Quick summary
This demo walks you through the complete process of creating faceless YouTube Shorts — from sourcing free stock footage to publishing on YouTube Studio — without ever appearing on camera. It covers video editing in 9:16 format, adding narration and captions, trimming to 60 seconds, and uploading your finished MP4.
Steps
- Go to Pexels or Pixabay and search for footage relevant to your Short's topic. Download a vertical clip or one you can crop to 9:16.
- Open a video editor and create a new project in 9:16 format. Import the video and drag it onto the timeline.
- Record a narration track directly over the footage, keeping the script tight — one point per clip segment works best for Shorts.
- Use Text to add an on-screen caption or hook in the first two seconds, positioning it in the center or lower third of the frame.
- Trim the timeline so the total duration is 60 seconds or under.
- Export and save the file as an MP4 to your device.
- Go to studio.youtube.com and click Create > Upload videos.
- Click Select files, or drag and drop your video file from a local folder on your device.
- Complete the details and initial check, set the visibility, then click Publish.