YouTube Shorts Analytics in 2026: How to Read Your Graphs and Actually Fix Your Videos

If you open YouTube Studio in 2026 and stare at all the graphs thinking ‘ok but what do I do with this’, you are not alone.

You see spikes, flat lines, traffic sources, green and red arrows, but the only number your brain registers is views. The problem: for YouTube Shorts, views alone tell you almost nothing about why a Short took off or died.

This guide will show you how to:

• Read your YouTube Shorts analytics step by step
• Ignore vanity data and focus on the 4 charts that actually matter
• Translate each ‘bad’ graph into a concrete fix you can make in your next Short
• Use Miraflow AI (Text2Shorts, AI Music, Thumbnail Maker) to implement those fixes fast

By the end, you will be able to look at a Short’s analytics and say ‘this is a hook problem’ or ‘this is a traffic source problem’ instead of ‘the algorithm hates me’.

How to open YouTube Shorts analytics in 2026

YouTube keeps tweaking the UI, but the basic path is the same.

On desktop

1. Go to YouTube and open Studio
2. In the left sidebar, click 'Content'
3. Along the top tabs, choose 'Shorts' to filter only Shorts
4. Hover a Short and click the analytics icon, or open the video and click 'Analytics' then 'Shorts' view

Guides to the current interface still describe this flow: Content tab → Shorts filter → analytics for that Short.

On mobile

1. Open the YouTube Studio app
2. Tap 'Analytics' at the bottom
3. Swipe to the 'Shorts' view or open a specific Short and tap 'View more'

You will see similar metrics to desktop: views, retention, likes, subs gained and a Shorts specific graph.

From here, the goal is not to read everything. It is to focus on four things:

1. Overview card
2. Retention graph
3. Traffic sources
4. Engagement and conversion

The four YouTube Shorts analytics charts that actually matter

YouTube Studio can show you dozens of metrics. Successful creators in 2026 focus on a small set that actually moves growth: watch time, audience retention, CTR, engagement and feedback.

Let’s break down the four main areas for Shorts.

1. Overview: views, watch time, likes, subs gained

On the Shorts analytics screen you will see:

• Views
• Watch time (in hours)
• Likes
• New subscribers from this Short

Views are reach. Watch time is interest. Likes and subs are impact.

Because of a 2025 update, Shorts views now count every time a Short starts or replays, even if someone swipes away immediately. That means:

• Your view count can look healthy even if people only watched half a second
• You need retention and watch time to understand whether those views were real attention or just scroll-bys

Subs gained from the Short show whether people liked it enough to join your channel. If you get big views but almost no subscribers, you have a fit problem: the Short is interesting, but not aligned with your channel’s promise.

2. Retention: average view duration and percentage viewed

The retention graph is where you diagnose hook and pacing issues.

YouTube has two core retention metrics:

• Average view duration (AVD)
• Average percentage viewed

For Shorts:

• AVD tells you how many seconds people watched on average
• Average percentage viewed tells you what portion of the Short they watched

Example:

• 30 second Short
• 21 second AVD
• 70 percent viewed

That is very different from:

• 30 second Short
• 9 second AVD
• 30 percent viewed

Recent algorithm analysis suggests that for Shorts, completion rate and satisfaction per swipe matter more than raw minutes watched. A 20 second Short with 90 percent completion often outperforms a 60 second Short with 70 percent completion.

Your retention graph will also show ‘key moments’, like:

• Intro
• Continuous segments
• Relative spikes and dips

YouTube’s own retention report is designed to help you spot strong moments and drop-off points.

3. Traffic sources: where Shorts views really come from

In Shorts analytics you will see something like:

• Shorts feed
• Home
• Suggested videos
• YouTube search
• External

For most creators, the Shorts feed is the main driver.

This data helps you answer:

• Is my Short at least getting a chance in the Shorts feed?
• Am I getting any views from search, suggested or external?
• Are titles and descriptions doing anything, or is it all feed-only?

In 2026, YouTube search even lets users filter results to see only Shorts or only long videos, and a new 'Popularity' filter considers both view count and watch time.

So:

• If Shorts feed views are high but retention is low, you have a content problem
• If Shorts feed views are very low but retention is good, you have a discovery or topic problem

4. Engagement and conversion: likes, comments, shares, subs

Engagement metrics include:

• Likes
• Comments
• Shares
• ‘Not interested’ and swipes away (you do not see every negative signal, but the algorithm does)

Analytics tools and official docs agree that YouTube’s recommendation system looks at engagement and retention together to decide what to push.

For Shorts, track:

• Like rate: likes divided by views
• Comments per thousand views
• Subscribers gained per thousand views

High engagement with low watch time usually means the idea is strong but the execution is messy. Low engagement with high watch time usually means people watched but did not feel moved to respond.

What ‘good’ metrics look like for YouTube Shorts in 2026

Every niche is different, and YouTube does not publish magic numbers. But looking across current analytics guides and algorithm breakdowns, we can draw some rough benchmarks.

