Upload your MP4 recording. AI finds the strongest self-contained moments and exports them as vertical 9:16 clips ready to post as YouTube Shorts. No editing experience needed.
Best for Shorts, Reels, and TikTok. Uses center crop.
Experimental. Use only if your original video has no burned-in subtitles.
Free: 1 video · up to 10 min · 3 clips · 1 regenerate.
MP4 up to 500 MB
No signup required · Files deleted after 24 h
Processing your video…
This may take a minute for longer videos.
Recommended settings
Vertical 9:16 is required for YouTube Shorts discovery in the Shorts feed
20–40 seconds tends to outperform longer clips in the Shorts format
Enable Viral subtitles for viewers watching without sound on mobile
The AI finds moments that stand alone — no surrounding context needed
Videos under 60 seconds uploaded in 9:16 are automatically classified as Shorts
What you get
Works with any MP4 you own — recordings, talks, lessons, interviews, vlogs
AI finds moments that work as standalone 20–60 second Shorts without context
Vertical 9:16 export matches the YouTube Shorts format exactly (1080×1920)
Cut 3 Shorts-ready clips per video — free, no account needed
Add burned-in subtitles for viewers watching without sound
What it’s used for
Creator repurposing a long video essay or commentary into 3–5 standalone Shorts
Educational channel extracting the clearest lesson tips as standalone Shorts previews
Vlogger clipping the most memorable or shareable moments from a travel video
Business channel turning a recorded presentation or demo into Shorts teasers
Podcast with video clipping the most quotable moments for Shorts discovery
How it works
1
Upload your long-form video
Upload any MP4 from your own content library. No account required, no linking to YouTube. The AI works directly from your local file.
2
AI finds moments that stand alone as Shorts
Whisper transcribes the full video. GPT identifies self-contained moments — complete ideas, strong takes, clear explanations — that make sense without the surrounding video context.
3
Export in 9:16 Shorts format
Select Vertical 9:16 before generating. Clips are center-cropped to 1080×1920 — YouTube Shorts' native format — and kept under 60 seconds. Optionally add burned-in subtitles.
4
Upload directly to YouTube as Shorts
Download the clip files and upload to YouTube. Videos under 60 seconds in 9:16 format are automatically treated as Shorts by YouTube's system.
YouTube Shorts now drives a significant share of channel discovery — for many creators, Shorts are outperforming long-form uploads in terms of new subscriber acquisition. But making Shorts from scratch takes time, and most creators already have hours of footage containing exactly the kind of self-contained moments that work as Shorts. Repurposing existing recordings is faster, cheaper, and often produces better Shorts than trying to create short-form content from scratch.
AI Clip Maker works from any MP4 you already own. Upload a video from your library — a recorded video essay, a vlog, a lecture, a talk, or anything with clear spoken content — and the AI reads the full transcript to find moments that stand alone as 20–60 second Shorts. It does not just find loud or exciting moments; it looks for self-contained ideas: a complete thought, a strong take, a clear explanation, or a surprising statement that starts and ends within a short window.
The output clips are exported in vertical 9:16 format (1080×1920) — the native Shorts format — ready to upload directly to YouTube. You can also add viral-style burned-in subtitles, which significantly improve retention for Shorts watched without sound. Each clip comes with a manual recut option so you can adjust the cut before uploading.
Frequently asked questions
Does this download from YouTube?
No — you upload your own MP4 file. This tool cuts clips from videos you already have on your device. It does not download from YouTube or any external platform.
What aspect ratio does YouTube Shorts require?
YouTube Shorts uses vertical 9:16 (1080×1920). Select the Vertical 9:16 export option before generating your clips, and the output will be center-cropped to that format automatically.
How long should a YouTube Short be?
Under 60 seconds. The AI clip length options (20–40 seconds and 40–60 seconds) both fit the Shorts format. Tighter clips often perform better — a complete idea in 30 seconds beats a padded 58-second clip.
Can I add subtitles to my Shorts?
Yes — the viral subtitle style burns large, high-contrast captions directly into the clip file. This is worth enabling for Shorts, where a significant share of viewers watch without sound.
What types of content make good Shorts from existing recordings?
Educational content, strong opinions, surprising facts, personal stories with a clear setup and payoff, and expert answers to specific questions all tend to work well as standalone Shorts.