Create content for Shorts using AI-generated features

These content creation tools are experimental AI-generated features from YouTube that let you bring your imagination to life. They generate unique images or videos based on prompts that you can easily add as a green screen background or standalone video clips to your Short. Learn more about our privacy policies on how AI-generated content works.

Guidance for creating content for Shorts with AI-generated features

All content on YouTube, including AI-generated creations from these tools, must follow our Community Guidelines. Creators are responsible for ensuring their published content, including content created using AI tools, follows these rules.

To support creators in navigating our policies, we’ve incorporated safeguards into our AI tools, which aim to help creators follow our Community Guidelines and avoid generating inappropriate content. As such, we may block prompts that violate our policies, or those that touch on sensitive topics. For example, our AI tools are designed to help creators avoid generating photorealistic images of identifiable people, which could be misused for creating deep fakes or other harmful content.

To learn more or surface issues related to potential privacy concerns, please review YouTube’s Privacy Guidelines.

As with any generative AI tool, mistakes are possible and we may not always get it right. That’s why we encourage creators to review all AI-generated content carefully before publishing it to YouTube, just as they would do in any other situation. We’ll continue to listen to feedback as we keep improving.

Note: Creators who make a post or YouTube Short using YouTube's generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools don't need to take extra steps to disclose the use of altered or synthetic content. The tool will automatically disclose the use of AI for creators. Learn more about disclosing use of altered or synthetic content.

Create a clip using other AI-generative tools

Note: These features are currently available in most countries for creators that have their YouTube device language set to English. These AI-generated features on Shorts may not be available in all locations.

Create green screen background

Note: This feature is currently not available for countries in the European Economic Area (EEA).

You can generate unique images and videos based on text-based prompts that can easily be added as a green screen background for your Shorts. It lets you bring your imagination to life.

Open the YouTube app .
Tap Create .
- Note: You can also tap the sparkle icon Backgrounds from the top right corner to get started.
From the right menu, tap Green screen .
From the bottom, tap the sparkle icon .
Describe the content you would like to generate and pick a style.
Tap Create.
Choose your image.
1. Note: You can save or share the image by tapping menu Save to device or Share.
Select Use image or Create video, then use it as a green screen background for recording.
Enter the details to your Short, such as description and the privacy settings.
Tap Upload Short to publish.

Create a standalone video clip

Note: This feature is currently not available for countries in the European Economic Area. Adding reference images to video generation prompts is not available for users in the United Kingdom.

You can create standalone videos for your Shorts based on text-based prompts and reference images.

Open the YouTube app .
Tap Create .
- Note: You can also tap from the top right corner Create video to get started.
On the bottom left, tap Add for the media picker.
- Note: If you haven’t already, grant access to your photos and videos on your devices.
At the top, select Create video .
Describe the content you would like to generate. To use specific visuals, tap and you can upload up to 3 reference images from your gallery.
Tap Create.
Preview the video and tap Next.
Enter the details to your Short, such as description and the privacy settings.
Tap Upload Short to publish.

Create a Photo to video clip

HOW TO: Transform Your Photos into Videos 🪄

Note: This feature is currently not available for countries in the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, and Switzerland.

Photo to video lets you easily create fun, personalized Shorts from your own photo gallery. It offers a way to inspire creators with fun, creative suggestions to explore new possibilities with AI-generated content.

Open the YouTube app .
Tap Create .
- Note: You can also tap the Photo to video from the top right corner to get started.
On the bottom left, tap Add for the media picker.
Choose your photo and tap Next.
At the top, select Photo to video .
Select one of the suggested prompts.
- Note: You can also add your own prompt or edit the suggested prompts.
Tap Create.
Preview the video and tap Continue.
Select the desired length of the clip, then tap Done.
Enter the details to your Short, such as description and the privacy settings.
Tap Upload Short to publish.

Create a “Make me move” clip

Note: This feature is currently not available for countries in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland.

You can turn a photo of yourself into a Short where you move in the style of a reference video. Choose from one of the preset movements available in the Shorts AI playground, such as a Karate combo.

Open the YouTube app .
Tap Create .
From the top-right corner, tap the sparkle icon Make me move .
From the options, select a reference video for the movement style you want.
Tap to open your gallery and select one full-body photo of the person you want to animate.
1. Note: This feature only supports single-person images. Only use photos of others with their permission.
Tap to upload the photo and generate your new video.
Preview the video and tap Done.
Select the desired length of the clip, then tap Done.
- You can add additional edits or clips with our creation tools.
Once done, tap Next.
- Enter the details to your Short, such as description and the privacy settings.
Tap Upload Short to publish.

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