1. Retention and completion

For short form in general, many practitioners treat these as strong:

• Under 30 seconds: 75 to 90 percent average percentage viewed
• Around 60 seconds: 60 to 80 percent average percentage viewed

The exact number depends heavily on niche and format, but the pattern is clear: shorter Shorts usually need higher retention, while longer Shorts have more room to breathe but cannot drag.

2. Views and engaged views

Because of the 2025 view change, your analytics may show:

• Views (every play or replay)
• Engaged views (older metric that required minimum watch time, still used for payouts and eligibility)

You cannot control the exact split, but you can:

• Improve hooks and intros to convert more raw views into engaged views
• Write clearer titles so the right people swipe into your Short

3. Monetization-related metrics

For full YouTube Partner Program access you need:

• 1,000 subscribers, and
• Either 4,000 public watch hours in the last 12 months or 10 million valid public Shorts views in the last 90 days

Analytics helps you track:

• How far you are from 10 million Shorts views in 90 days
• Which Shorts actually bring in subscribers

A Short with fewer views but high subs gained can be more valuable long term than a viral clip that brings almost nobody back to your channel.

How to read your Shorts retention graph and know what to fix

Let’s zoom into retention, because this is where most creators in 2026 either panic or ignore the data.

Here are common patterns and what they mean.

Pattern 1: Huge drop in the first 1–3 seconds

The graph:

• Steep vertical drop on the left side
• Then a flatter line

What it usually means:

• Your first frame and first sentence are not strong enough
• The hook does not match the promise of the title/thumbnail
• You open with branding, intros or ‘hey guys’ instead of the point

Fix with Miraflow:

• Use Text2Shorts to rewrite your script so the payoff or hook is literally the first line
• In step by step mode, adjust scene 1 to start with the most visually intense or surprising shot
• For example, for a coffee Short, open with the close up pour shot, not the intro explanation

Pattern 2: Slow, steady slide

The graph:

• Gentle downward slope from start to finish
• No big drops, but no plateaus either

What it usually means:

• The content is fine but not compelling
• There are not enough visual changes or mini payoffs
• The pacing is slightly too slow

Fix:

• Use Text2Shorts scenes to build more pattern breaks every 1–3 seconds
• Add B roll or Nano Banana images as overlays on key lines
• Use Miraflow AI Music with a slightly faster tempo to give subtle momentum

Pattern 3: Sudden drop halfway through

The graph:

• Decent retention at the start
• One big dent or cliff somewhere in the middle

What it usually means:

• You took a detour from the main story
• A specific clip, joke or shot made people lose interest
• You added an unnecessary mini intro, ad read or off topic line

Fix:

• Scrub to that exact timestamp and watch the Short
• Cut the offending part or replace it with a quicker transition or visual
• Next time, keep the story moving in that section instead of explaining sideways

Pattern 4: Flat tail and even slight increase

The graph:

• Starts lower
• Stays relatively flat or even ticks up towards the end

What it usually means:

• The ending is satisfying enough to make people rewatch
• The main payoff is at the end and people scrub back to see it again

This is good. The fix is not to change that Short, but to:

• Study why the payoff works
• Use similar structures in new Shorts

YouTube’s key moments report helps you identify these ‘high retention’ sections.

Traffic sources: diagnosing discovery vs content problems

Your Shorts analytics traffic sources tell you where to focus.

Scenario A: Almost all views from Shorts feed, low retention

• Problem: content, not distribution
• The algorithm is giving you a chance, viewers are saying ‘no thanks’

Fix with Miraflow AI:

• Improve your hook and first frame with Text2Shorts and better scene one visuals
• Use stronger visual prompts in the first three seconds
• Adjust AI music and pacing to make the opening feel more dynamic

Scenario B: Good retention, but very few Shorts feed views

• Problem: topic, packaging, or upload strategy
• The people who see it like it, but not enough people see it

Fix:

• Rework titles and descriptions to better match existing demand
• Align the Short more clearly with a proven viewer interest (for example ‘how coffee beans are turned into a drink’ instead of ‘my coffee thoughts’)
• Consider making a related Short with a more search-oriented or curiosity-oriented title

Scenario C: Lots of search and suggested views, low feed views

This can happen with educational or evergreen Shorts.

• Your metadata is strong
• The immediate feed performance is weaker

Fix:

• Treat this Short more like a tiny tutorial that lives in search
• Keep experimenting with feed-optimized hooks and pacing on new versions

Using Miraflow AI to actually fix what analytics shows you

Analytics tells you where the problem is. Miraflow AI gives you tools to fix it without opening a full NLE and losing your evening.

Here is a simple workflow.

Step 1: Start in YouTube Studio, find the broken metric

Pick a Short with:

• High impressions but low views → title/thumbnail problem
• Decent views but terrible retention → hook/pacing problem
• High views and retention but almost no subs → audience or channel fit problem

Write down what is wrong in one line.

