Long video in · Shorts out

How to Turn Long Videos into Shorts with AI

Your long videos are gathering dust. Turn them into a content engine. Automatically extract highlights, crop for mobile, and dominate social media.

Long Video

Shorts by CrabCut

Quick answer

How do you turn a YouTube video into Shorts?

Turn Long Videos into Shorts Using AI | CrabCut

Paste a YouTube link, let CrabCut analyze the transcript and video, then export 9:16 vertical shorts with captions for YouTube Shorts.

Paste a YouTube URL
AI finds highlight moments
Export Shorts-ready videos

Open YouTube shorts maker

How it works

From long video to sharper, ready-to-post Shorts in five steps.

Workflow

Transcribe

We transcribe your video with high accuracy in 16+ languages.

TranscriptEN

00:04So the idea was never about going viral overnight.

00:11It was about showing up consistently, even when nobody was watching.

00:18That part is what actually compounds.

See pricing →

Key Reasons to Turn Long Videos into Shorts

The digital landscape has shifted. If you aren't adapting your long-form content for the "scroll" generation, you're being left behind.

The Algorithm Hates Length

TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts favor high retention. A 30-minute video gets 0 views if people scroll away in 3 seconds. You need to hook them instantly.

The "Scroll" Mentality

Mobile users don't want to rotate their phones. If your video isn't vertical (9:16) and fast-paced, you are invisible to 80% of mobile traffic.

Our AI Short Video Generator Process

We bridge the gap between traditional long-form video and modern viral formats.

Detects Hooks

Our model finds the "Goldilocks" moments: not too long, not too short, just interesting enough to stop the scroll.

Crops & Formats

It intelligently crops landscape video to vertical, tracking the active speaker so they are always in focus.

Adds Viral Captions

Burned-in captions are essential for sound-off viewing. We add them automatically with trending styles.

Perfect For Every Creator

USE CASE #1

Podcasts → Shorts

Turn a 1-hour conversation into 10 highlight shorts. Promote the full episode by teasing the best stories on TikTok.

USE CASE #2

Interviews → Reels

Extract the most insightful answers from your guest. Position yourself as a thought leader on Instagram and LinkedIn.

USE CASE #3

Webinars → Content

Don't let your Zoom recording die in a folder. Repurpose Q&A sessions and value bombs into evergreen micro-content.

Save 10+ Hours/Week

Stop scrubbing through timelines. Let AI find the gold while you sleep.

Increase Reach

More formats = more platforms. Be everywhere at once without extra effort.

One video, many assets

Turn a single long recording into multiple shorts you can download whenever you're ready to post.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ideal video length for auto-shorts creation?

We recommend long-form videos of at least 15 minutes so the AI has enough material to find multiple standalone shorts. Free users can upload up to 1 hour; Starter supports up to 3 hours and Pro supports up to 4 hours.

Can I edit the shorts after the AI generates them?

Yes. The AI does 95% of the work, but you can always enter our editor to fine-tune start/end times, adjust captions, or change the aspect ratio.

Will the vertical crop look good?

Yes, our 'Active Speaker Detection' technology automatically tracks faces and keeps the speaker centered in the 9:16 frame, even if they move around.

Do standalone shorts make sense out of context?

Our AI is trained to find 'hooks', moments with a clear beginning and end that tell a complete mini-story, ensuring they work perfectly as standalone Shorts.

Related resources

Ready to Scale Your Content?

Don't just upload one long video. Turn it into 10 viral assets instantly.

Auto Short Your Video