If you’re posting YouTube Shorts manually in 2025, I admire your patience... but we need to talk about automation. Because creators don’t need more steps, they need fewer.
The truth is: you can auto-create and upload YouTube Shorts using APIs. But there’s no “official Shorts API.” You’ve gotta piece it together using the YouTube Data API, some smart video generation (hint: Submagic), and a bit of code, or none, if you’re into no-code tools.
Let me break it all down. I’ll even give you a step-by-step guide to building a full Shorts automation pipeline using the YouTube API and the Submagic API.
Can I really automate YouTube Shorts?
Yes. Here’s the catch: YouTube didn’t build a separate API just for Shorts. You’ll be using the regular videos.insert endpoint of the YouTube Data API.
But YouTube will classify your video as a Short if:
- It’s under 60 seconds
- It has a 9:16 aspect ratio
- You include #Shorts in the title or description
That’s it. The API doesn’t care if it’s a “Short”, YouTube just figures it out. Think of it as Shorts-by-criteria, not Shorts-by-checkbox.
Why automate YouTube Shorts?
Because short-form video is the internet’s golden child right now. And Shorts are YouTube’s answer to TikTok and Instagram Reels.
Shorts pull over 70 billion daily views. Automation lets you:
- Scale content creation (especially if you’re a creator, coach, or agency)
- Repurpose long-form videos into bite-sized bangers
- Post consistently, which the algorithm loves
- Free up time for the fun stuff (or the monetizable stuff)
If you’re building a channel, serving clients, or just done with manual uploads, automating this makes way too much sense.
What is the Submagic API?
Submagic is my not-so-secret weapon. It’s an AI-powered video editor that makes Shorts ready to post, with subtitles, b-roll, zooms, background music, and branding.
The API is built for speed and scale. Here’s what you get in one API call:
It’s used by creators, SaaS platforms, and agencies. Basically anyone who wants Shorts without… effort.
Step-by-step: How to generate YouTube Shorts with Submagic API
1. Get your Submagic API key
Sign up at submagic.co and grab your key. You’ll need it for all requests.
2. Prepare your source video
Make sure your video is:
- Vertical (9:16)
- Under 60 seconds
Pro tip: You can use Submagic’s trim tool to cut down clips. If you’re pulling from a long podcast or vlog, try magic clips, it finds viral hooks automatically.
3. Make the API request
Here’s how to send a video to Submagic for editing.
Python example:
import requests
headers = {
"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
}
data = {
"title": "How to automate YouTube Shorts",
"language": "en",
"videoUrl": "https://your-storage.com/video.mp4",
"templateName": "hormozi-style",
"magicZooms": True,
"magicBrolls": True,
"magicBrollsPercentage": 60,
"webhookUrl": "https://yourdomain.com/webhook",
"dictionary": {"API": "A-P-I", "YouTube": "YouTube"}
}
response = requests.post("https://api.submagic.co/v1/projects", headers=headers, json=data)
print(response.json())
You’ll get a projectId. You can then poll the status or wait for your webhook to fire.
4. Retrieve the processed short
Once it’s ready, Submagic sends you the link to download your fully edited, captioned Short.
Done. You’ve got a polished, ready-to-upload video with no editing required.
5. Upload to YouTube via API
Use the YouTube Data API’s videos.insert method to upload your Short.
Here's a quick Python example using google-api-python-client:
from googleapiclient.discovery import build
from googleapiclient.http import MediaFileUpload
from oauth2client.tools import argparser
youtube = build('youtube', 'v3', developerKey='YOUR_YOUTUBE_API_KEY')
body = {
'snippet': {
'title': 'Automating YouTube Shorts with AI #Shorts',
'description': 'Created with Submagic API – auto-subtitles, zooms, and b-roll.',
'tags': ['YouTube Shorts', 'automation', 'AI-generated', 'video content'],
'categoryId': '10'
},
'status': {
'privacyStatus': 'public'
}
}
media = MediaFileUpload('short-video.mp4', resumable=True)
request = youtube.videos().insert(part='snippet,status', body=body, media_body=media)
response = request.execute()
print(f"Video ID: {response['id']}")
Make sure your video is still:
- Vertical (9:16)
- Under 60 seconds
- Includes #Shorts in title or description
- Has category ID set to 10 (Shorts)
Note: New/unverified apps may have uploads default to “private” until they pass YouTube’s compliance audit.
Best practices for Shorts automation
- Write strong metadata: Your title, description, and tags are how the algorithm finds you.
- Thumbnails matter: Even for Shorts. Design a clean, mobile-friendly one.
- Use relevant hashtags: At minimum, #Shorts. Others like #AI or #tutorial help with reach.
- Track your metrics: Watch time, click-through rate, and retention are gold.
- Use your wins: If a short performs well, create variations. Double down on what works.
Why Submagic beats other APIs
| Feature |
Submagic |
Creatomate |
Shotstack |
| Auto subtitles |
Yes, 100+ languages |
Yes |
Yes |
| Magic zooms |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Auto b-roll |
Yes, with control |
No |
Manual JSON |
| Branded templates |
Yes |
Yes |
Basic |
| Webhooks |
Yes, real-time |
Yes |
Yes |
| Ease of use |
3 clicks |
Dev setup needed |
Advanced JSON editing |
| Language dictionary |
Yes, customizable |
No |
No |
Submagic doesn’t just “render” videos, it makes them viral-ready. And the workflow? It’s so smooth it feels like cheating.
TL;DR (but definitely do read it)
- You can automate YouTube Shorts with the YouTube Data API (just meet the criteria: vertical, <60s, #Shorts).
- Use Submagic API to auto-generate branded Shorts with subtitles, music, zooms, and more.
- Combine both APIs to create a full upload pipeline, using Python, cURL, or even no-code tools.
- Automating saves you time, increases consistency, and helps scale your content across YouTube, TikTok, and Reels.
FAQ
Can I use this for TikTok or Instagram Reels?
Yes! Submagic works beautifully for all vertical short-form platforms.
How long does video processing take?
Usually under 2 minutes, but the webhook lets you know when it’s ready.
Can I customize caption styles?
Totally. Choose from our templates or create your own.
Do I need code to use this?
Nope. You can integrate Submagic with tools like Zapier, Make, or Pabbly if you prefer no-code.
What about YouTube API quotas?
Each upload consumes quota units. Make sure you monitor usage or request quota increases if you scale up.
Try it now
If you’re serious about automating your Shorts game, get started with Submagic API. It’s fast, flexible, and built for creators who don’t have time to click 12 buttons per video.
Sign up, test a video, and see how much time you save.
P.S. Don’t forget to include #Shorts. Let the algo do its thing.
