How to Get License and Music Info on YouTube Shorts

Unlike standard long-form videos, YouTube Shorts has a streamlined interface that hides much of the metadata we are used to seeing. If you hear a song you like or want to check the copyright licensing for a specific clip, finding that information isn't as straightforward as scrolling down to the description box. However, the data is there if you know where to tap.

Here is how to find license and music information for any YouTube Short on mobile and desktop applications.

1. Finding Audio Info on the Mobile App (Android & iOS)

Most YouTube Shorts are consumed on mobile, where the "pivot" feature allows you to see the original source of the audio.

• The Music "Disc" Icon: Look at the bottom right corner of the Short. You will see a small, rotating circle or a waveform icon.
• The Audio Title: Tap the scrolling text at the bottom of the screen (next to the musical note icon).
• The Result: This takes you to the Audio Pivot Page. Here, you will see the track name, the artist, and a "Save" button. At the top, if the music is officially licensed via the YouTube Audio Library, you will see the artist's official channel link.

2. Accessing License Details on Desktop (Web Browser)

The desktop version of the Shorts player is slightly different. To see the full licensing metadata:

1. Open the Short in your browser.
2. Click the three dots (⋮) in the top right or bottom right of the player interface.
3. Select Description.
4. Scroll to the bottom of the description panel. If the video uses copyrighted music via YouTube's "Creator Music" or Content ID system, you will see a section titled "Music in this video."
5. This section lists the Song, Artist, Album, and Licenses (the entities that granted the license to YouTube, such as UMG, WMG, or Sony).

3. Identifying "Original Audio" vs. Licensed Music

If you tap the audio and it simply says "Original Audio" by the creator, it means one of two things:

• The creator recorded the audio themselves (voiceover, live music).
• The creator used a song without using the official YouTube Shorts music picker. In this case, the license info may not be clickable, but YouTube's Content ID system may still list the copyright owner in the "Description" tab mentioned in Step 2.

4. Checking Creative Commons (CC) Status

If you are a creator looking to reuse a Short, you need to know if it is under a Creative Commons (CC BY) license. To check this:

• You must view the video as a "regular" video. Hack: Replace the /shorts/ part of the URL with /watch?v= in your browser.
• Expand the description. If the license is Creative Commons, it will explicitly state "Creative Commons Attribution license (reuse allowed)." If it doesn't say this, the video is under the Standard YouTube License.

5. Using the YouTube Audio Library for Safe Licensing

If you are trying to find license info because you want to use the music yourself, the safest method is to visit the YouTube Studio Audio Library on a computer.

1. Log into YouTube Studio.
2. Select Audio Library from the left menu.
3. Search for the track you found in the Short. This will give you the specific usage rights (e.g., if you can monetize the video or if you must provide attribution).

Conclusion

Finding license info on YouTube Shorts is a matter of knowing where the metadata is hidden. On mobile, the Music Pivot is your best friend; on desktop, the Description sidebar contains the legal "Music in this video" credits. Understanding these labels ensures that you respect copyright holders while discovering new music for your own content.