YouTube Shorts launches in South Africa: How to use the feature

YouTube Shorts, the YouTube mobile app’s short-form video feature, is arriving in South Africa — meaning that local content creators will be able to use it.

Until now, Shorts have only been viewable for users in the country. However, we have not been able to create our own Shorts until now.

The feature is YouTube’s answer to TikTok. Announced in 2020, its beta has seen it gradually rolled out to countries around the world.

“We want to make it easy and fun to create Shorts,” Todd Sherman, Global Product Manager for YouTube Shorts, said in a statement.

“As we continue to build Shorts alongside our creators and artists, we’ll be adding more features for users to try.”

The YouTube Shorts beta will officially roll out to people in South Africa by Wednesday, 14 July.

You can update your YouTube app and select the centre + icon to add a video to see if the Shorts feature is available for you.

If you have the feature, you will see the option to “Create a Short”.

 

How to use YouTube Shorts

To view YouTube Shorts, you simply need to visit the Shorts section in your app. It appears in your home feed under the Shorts title.

If you want to upload your own Short, YouTube provides these steps:

1. Tap create (+ icon) and then select “Create a Short”.
2. To make your Short longer than 15 seconds, tap 15 above the record button.
3. To record a clip, hold the capture button or tap it to start recording and then again to stop.
4. Select the checkmark when you’re done to preview and enhance your video. Then tap “Next” to add details to your video.
5. Add a title.
6. Select “Upload” to finish.

Currently, users can add text and automatic captions to their video, along with basic filters. You can also add pre-recorded clips from your phone’s gallery.

The feature also lets you record clips that are up to 60 seconds in length.

Feature image: freestocks.org/Pexels

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