YouTube Adds Instagram-Inspired Features to Shorts: Here’s What’s New

YouTube is rolling out a new suite of tools for Shorts creators aimed at enhancing video editing, customization, and creativity. These upcoming features, expected to launch later this spring, are designed to rival similar offerings on platforms like Instagram Reels and TikTok, giving creators more power to edit, personalize, and streamline content creation directly within the YouTube app.

Enhanced Video Editor for Precision Edits

YouTube is upgrading its built-in Shorts editor to offer creators more detailed editing options. This includes:

• Clip-by-clip adjustments with improved accuracy

• Zooming and snapping tools for frame-specific edits

• Rearranging or deleting clips within the timeline

• Timed text and music overlays for better storytelling

These updates will allow creators to fine-tune their Shorts without needing external software, enabling a smoother, all-in-one editing workflow within the YouTube app.

Template-Based Editing with Auto-Credits

A new template feature will let users import photos from their device gallery into pre-designed video templates. This offers a faster way to generate engaging content while keeping consistency in style and format.

Importantly, when creators use a template, YouTube will automatically credit the original template creator, promoting transparency and giving due recognition to source creators.

Personalized Image Stickers

YouTube is adding a custom image sticker tool to its Shorts editor. Creators can now add personal photos or branded visuals in sticker form, helping them express their unique style and make their content more visually engaging.

AI-Powered Stickers from Text Prompts

Taking personalization a step further, YouTube is introducing AI-generated stickers. By simply entering a text prompt, creators can generate one-of-a-kind stickers to include in their videos. This innovation adds a fun, creative twist and opens the door for unique content creation.

Beat-Synced Edits for Music Videos

Another anticipated feature is the auto-sync tool, which matches video clips to the beat of selected background music. This eliminates the need for manual syncing, allowing creators to focus more on creativity and less on editing logistics.

Focus on Streamlined, In-App Creativity

YouTube emphasized that these upgrades are part of a larger effort to improve in-app content creation. With competition from Instagram Reels and TikTok intensifying, YouTube Shorts is investing heavily in features that keep creators engaged on its platform.

These features will launch progressively, with more tools to follow throughout the year, further empowering creators to produce high-quality Shorts directly on YouTube.