Built for Shorts. Vertical video, short clips, quick downloads.
Free · No signup · Works on mobile and desktop
YTShortDL is a free browser-based downloader aimed specifically at YouTube Shorts — the vertical, under-a-minute clips that sit in their own feed rather than the main one.
Shorts differ from ordinary videos in ways that matter when downloading them. They are vertical rather than widescreen, almost always short enough to convert in seconds, and their URLs use a different format. A tool built with them in mind handles all three without you having to think about it.
| YouTube Short | Standard video | |
|---|---|---|
| Aspect ratio | Vertical, 9:16 | Widescreen, 16:9 |
| Length | Up to 60 seconds | No practical limit |
| URL format | Contains /shorts/ | Contains /watch?v= |
| Typical file size | 5–20 MB | Tens to hundreds of MB |
| Conversion time | Seconds | Scales with length |
The most common complaint about downloading Shorts elsewhere is black bars: the clip comes back padded into a widescreen frame, so a video meant to fill a phone screen ends up as a small strip in the middle. The output here keeps the original 9:16 framing, which is what you want if the file is going back onto a phone or into a vertical-format edit.
On mobile, tap the Share icon on the Short and choose "Copy link". On desktop, the address bar shows the full URL while the Short is playing. Either works — both contain the /shorts/ path that identifies it.
Because Shorts are small, nearly every problem that plagues long-video conversion disappears. Interrupted downloads are rare, queue waits are short, and storage is a non-issue. This is the one case where downloading over mobile data is genuinely fine.
Converted something and want to hear or watch it before saving? Drop it here — it plays in the page, and nothing is uploaded anywhere.
Choose a file or drag one here to play it
MP4 · WEBM · MP3 · M4A · OGG · FLAC · WAV
Playback happens locally in your browser — your file never leaves your device.
Five options, video first:
| Option | Best for |
|---|---|
| MP4 1080p (default) | Keeping full quality; still a small file for a Short |
| MP4 720p | Slightly smaller, no visible difference on a phone |
| MP4 480p | Sharing by message where size limits apply |
| MP3 192kbps | Just the audio — useful for sounds and music clips |
| MP3 128kbps | Smallest audio option |
1080p is the default here rather than a middle option, because a Short at full quality is still only around 10–20 MB.
A few practical notes on what happens after the download, particularly around reusing clips.
Downloading a Short you did not create and reposting it as your own is a copyright issue regardless of platform, and most platforms now detect it automatically. Creators can and do file claims. If you want to share something, the share link does the job without any of that risk.
Saving your own Shorts as a backup, keeping a clip you have explicit permission to use, or archiving something for offline reference are all straightforward. So is downloading Creative Commons material, which YouTube marks in the video description.
If you are editing downloaded footage, keep the project in 9:16 rather than dropping vertical clips into a widescreen timeline. Doing the latter is what produces the pillarboxed look with black bars either side — the file is fine, the timeline is the wrong shape.
The genuine risks with converter sites follow a recognisable pattern: fake download buttons that install something other than your file, prompts to allow browser notifications, pages pushing a "required codec" or "player update," and download links that hand you an .exe when you asked for an .mp3. If a site does any of those, close the tab.
The built-in player reads files locally using an object URL. Nothing is uploaded to Softlookup or anywhere else, which is why it keeps working even if you go offline after the page loads.
This is not boilerplate. Downloading copyrighted material without permission is a violation in most countries regardless of the tool used. The legitimate uses are common though: your own uploads, lectures your institution has released, podcasts distributed for offline listening, and royalty-free media for projects.
YTShortDL is a free browser-based downloader for YouTube Shorts, producing MP4 video or MP3 audio with nothing to install.
Yes. Output preserves the original 9:16 framing rather than padding the clip into a widescreen frame with black bars.
On mobile, tap Share and choose "Copy link". On desktop, copy the URL from the address bar while the Short is playing. Both contain the /shorts/ path.
Because Shorts are short. Even at full quality a typical Short is only 10 to 20 MB, so there is little reason to choose a lower setting.
Not one you did not create. Reposting someone else's Short as your own is a copyright issue and most platforms detect it automatically. Use the share link instead.
Only download content you own, have permission to use, or that is published under a licence permitting download.
Last updated: August 7, 2026.