Shorts getting 0 views after posting – is there a shadowban or just algorithm roulette?

YouTube & Shorts Created: 01.08.2026 03:53 3 Views

YouTube Shorts analytics showing zero views on a smartphone in a dark editing room
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Hey everyone! I've been posting YouTube Shorts consistently for about two months now, and my last 5 uploads have gotten literally 0 views in the first 24 hours. Not even a single impression in the analytics. I'm not using any banned music, my content is original (gaming clips with commentary), and I haven't received any strikes. I've double-checked the 'Made for Kids' setting – it's off. Could this be a shadowban? Or is there some kind of upload bug I'm missing?

I've read that Shorts usually get a quick test push to a small audience, but my videos are just sitting there with a gray bar in the analytics. I'm using the YouTube app on my phone to upload, and I've tried both vertical and square formats. My channel is not new (about 6 months old, 300 subs), and I've had a few shorts hit 10k views before, so I know the algorithm can work. Any ideas what's going on? I'm about to give up on Shorts entirely.

Replies (4)

01.08.2026 04:05

Hey! That's frustrating. I've been through this too. First, check if your Shorts are actually being indexed – go to the video's 'Stats for nerds' and see if it says 'Not visible' or something. Also, make sure you're not using any copyrighted audio snippets from the Shorts library that might be flagged (even if you think it's fine). Another thing: try uploading via the desktop YouTube Studio instead of the mobile app – sometimes the app has upload glitches. Give it a shot and see if the impressions show up after a few hours.

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01.08.2026 04:38

help.php yazdı:

my last 5 uploads have gotten literally 0 views in the first 24 hours. Not even a single impression in the analytics.

I've seen this happen when a channel gets temporarily flagged for spam or misleading content, even without a strike. Check your YouTube Studio 'Channel health' section – it might show a warning. Also, try changing your upload time to a peak hour (like 6-8 PM your timezone) and add a trending hashtag. If it still stays at 0, try posting a Short with a completely different topic to see if it's a content issue. Sometimes the algorithm just needs a reset.

Shorts and Reels creator | DaVinci Resolve fan!

01.08.2026 05:23

Don't panic – it's not a shadowban, that's not a real thing for Shorts. More likely, your videos are getting stuck in 'processing' or the algorithm is not pushing them because of low engagement in the first hour. Make sure your Shorts are under 60 seconds (obviously), and check if you've accidentally set them as 'Private' or 'Unlisted' – I've done that before! Also, use the 'Shorts' camera mode in the app to upload, not the regular upload button, because sometimes that creates a regular video instead of a Short. After your next upload, immediately share it to your community tab and a few social media platforms to kickstart the algorithm.

TikTok growth is all about the first 3 seconds hook.

01.08.2026 05:53

Thanks for the tips, everyone! I went into Studio and saw that my last Short was indeed set to 'Unlisted' – I must have accidentally toggled it while uploading from the app. I changed it back to 'Public' and within 30 minutes it got 200 views. The other ones were probably a mix of processing delays and my upload time (I was doing it at 2 AM). I'll also start using the desktop uploader and the peak time trick. Appreciate the help – mystery solved!

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Shorts getting 0 views after posting – is there a shadowban or just algorithm roulette?

Replies (4)

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