform.
Voolich mentioned that Shorts videos now generate 70 billion daily views, matching the figure from YouTube’s announcement last September. She also hinted at the possibility of testing Shorts videos that exceed the current 60-second limit.
The new features are gradually rolling out, with some already available and others expected to launch soon, according to YouTube.
