YouTube Shorts Safe Zone Checker

Start with a 9:16 source frame. YouTube Shorts are built around vertical viewing. Using a 9:16 preview gives you the most realistic starting point for subtitles, hooks, and CTA placement.

Treat top, right, and bottom as separate risk zones. The top chrome, right-side actions, and lower metadata stack do not interfere in the same way. Review each one separately when placing titles, logos, and call-to-action text.

Keep your most important words inside the center-safe area. The safest place for subtitles and headline text is the central portion of the frame, not the outer edge where UI overlays are more likely to clash with the creative.

Leave extra space for dynamic UI changes. Different devices, app states, and account contexts can shift how crowded the Shorts interface feels. A little more breathing room is usually safer than designing directly against the boundary line.

Validate subtitles separately from logos. Subtitle blocks often sit lower and span wider, while logos or badges usually fail because they get placed too close to the right rail or upper corner. Review each layer by role, not as one combined block.

Finish with a real phone check before publishing. A safe-zone checker is the planning layer. The final approval should still happen on an actual mobile device before the Short goes live or enters a larger publishing workflow.