YouTube Shorts on TV

YouTube Shorts launches on TV, Starting today, viewers will be able to enjoy YouTube Shorts videos (60 seconds or less) directly on the big screen which includes smart TVs (2019 and later), streaming devices, and Video Games consoles at home. This feature will gradually roll out to all users beginning today.

To use the YouTube Shorts on TV experience, you’ll need a Smart TV (2019 and later), gaming console, or streaming device. Just Open the YouTube app on your TV > Go to Shorts shelf > Open any Shorts video and play it directly on your TV.

The announcement was made by YouTube Community Chief Product Officer Neal Mohan, via YouTube’s official blog post,

Bringing Shorts to our community has transformed the way people create and watch videos on YouTube. When we introduced this new format, we optimized the experience for the mobile creator and viewer. Today, we’re expanding viewing access to Shorts to our fastest-growing surface: the TV screen. While this may seem like a natural next step, an incredible amount of thought and care has gone into bringing this vertical, mobile-first experience to the big screen. In this next installment of our Innovation Series, you’ll hear from two of the user experience (UX) design leads who made this leap a reality.

YouTube Shorts videos will be played in the YouTube app itself, without the need to download any additional app. A video was also posted on the official YouTube channel with more details on how it works.

Shorts will be accessible through the purpose-built tab, in the carousel of the homepage of the interface, or through the channels of content creators. It will also be possible to locate short videos using the search tool in the future.

Where to find YouTube Shorts on your TV

Here’s a simple guide on where to find YouTube Shorts on your TV;

To find YouTube Shorts on your TV;

1. First, let’s go over where you can find Shorts on TV.
2. Open the YouTube app on your TV.
3. Then navigate down the homepage and search for the Shorts shelf.
4. There you’ll see a panel of recommending Shorts for you to view.
5. Open any Shorts video and play it directly on your TV.

How to watch and engage with YouTube Shorts on your TV

Here’s a simple guide on how to watch and engage with YouTube Shorts on your TV;

To watch YouTube Shorts on your TV;

1. Select the Short you’d like to watch.
2. Next, use your remote to start or stop the Short by clicking directly on the Short.
3. You can also use the play or pause buttons on your remote to start or stop the Short.
4. Once you start the Short it’ll continue playing until you advance to the next Short.
5. Then, hit the right button on your remote to check out info on the Short like the title, the creator, and what sound is being used.
6. Finally, scroll down to see your next Short or scroll up to see the previous Short.

The feature began to be released starting today directly on the YouTube app of your TV, streaming device (Chromecast, Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku, etc.,), or your favorite game console ( PS5 and Xbox Series X ).  Since the new feature is on the server side, you don’t need to update the program to receive — but you can do so to try to speed up delivery.

YouTube Shorts on TV is a clear attempt by Google to rival TikTok. The Chinese platform already has a short video app for TV that offers vertical videos and information about the creator, as if it were in the mobile app.

By expanding this feature to TV, YouTube wants to reach new audiences. A lot of people use the living room television as the main way to access videos, so it’s a chance to show interesting things to older people or people who don’t have the habit of opening YouTube on their PC or cell phone.