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Screen recording tutorial on YouTube Shorts
Walk the viewer through one screen-recorded task step by step, with captions naming every click.
What to produce
- 60-90s tutorial short - 9:16, 90s
- Long-form full tutorial - 16:9, 600s
Recommended inputs
- Screen recording + voiceover
Platform-specific guidance
- Hook
- First 3 seconds decide Shorts retention - open on the strongest beat.
- Aspect
- 9:16
- Duration
- 60s
- Captions
- Burned-in recommended
- Reframe 16:9 to 9:16
- Yes
- Safe-zone overlay
- Apply before upload
- Caption guidance
- Burned-in captions; Shorts allow heavier caption styling.
Workflow
- Pick one task: If the task has more than 5 steps, split into multiple clips.
- Record screen + voice: Use a clear microphone. (Workflow)
- Crop / zoom to the action: Make every click readable. (Reframe)
- Burn captions: Lower-third or call-out style. (Burn-in)
- Apply platform safe-zone overlay: Use the YouTube Shorts safe-zone overlay so subjects stay visible. (Safe-zone)
Pitfalls to avoid
- Cursor disappears under captions
- Audio too quiet
- Tutorial assumes too much prior knowledge
Tools and presets
Frequently asked
How do I make a screen recording tutorial for YouTube Shorts?
Pick one task; Record screen + voice; Crop / zoom to the action; Burn captions.
What aspect ratio should I use on YouTube Shorts?
Use 9:16 (YouTube Shorts's safe native ratio).
Do I need burned-in captions on YouTube Shorts?
Yes - YouTube Shorts feeds are predominantly muted, so burned-in captions are essential.
Which export preset should I pick?
YouTube Shorts's SAFE_DEFAULT preset is documented at /tools/export/youtube-shorts/short.
Sources
YouTube Help - Creator playbooks (verified 2026-09-18) - HubSpot content types overview (verified 2026-09-18)