If you’ve watched your carefully made Shorts compete with accounts that just repost other people’s clips, the feed is starting to tip in your favor. YouTube announced it’s updating its Shorts recommendations to give original content more priority and show fewer videos re-uploaded without anything new added.
This builds on rules YouTube already has in place to reward originality. Its channel monetization policies have long asked creators to change borrowed content significantly before earning from it, and now that same idea shapes what gets recommended in the Shorts feed. Instagram made a similar move in April when it stopped recommending accounts that mainly repost others’ work, so this is part of a wider shift in short-form video toward rewarding the people who actually make the content. Here’s how the YouTube Shorts algorithm has changed and what to focus on in your next few uploads.
What’s changed?
YouTube announced it has updated the Shorts algorithm to reward original content. Shorts recommendations now put original videos first, and channels that mainly aggregate or re-upload other creators’ videos without significant changes will likely see less distribution in the feed, according to YouTube’s post. YouTube says the aim is to give people who publish original content the best chance to grow.
You can still use clips from other creators, as long as you add real value through your own commentary, unique edits or storytelling. That matches YouTube’s existing spam, deceptive practices and scams policy, which also counts educational value as a way to make reused material your own.
YouTube Creator Liaison Rene Ritchie went further in a Creator Insider video. He explained that narrating what’s on screen, making small technical tweaks or applying template-based changes in bulk won’t count as creating original content, while your own analysis, opinions and story will. If you just want to share a video you enjoyed, he suggests using your channel’s Posts tab so viewers watch the original. He also said that when a channel shifts toward original content, the recommendation system will re-evaluate its reach.
This update only affects the Shorts algorithm’s recommendations. Whether you can earn from a video is still covered by the reused content rules in the YouTube Partner Program.
Why this matters for creators
If you want your Shorts to grow steadily, the strongest thing you can offer is something viewers can’t find anywhere else. That might be your personality, a skill you teach or the way you tell a story. This update makes that the clearest route to reach new audiences, because the feed is now set up to send viewers back to the source.
For you, that means less competition from repost accounts built on other people’s work. It also means the time you spend scripting and editing has a better chance of turning into views and subscribers, since the YouTube algorithm is now weighing originality more heavily in Shorts.
You’ll likely benefit most if you make tutorials, sketches, vlogs or commentary built around your own ideas. If you make reaction or commentary Shorts, adding real analysis keeps you in a good place. On the other hand, if you run a clip or compilation channel, or lean on templated edits, now is a good moment to review how much of each Short is truly yours.
VFX creator Ignace Aleya described a healthy approach to inspiration when he spoke to Uppbeat about coming up with video ideas. When something catches his eye, he says, “I always think about how I can twist this into something that fits my style.” That habit is exactly what YouTube is now rewarding.
There are still a few open questions worth watching. YouTube hasn’t defined how much change counts as significant, shared a start date or said how long a re-evaluation takes, and there’s no setting in YouTube Studio that shows whether a channel’s reach has been reduced.
Ritchie’s video also doesn’t cover Shorts cut from your own long-form videos. Because that footage is yours, those Shorts are likely unaffected, and our guide on turning long videos into short versions covers how to do it well. The real question is how strictly YouTube will judge significant changes, and that should become clearer as the update settles in.
Uppbeat’s take: Originality is your biggest advantage, so make your voice easy to spot
We think this is great news for anyone who makes their own content. It rewards the work you’re already putting in and gives you fewer copycats to compete with. Our one reminder is for reaction and commentary creators – your contribution needs to be clear from the first few seconds, not tucked in at the end. Here’s what we’d do now.
- Map where your footage comes from. Go through your last 20 Shorts and note which use your own footage and which rely on other creators’ clips. Then compare views between the two groups over the next month.
- Lead with your take. On any Short that uses outside clips, put your commentary or reaction up front, then check how many viewers keep watching in your Shorts analytics.
- Swap narration for analysis. Describing what’s on screen won’t count, so add your opinion, extra context or a lesson the viewer can use.
- Move simple shares to Posts. When you just want to recommend a video, share it in your Posts tab so the original creator gets the view.
- Build a recognizable style. Use the same opening shot, text style or signature sound across your Shorts so viewers can spot your work in the feed.
- Track your Shorts reach. Watch how your YouTube Shorts views from the Shorts feed change over the next few weeks, especially on your most original uploads.
Make every Short unmistakably yours
The more of yourself you put into each Short, the better your chances of reaching new viewers through the Shorts feed. If you want an idea of what makes your short form clips pop off, open the Shorts tab in YouTube Studio and pick your three best-performing original Shorts. Note what they have in common, then plan your next upload around that.
If you’re looking for fresh formats to build around your own voice, our roundup of YouTube Shorts ideas has plenty you can shape to fit your style, from tutorials to behind-the-scenes clips.
