The best times to post on YouTube Shorts
If you're posting YouTube Shorts without considering when to post, you could be missing out on major engagement. While timing might not be everything, it’s also not nothing. To help creators make smarter scheduling choices, Adobe analyzed over 24,000 Shorts across 280 creators and 12 content categories, from pets and travel to sports and entertainment.
We pinpointed when creators post, when viewers are most active, and what patterns stand out when it comes to views, likes, and comments. Whether you follow the crowd or break the mold, timing could be the secret weapon in your Shorts strategy.
Key takeaways
- YouTube Shorts posted on Tuesdays have the most views and likes. The most popular time for uploading posts is 4 p.m.
- On average, the most viewed YouTube Shorts have 396.2 million views, accumulating them at a rate of 16.5 million views per hour.
- YouTube Shorts 40 seconds or longer are 33% more engaging than shorter ones.
- Entertainment made up the majority of the most viewed YouTube Shorts (48%).
Summary/Overview
Most common post upload times
YouTube Shorts creators often follow rhythms that feel tried-and-true. These are the most popular days and times they post.
Thursday is the most popular day to post a YouTube Short, with 20% of the Shorts we analyzed posted on that day. Whether creators were timing for end-of-week energy or aiming for traction before the weekend, Thursday stood out as the top choice. As for timing, 8 a.m. was the most common time for creators to upload.
When we looked at day and time together, Thursday at 8 a.m. was the single most popular time slot across the board. It's a compelling trend, but as you'll see, popularity doesn't always equal the best performance.
Time your posts for peak likes
Getting your audience to tap that like button isn't just about the content. Timing also plays a role.
Tuesday had the highest average number of likes on YouTube Shorts. While it's not the most popular posting day (which is Thursday), it could be a sweet spot for creators who want their content to resonate with their audiences. Shorts uploaded at 4 p.m. also earned the highest average likes, suggesting that late afternoon may be a prime engagement window.
When combining both day and time, Saturday at 4 p.m. emerged as a peak moment for getting the most likes. Length was another factor affecting how many likes a posting gets. YouTube Shorts that are 40 seconds or longer were 33% more engaging than shorter ones.
Hit the sweet spot for most views
Views are often the most visible sign of success on YouTube Shorts, and some time slots perform better than others.
The most viewed YouTube Shorts had 396.2 million views, accumulating them at a rate of 16.5 million views per hour. Entertainment content made up 48% of the most viewed Shorts.
Similar to likes, Tuesday showed strong performance again, leading as the day Shorts received the most average views. And 4 p.m. was also the golden hour for view counts.
The optimal day and time combination was Saturday at 4 p.m., which proved to be the single best time for average views.
Peak vs. off-peak posting
You don't have to compete for attention to see strong engagement on YouTube Shorts. When we compared posting during peak versus off-peak hours, the results were surprising.
Shorts posted during non-peak hours — specifically midnight–7 a.m. and 11 a.m.–11 p.m. — outperformed those shared during the peak posting window of 8 a.m.–10 a.m. On average, off-peak posts earned over 219,000 likes and 8.7 million views, compared to about 121,000 likes and 6.2 million views during peak hours.
Comment activity followed the same pattern. Off-peak posts averaged 746 comments, while those uploaded during peak times brought in just 418. With fewer Shorts competing for attention, audiences may be more inclined to watch, react, and join the conversation.
If your goal is to boost reach and spark engagement, consider posting outside the typical morning rush. Timing your content for off-peak hours could give it more room to shine.
Best and worst days for niche creators
Not all days are created equal when it comes to reaching your audience. Whether you're posting comedy clips or educational content, the timing could make or break your Shorts' performance.
Wednesday was the standout day across many niches, with Shorts posted midweek racking up the most likes and views. Thursday wasn't far behind, making the middle of the week the best window for creators aiming to boost engagement.
Fridays and Mondays were the weakest performers. Content posted on these days was the least likely to achieve high likes or views.
What timing means for your Shorts strategy
Knowing when to post on YouTube Shorts is about more than following the crowd. It's about finding your rhythm and using timing to your advantage. If you're looking to stand out, posting during off-peak hours or at unexpected times could help your content shine. The ideal approach is to learn the trends, understand your audience, and then decide what will work best for you.
Methodology
Adobe analyzed 24,274 YouTube Shorts across 280 creators and 12 content categories. Data was scraped using YouTube's API and Social Blade on May 22, 2025. Our analysis focused on each short's channel name, title, view count, likes, comments count, subscriber count, and date. We used this data to determine top posting times, days for engagement, and patterns that correlate with higher views, likes, and comments.
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