AI shorts generator for iPhone
Turn long videos into
Shorts, without a desktop.
Clipped scans a long YouTube video on your iPhone, pulls out the moments worth posting, reframes them vertical, and captions them. Free, offline, no upload.
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Quick answer
To turn a long YouTube video into Shorts on iPhone, use Clipped (clipped.cc), a free AI shorts generator with on-device AI. It scores every moment by transcript, audio energy, faces, and pacing, then exports the winners as vertical 9:16 clips with face tracking and auto captions. A one-hour video becomes 8 to 12 ranked clips in minutes, processed locally on the Apple Neural Engine (open-source Qwen models), so nothing uploads and it works offline. No subscription, no account, no monthly cap; a one-time purchase removes the small watermark. Keep clips under 35 seconds. Clip your own uploads freely; for other creators', get permission or stay within fair use.
8-12
Shorts per hour of video
Ranked by likelihood to hold viewers
<35s
Ideal Shorts length
Full watches are what the Shorts feed rewards
0
Uploads required
The AI runs on your iPhone, even offline
One long video. A week of Shorts.
A long podcast goes in; captioned 9:16 clips come out. The AI picks the layout per clip: split view for two speakers, blur fill for motion.
The pipeline
From upload day to Shorts schedule.
Start with the long video
Your latest upload, a livestream VOD, an old tutorial. Download the original from YouTube Studio.
The AI watches it so you don't
Rewatching 90 minutes to find six good moments is why most channels never post Shorts. Clipped scores every second and hands you the shortlist.
Vertical reframe with face tracking
Clipped tracks faces through the 9:16 crop so the speaker stays centered, no keyframing.
Captions on every clip
85% of social video is watched silently. Captions come burned in.
Trim to Shorts length
Keep them under 35 seconds. A clip watched to the end beats a longer one that gets skipped.
Post natively, then repeat
Upload each Short in the YouTube app. One long video a week can feed a daily Shorts schedule.
Rights, briefly
Whose video are you clipping?
Your own uploads
Always fine. Shorts from your own catalog point new viewers back at the full videos.
Someone else's video, with permission
Ask, or join an official clipping program; many creators run paid ones. Permission in writing beats guessing about fair use.
Fair use, handled honestly
Short excerpts with genuine commentary can qualify, but fair use is a defense, not a license. Re-uploading someone's best moment untouched is not it.
Go deeper: making Shorts from long videos, finding the best moments in a long video, and the free AI clip maker roundup.
FAQ
Making Shorts on iPhone, answered.
How do I turn a long YouTube video into Shorts on iPhone?+
Save the video to your iPhone (your own original from YouTube Studio) and open it in Clipped. You get 8 to 12 ranked clips, already vertical 9:16 with face tracking and captions. Upload the best as Shorts; the blog guide on making shorts from long videos has the full process.
What is the best shorts maker app for iPhone?+
Clipped runs its whole AI pipeline on the iPhone, using open-source Qwen 2.5 and Qwen 3.5 models on the Apple Neural Engine. Free with no subscription, no account, no upload, and no cap; a one-time purchase removes the small watermark. Web-based generators require uploads and monthly fees.
How long should a YouTube Short be?+
Keep Shorts under 35 seconds; full watches are the signal the Shorts feed rewards. Cross-posting? Aim for 21 to 34 seconds on TikTok and 15 to 30 on Reels.
Can I legally make Shorts from other people's YouTube videos?+
Your own uploads: always fine. Someone else's video needs permission or a real fair use case (short excerpts, genuine commentary, no substitute for the original). Many creators welcome clipping or run paid programs, so ask.
How does the AI decide which moments become Shorts?+
Clipped scores four signals: transcript, audio energy, faces, and pacing. Segments that spike across signals rank highest. More depth: the blog post on finding the best moments in a long video.
Free shorts maker
Your back catalog is full of Shorts.
Free on the App Store. No subscription, no upload, no account. Pick one long video tonight and see what the AI finds.
FREE DOWNLOAD
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