> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.ocoya.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# YouTube Shorts

> Connect a YouTube channel, and what Ocoya can publish to it.

Ocoya publishes **Shorts** to YouTube — vertical video, one per post. It doesn't upload regular long-form videos, and it can't post images.

## Connect YouTube

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Channels">
    Select **Channels** in the left sidebar, then **Connect channel**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose Youtube Shorts">
    Pick **Youtube Shorts** from the **Add a connection** panel.

    <Frame caption="Youtube Shorts in the Add a connection panel.">
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/ocoya/AXU_TbAvrsHP8A-m/images/screenshots/channels-connect-drawer.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=AXU_TbAvrsHP8A-m&q=85&s=fb49d994bcc630972a670a1277c36d2c" alt="Add a connection panel listing every channel Ocoya connects to, each with its category and an arrow to continue" width="864" height="2648" data-path="images/screenshots/channels-connect-drawer.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Sign in with Google">
    Sign in with the Google account that owns the channel and approve upload access.
  </Step>
</Steps>

One channel per connection, and no selection screen — YouTube returns the channel for the account you signed in with. To publish to a second channel, connect again with that channel's account.

## What you can post

| Post type      | Supported                             |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| Video          | Yes — one per post                    |
| GIF            | Yes — one per post, uploaded as video |
| Image          | No                                    |
| Text-only post | No                                    |

Every YouTube post needs exactly one video or GIF. Ocoya tells you plainly if that isn't the case:

* *YouTube Shorts publishing only supports video or GIF uploads* — you attached an image.
* *YouTube Shorts publishing only supports one video or GIF* — you attached more than one.
* *YouTube Shorts publishing requires one video or GIF* — you attached nothing.

## YouTube's limits

|                | Limit             |
| -------------- | ----------------- |
| Title          | 100 characters    |
| Description    | 5,000 characters  |
| Video per post | 1, maximum 256 MB |

256 MB is the most generous video size of any network Ocoya supports — but keep the video vertical and short enough for YouTube to treat it as a Short.

## After publishing

Published posts link to `youtube.com/shorts/...`. If YouTube decides a video doesn't qualify as a Short — usually because it's too long or not vertical — it stays on your channel as a normal video at its regular watch URL.

## Common problems

**"My image was rejected."** Shorts are video-only. Use a video, or publish the image to another channel.

**"Upload failed for a large file."** Anything over 256 MB is refused. Compress or trim it first.

**"It published as a normal video, not a Short."** That's YouTube's call, based on length and aspect ratio, not something Ocoya sets.

## Related

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Character and media limits" icon="ruler" href="/help/channel-limits">
    Every network's limits in one table.
  </Card>

  <Card title="TikTok" icon="music" href="/help/channels/tiktok">
    The other short-video channel, with different rules.
  </Card>
</Columns>