Is it safe to reuse just a few seconds of a YouTube video?

Not by length alone. YouTube says that using any amount of copyrighted content without permission, even a few seconds, may lead to copyright issues, and that only a court can decide whether an exception applies.

Does turning off monetization make a reused video safe?

No. YouTube lists choosing not to monetize as an invalid reason to dispute a claim. Copyright rules apply whether or not the video earns money, and a claim can still block the video.

What is the difference between a copyright claim and a copyright strike?

A claim comes from Content ID matching and affects one video, usually not the channel. A strike follows a valid removal request, and three in 90 days can lead to channel termination.

Does the creator's permission protect me from the reused content policy?

No. YouTube says the reused content policy applies even if you have permission from the original creator, because it is a monetization rule, separate from copyright. Your clips still need commentary or substantive edits.

Can I reuse YouTube footage if I bought or recorded it myself?

Not automatically. YouTube lists buying content or recording it from TV, a theatre or radio as a myth: it does not give you the right to upload it to your channel.

Guide

How to reuse YouTube videos without copyright trouble

By Rakshit · Updated October 11, 2026

You cannot make someone else's YouTube video copyright-free, because copyright exists automatically. What you can do is reuse it with a right to do so: it is your own footage, the owner gave permission, it carries a Creative Commons licence you follow, or a copyright exception applies. YouTube says none of these guarantees you avoid a claim or strike.

Are YouTube videos copyright protected?

Almost always, yes. The U.S. Copyright Office says copyright protection in the United States exists automatically from the moment an original work is fixed, and registration is not needed for protection. A video uploaded to YouTube is fixed, so start from the assumption that someone owns it and holds the exclusive right to copy it, adapt it and show it. Circular 16A adds that the absence of a copyright notice does not necessarily mean a work can be used freely. A missing (c) symbol, a small channel or a low view count tells you nothing about whether you may reuse a video.

That is why the phrase "without copyright" needs care. Reusing a video does not strip its copyright. You can only reuse it with a right to do so. YouTube's own page on safe use of copyrighted content lists the options and then adds that none of them guarantees you avoid copyright issues, such as a copyright strike or a Content ID claim. A right to use a video and a clean record on your channel are two separate things, and the rest of this page keeps them apart.

The four routes, and what each one asks of you

Routes to reuse a YouTube video, as described by YouTube Help and the U.S. Copyright Office
Route	What you need	What it does not do
Your own footage	You made the video and still hold its rights. Check what sits inside it: Circular 16A says material inside a larger work may belong to someone else.	It does not clear music, clips or other people's footage that you placed in the video.
Permission (a licence)	A yes from the current owner of the exact material. Circular 16A uses permission and licence to mean the same thing, and says only the current owner can give it.	YouTube cannot grant it for you, and says it cannot help you find the people who can.
Creative Commons on YouTube	The uploader picked the Creative Commons Attribution licence. You credit the title, author, source URL and licence, and use it commercially only if the licence grants that.	It does not cover videos on the standard YouTube licence, which is the default for uploads. A video with a Content ID claim cannot be marked CC BY.
A copyright exception	In the US this is fair use, which courts weigh case by case on four factors. Other countries use other lists, such as quotation, criticism or review in the EU.	There is no formula or safe length. Only a federal court can decide, and YouTube suggests getting legal advice first.

Notice what is missing from the table: credit. YouTube says that in most cases crediting the copyright owner does not give you the right to use their content. The exception it names is a Creative Commons Attribution licence, where credit is a condition of use. For the case of clipping part of another person's video, the same rules are set out in is it legal to clip YouTube videos.

Claim, strike and reused content are three different outcomes

Creators often lump every copyright problem together. YouTube treats them as separate things with separate fixes.

A Content ID claim is automatic. YouTube scans uploads against files submitted by owners. Depending on the owner's settings, a match can block the video, run ads on it (sometimes sharing revenue with you) or just track its views. A claim is not a strike. See the short explainer on a copyright claim.
A copyright strike follows a valid copyright removal request. A channel that gets 3 strikes in 90 days is subject to termination. A strike can be cleared by completing Copyright School and waiting 90 days, by a retraction from the person who filed it, or by a valid counter notification. Deleting the video generally does not clear a strike.
Reused content is a monetization policy, not a copyright rule. YouTube defines it as repurposing content from YouTube or another online source without significant original commentary, substantive modifications, or educational or entertainment value. It looks at the channel as a whole, and YouTube says it applies even with the original creator's permission.

So permission settles the copyright question and leaves the monetization question open. YouTube's examples of reused content that is allowed include reaction videos with commentary and edited footage with an added storyline and commentary. Its not-allowed examples include clips edited together with little or no narrative.

A worked example: 45 seconds from a 90-minute interview

Say another creator posted a long interview and you want one answer from it for a Short on your channel. Go through the routes in order.

Look at the licence on the video. If it is Creative Commons Attribution, write down the title, author, link and licence for your credit, and check that the licence allows commercial use if your channel earns.
If it is on the standard YouTube licence, write to the owner. Name the video, say which timestamps, how you will use the clip and where you will post it. Circular 16A lists the exact material, how you will use it and the audience as details to include in a permission request. Keep the reply.
Add something of your own, such as a question, a setup or your own take. A plain copy of someone else's footage is what the reused content policy is aimed at.
Watch the length. YouTube says a claimed Short longer than one minute is blocked while the claim is active, with no penalty to the channel. Once the claim is resolved, for example by removing the claimed content or through a dispute, the Short is viewable again.

If the owner never answers, you have no permission. Silence is not a licence, and the Copyright Office recommends getting permission in cases of doubt.

Where KeyMo fits

KeyMo turns a long video into vertical clips. You paste a YouTube link (paid plans) or upload an MP4 or MOV, and you get up to 15 clips in 9:16 at 1080x1920, each scored out of 10 with a one-line reason, with word-by-word captions and no watermark. Before it imports a link it asks you to confirm that you own the video or have permission. That confirmation is the question this page is about: KeyMo does the cutting and does not grant rights to anything. Use it on your own channel, on an episode a guest has cleared, or on a creator's video once they have agreed. The steps are in YouTube to Shorts.