Step 2: Rewrite the script or hook with Text2Shorts

In Miraflow AI:

1. Open Text2Shorts
2. Paste your old title or topic as the base
3. In step by step mode, generate a script
4. Edit the first line so it immediately delivers the payoff or problem

For example, if analytics shows a drop at second 2, rewrite the hook as:

• 'You drink coffee every day, but this is what happens before it hits your cup'

Then let Text2Shorts rebuild scenes around this stronger opener.

Step 3: Add visual pattern breaks with Nano Banana and scenes

To fix a smooth downward retention slope:

• Use Text2Shorts scene controls to insert a new visual every one to three lines
• For conceptual or tutorial content, generate Nano Banana images as B roll and overlays
• For product or aesthetic content, mix in Veo style cinematic clips or AI product shots

Miraflow’s image generator and product video tools help you create those pattern breaks without reshooting.

Step 4: Use AI Music Generator to adjust pacing

If retention drops when your energy drops:

• Go to Miraflow AI Music Generator
• In Simple mode, create a track that fits your mood but has a slightly more energetic tempo
• In Custom mode, set BPM to match your desired pacing

A subtle rhythm change can make the same visuals feel more engaging, helping viewers stay longer.

Step 5: Fix CTR with Thumbnail Maker

Analytics will tell you:

• Impressions
• Click through rate (CTR) for Shorts outside the main feed

If CTR is low:

• Open Miraflow YouTube Thumbnail Maker
• For Shorts, use 9:16 aspect ratio
• Upload a frame from your most intense moment or a custom Nano Banana image
• Use prompts for clear compositions: big subject, simple background, one strong emotional or curiosity element

This pairs perfectly with your thumbnail strategy posts and raises the chance that people click when your Short appears on Home or in search.

Step 6: Test, tag and repeat

Every time you upload a ‘fixed’ version:

• Tag it in your own notes with the change you made (hook, pacing, thumbnail, music)
• Revisit analytics after a few days
• Compare against the original

Over time, your Miraflow-assisted workflow becomes data driven instead of vibes driven.

Example: turning a dead Short into a better one

Original Short:

• Topic: ‘Why your Shorts get 0 views’
• Analytics: big drop in first 2 seconds, AVD 6 seconds on a 25 second clip

Fix with Miraflow:

1. Text2Shorts
2. • New hook topic: ‘If your Shorts die after 500 views, this graph explains why’
   • Script opens by showing the retention graph in the first scene
2. Scenes and visuals
3. • Each tip has a clear on screen example (cropped retention graph, thumbnail comparison)
   • Nano Banana generates simple analytics-style illustrations as B roll
3. AI Music
4. • Medium tempo, minimal beat that keeps energy but does not distract
4. Thumbnail Maker
5. • New thumbnail shows a simplified retention graph dropping, with the creator pointing (or a generic figure silhouette), no clutter

New Short:

• Same general topic
• Hook and visuals match what the viewer will see in analytics
• More likely to hold retention because the payoff is obvious

FAQ: YouTube Shorts analytics in 2026

Did YouTube change how Shorts views are counted?

Yes. Starting March 2025, a view is counted when a Short starts playing or replays, similar to TikTok and Instagram Reels.

YouTube still tracks ‘engaged views’ internally and uses them for monetization and eligibility, but your visible view count now reflects raw reach more than attention.

Which metric should I focus on first?

For Shorts in 2026, prioritize in this order:

1. Retention and completion percentage
2. Traffic source: Shorts feed and how many swipes you get
3. CTR for surfaces where titles and thumbnails matter
4. Subs gained and engaged views

This matches current algorithm breakdowns that highlight watch time, CTR, retention and feedback as key signals.

How often should I check analytics?

You do not need to obsess hourly. A simple routine:

• Day 1–2: check early hook and retention patterns
• Day 3–7: check traffic sources and whether YouTube is still testing the Short
• Weekly: compare your last 10 Shorts, identify best and worst performers, and adjust your next scripts in Miraflow based on what worked

Do Shorts analytics affect my long form videos?

Indirectly, yes.

• Shorts that bring in new subscribers and keep people on the platform help your overall channel health
• Those subscribers are more likely to see your long form in Home and Suggested

Analytics helps you see which Shorts are true ‘channel builders’ versus ‘one off virals’.

Conclusion and next steps

In 2026, ‘the algorithm’ is not a mystery so much as a spreadsheet of human behaviour.

Your Shorts analytics tell you:

• Whether your hooks stop the scroll
• Whether your story keeps people watching
• Whether your content leads viewers deeper into your channel

Miraflow gives you a way to respond quickly:

• Rewrite scripts and hooks with Text2Shorts
• Add better scenes and visuals
• Shape pacing with AI Music Generator
• Fix CTR with YouTube Thumbnail Maker

Your next steps:

1. Open YouTube Studio and pick one Short with disappointing performance.
2. Look at retention, traffic sources and subs gained. Name the problem in one sentence.
3. Open Miraflow and rebuild that Short with a better hook, visuals and sound.
4. Upload the new version and compare analytics after a few days.

Repeat this loop and your Shorts strategy stops being guesswork and starts being data driven.