YouTube releases feature that allows users to reuse their long-format videos as Shorts

Popular videos sharing platform YouTube has released a new feature that allows users to generate fresh content from their existing videos, in the form of Shorts. The feature is available on both Android and iOS devices. With the feature, users will be able to import a short portion of their long-format video as a short video and publish it on the platform.

"To make it easier to create even more new content, you can now convert up to 60 seconds from your own existing long-form YouTube videos and turn them into Shorts." Further, to do this, users will get the same editing tools that they have for editing long-form videos such as text, timeline, editor and filters. 

Users will now be able to create Shorts out of long-format videos

If users select a part of their video that is less than 60 seconds, they can shoot additional videos with the Shorts camera or upload more videos from their gallery to make 60s Shorts. Further, the Shorts that are created using the feature will contain a link that will redirect the viewers to the original long-format video. It is important to note that creators will only be able to import their own videos into the Shorts creator.

The feature allows users to refresh their classic content and gives them a chance to engage with new audience. In recent times, short-format content has started gathering a significant amount of views and it is a good way for YouTube to retain viewers. Hence, by allowing creators to make Shorts out of their existing videos, the platform is hoping to gather even more audience than it already is. 

In a related development, YouTube released new changes to curb comment spam this month. Going forward, YouTube channels will not be able to hide their subscriber counts. As the policy comes into place, scammers will not be able to disguise themselves as popular YouTubers as viewers can cross-check the subscriber count. If it's a fake account or a scammer, it would not have as many subscribers as the original creator, perhaps no subscribers at all.