Swift snagged the top prize, video of the year, for her bleak, black-and-white video Fortnight featuring Post Malone.
It shows Swift inside a bare psychiatric hospital, a setting she said reflected what she was seeing in her head as she wrote the music for The Tortured Poets Department album.
Taylor Swift and Post Malone showered each other with praise as they won for Fortnight. (AP PHOTO)
"This video seems very sad when you watch it, but it actually was the most fun video to make," Swift said on Wednesday as she accepted the VMAs Moon Person statuette.
After each take, she would hear a cheer from someone across the studio.
"That one person was my boyfriend Travis," she said, referring to Kansas City Chiefs football player Travis Kelce.
"Everything this man touches turns to happiness and fun and magic.
"I want to thank him for adding that to this shoot."
Good Luck, Babe singer Chappell Roan was named best new artist at the VMAs. (AP PHOTO)
Swift also thanked her fans for voting for the VMA honours and urged them to cast their ballots in the US presidential election.
The singer endorsed Democrat Kamala Harris in an Instagram post on Tuesday, but she did not mention the candidate by name on Wednesday.
By night's end, the 34-year-old Swift brought her career VMA total to 30, on par with hip-hop artist Beyonce.
Swift's other awards on Wednesday included artist of the year and song of summer.
Her video of the year award was her third in a row following an extended version of All Too Well in 2022 and Anti-Hero" in 2023, and fifth overall, a record for one artist.
Eminem opened the awards show with Houdini from album The Death of Slim Shady. (AP PHOTO)
Early in the show, when Fortnight won best collaboration, Swift praised Malone as "ridiculously talented" and "unfailingly polite".
"It has taken me forever to get him to stop calling me ma'am," she said next to Malone on stage at the UBS Arena outside New York City.
Malone returned the compliments, calling Swift "absolutely one of the most kind and talented people I've ever had the honour of knowing".
The VMAs began airing on MTV in 1984 and became known for memorable moments, such as an onstage kiss between Madonna and Britney Spears, and the raw meat dress that Lady Gaga once wore on the red carpet.
At Wednesday's awards, Good Luck, Babe singer Chappell Roan was named best new artist.
Katy Perry performed on a futuristic stage while singing hits from Teenage Dream to Firework. (AP PHOTO)
Wearing a metallic outfit and headpiece, she dedicated her award to "all the drag artists who inspire me" and to her fans in the gay community.
Blackpink singer Lisa won best K-pop video for her solo hit, Rockstar.
South African artist Tyla claimed the Afrobeats award for Water, and Brazilian singer Anitta snagged best Latin video for Mil Veces.
Rapper Eminem opened the show with Houdini from album The Death of Slim Shady before country singer Jelly Roll joined him via a video feed for their hit Somebody Save Me.
Katy Perry, recipient of the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, sang hits from Teenage Dream to Firework while wearing giant silver butterfly wings on a futuristic set.
