How to Make Shorts From Long Videos
Turning a long video into Shorts used to mean hours scrubbing a timeline for good moments. This tutorial walks you through doing it in about a minute: paste a YouTube link, let the AI find and cut the strongest segments into vertical clips, tweak the captions in your browser, and download finished 1080p Shorts ready to post.
Step by step
How to make Shorts from a long video with FastClip with FastClip.
Paste your long video link
Open FastClip and drop in a YouTube URL of your long video, or upload the file directly. It works on anything built around people talking: podcasts, interviews, webinars, lectures, video essays, or long uploads. The longer the source, the more clip-worthy moments are buried inside it.
Let the AI find and cut the best moments
FastClip transcribes the audio, reads the entire video for the strongest segments, and cuts up to 10 vertical 9:16 Shorts in about a minute. Because it reads the whole runtime, it surfaces great moments deep in the video that you'd likely never reach clipping by hand.
Review the clips and pick your keepers
Scan the generated Shorts and choose the ones with a clear hook in the first few seconds. A standalone idea, a bold claim, a surprising answer, or a moment of tension makes a stronger Short than a slow build that needs context to land.
Edit captions and style in your browser
Open a clip in the browser editor. Animated karaoke captions are auto-generated from the audio in styles like MrBeast, CapCut, and Hormozi, across 20+ languages. Fix any wording, change the caption style, adjust position, and trim the start and end so the clip opens right on the hook.
Download your Short in 1080p
When a clip looks right, export it. FastClip renders a clean 1080p vertical MP4. The free plan includes 1 video and 5 downloads with no card required; Pro is $100/month with a 14-day guarantee if you need more volume.
Post each Short to your platforms
Upload the downloaded MP4s manually to YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram Reels. Write a tight caption, add relevant hashtags, and space your posts out so one long video becomes a steady week of Shorts.
Tips that make a difference
Lead with the hook, not the intro
The best Shorts open on the strongest line, not a slow setup. Use the trim tool to cut anything before the moment that grabs attention so the payoff hits in the first 1-2 seconds.
Pick moments that stand on their own
A clip that needs five minutes of prior context will lose viewers. Favor segments with a complete thought, a clear question and answer, or a punchy claim that makes sense cold to someone who never saw the full video.
Read your captions before exporting
Auto captions are accurate, but names, slang, and brand terms are worth a quick check. Since captions are generated from the audio and editable in the browser, fixing a word takes seconds and keeps every Short looking polished.
FAQ
How long does it take to make Shorts from a long video?
About a minute for the cutting itself. You paste a YouTube link, the AI transcribes the audio, reads the full video for the best moments, and cuts up to 10 vertical 9:16 Shorts. Reviewing clips and tweaking captions in the browser adds a few minutes on top, depending on how much you fine-tune.
Can I make Shorts from a long video for free?
Yes. The free plan lets you process 1 video and download 5 Shorts with no credit card required. That's enough to run a full long video through and post real clips. If you need more volume, Pro is $100/month and comes with a 14-day guarantee.
Does FastClip post the Shorts to YouTube or TikTok for me?
No. FastClip cuts, captions, and exports finished 1080p vertical MP4s, but posting is manual. You download each Short and upload it to YouTube Shorts, TikTok, or Reels yourself, which lets you write a custom caption and hashtags for each platform.
What kind of long videos make the best Shorts?
Anything driven by talking. Podcasts, interviews, webinars, lectures, coaching sessions, and long YouTube uploads work best because the AI reads spoken content to find strong moments. The longer the video, the more clip-worthy segments are buried in it and the more time you save.
Keep reading
Turn your next long video into a week of Shorts
Paste a link, let the AI cut the best moments, polish the captions, and download in 1080p. Start free with 1 video and 5 downloads, no card needed.