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At its Made on YouTube event on September 23, 2026, YouTube started rolling out Shorts series — seasons and episodes for Shorts, with custom thumbnails and back-to-back playback — and announced that creators will soon be able to test up to three cuts of a video to see which opening hook performs best.
What's rolling out now
Shorts series. "Creators can now structure their Shorts into seasons and episodes." Custom thumbnails and sequential playback let viewers move from one episode to the next. YouTube says it is rolling out to creators on web, mobile and TV from September 23.
Posts in the Shorts feed. On web and mobile, community posts will be recommended to viewers inside the Shorts feed.
An AI editing assistant for Shorts and the YouTube Create app, built on Gemini, that suggests edits from prompts — reordering frames, syncing music. YouTube gives no date for wider availability.
Ask Studio feedback on draft videos (pacing, structure, storytelling) and refreshed thumbnails for older videos.
What's announced but not here yet
"Coming soon, you'll also be able to test up to three video cuts to see which hook performs best." Title and thumbnail testing has existed since 2024; testing the video itself — its first seconds — is new. YouTube also described dynamic thumbnails that show the best of three options to different audience segments. Neither has a date.
Who it affects
Shorts creators who post recurring formats — a weekly segment, a story in parts, a series of tutorials — get the most from series: viewers who finish one episode are led to the next. Everyone benefits from hook testing once it arrives, because the first seconds decide whether a Short is watched.
What to do
Group recurring Shorts into a series once the option appears in your Studio, and give each season a consistent thumbnail. Note that custom Shorts thumbnails are set in YouTube Studio on a computer — see video thumbnail and cover sizes.
Prepare two or three openings for your next important Short now: same video, different first three seconds. When cut testing arrives, you'll have something to test.
Keep the basics right: what counts as a Short and the copyright rule for Shorts over a minute are in YouTube Shorts length and size.
Source and updates
From YouTube's two Made on YouTube 2026 posts, read on October 17, 2026. We'll update this article when cut testing becomes available.
Sources & methodology
Shorts series and features for the living room — YouTube Official Blog, September 23, 2026
New tools to power the creation journey — YouTube Official Blog, September 23, 2026
