YouTube challenges TikTok with its own CapCut feature and more

Among the major enhancements is the introduction of video templates, allowing users to easily

YouTube made significant updates to its Shorts platform, positioning it more competitively against TikTok. Among the major enhancements is the introduction of video templates, allowing users to easily remix and participate in trends—similar to TikTok’s CapCut integration. Creators can now tap a "Remix" option on Shorts and use pre-set templates to quickly create content, making it easier to jump into viral moments without the need for third-party apps.

YouTube also extended the maximum length of Shorts videos to three minutes, a notable step toward closing the gap with TikTok, which already allows for up to 10 minutes of content. Additionally, YouTube has introduced a new Shorts trends page on mobile, making it easier for users to discover popular content based on their country, as opposed to TikTok’s globalized For You feed.

The redesigned Shorts player now prioritizes content by removing unnecessary distractions, such as switching interaction buttons to outlined icons and compressing creator details to provide a more immersive viewing experience. However, this change results in truncated video descriptions, which viewers must click to fully expand.

YouTube’s continued innovations include an option to preview video comments from the feed, which could boost engagement but may also lead to more "rage bait" content designed to provoke reactions. Furthermore, a feature called “Show fewer Shorts” allows users to limit the number of Shorts in their feed, though this reduction is temporary.

Looking ahead, YouTube plans to roll out a new feature powered by Google DeepMind’s AI, allowing creators to generate and modify video backgrounds directly within Shorts, giving them even more creative flexibility. These updates collectively signal YouTube’s intent to not only catch up to TikTok but to carve out a distinct space in the short-form video market by offering localized trends and seamless remixing capabilities without leaving the app.