Do you want to be able to share your videos with your friends, relatives and complete strangers? Uploading videos to YouTube is easy, fast and completely free. In this wikiHow, you will learn how to upload videos to YouTube using your computer, phone, or tablet.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Use the YouTube Mobile App
Step 1. Open the YouTube application
It has a red and white icon with a rectangle and side triangle labeled "YouTube." You should find it on one of the home screens or in the applications menu.
- YouTube must be previously installed on all phones and tablets but, in case you don't have it, you can download it from the App Store (iPhone or iPad) or Play Store (Android).
- Before uploading your video, connect to a wireless network to avoid data charges.
- If you do not log in automatically, you will need to select your Google account or log in using the email address and password associated with your YouTube account.
Note:
Maybe you can also share the video directly from the photo or gallery app on your phone or tablet. Open the video, tap the share icon, and then select Youtube in case you see the option. After this, go to step 6.
Step 2. Tap your profile picture
This is in the upper-right corner of the screen and causes the menu to open.
Step 3. Tap Your channel
It's near the top of the menu.
Step 4. Tap the camera icon
This is on the right side of the bar that runs across the top of the screen.
In case it is the first time you upload a video from your phone or tablet, it is possible that, before you can continue, you must give the application permission to access your photos, camera or microphone
Step 5. Choose a video
A list of all the videos on your phone or tablet's camera roll will appear. Touch the one you want to add.
By default, it is possible to upload videos up to 15 minutes long. If you want to upload longer videos (up to 12 hours), you need to verify your account first
Step 6. Add enhancements to the video (optional)
In case you want to make some last minute edits to it, you have a few options:
- In case you want to shorten the video, drag the sliders at both ends of the video timeline at the bottom of the screen to the desired start and end points.
- Tap the magic wand icon to choose an artistic filter. This icon is in the upper right corner on Android and at the bottom of the screen on iPhone and iPad.
- Play the musical note in case you want to add a copyright-free music soundtrack (iPhone and iPad only).
Step 7. Tap Next to continue (iPhone and iPad only)
In case you are using an iPhone or iPad, tap Next in the upper right corner to move to the next step.
Step 8. Enter a title
This can be up to 100 characters long and should reflect the content of the video.
Step 9. Enter a description
While the description is optional, it is recommended. Description information will appear below the video as you watch it. You can use this space to add unique information about the video, the creator, or other projects. Add keywords to this part to make your video appear in relevant searches.
Step 10. Choose a visibility level in the "Privacy" menu
The privacy menu has three options to choose from. These privacy options are as follows:
-
Public:
This makes your video public and can be searched and viewed by anyone on YouTube.
-
Hidden:
The video will not appear in public lists, but anyone who has the link to the video will still be able to view it.
-
Private:
this allows only you to view the video when you have logged into your account.
Step 11. Touch Location to set the location (optional)
In case you want to categorize your video geographically, you can do so in this section under the heading "Privacy". Touch "Location" and then touch one of the nearby locations. You can also enter an address or the name of a place in the search bar and choose a location from the results.
- The first time you add your location to a video, you will be required to allow YouTube to access your locations on your smartphone or tablet. Touch Allow while app is in use to be able to continue.
Step 12. Touch UPLOAD
This button is in the upper right corner. This uploads the video to YouTube. After it finishes uploading, it will appear in your video list.
- In case you want to add tags to the video to make it easier for people to find it, tap the video's three-dot menu, select Edit and then enter the tags separated by commas in the "Tags" field.
Method 2 of 2: Use Youtube.com on a computer
Step 1. Go to https://www.youtube.com in a web browser
It is possible to upload a video directly from the YouTube website.
- In case you are not already signed in to your YouTube account, click LOG IN in the upper right corner of the page to do so right now. Choose your YouTube account and enter your password or click Use another account and log in using the email address and password associated with your YouTube account.
Step 2. Click the camera icon with a plus sign (+) and click Upload Video
This is in the upper right corner next to your profile picture. This will take you to the YouTube Studio web page with a window saying "Upload Videos" in the center of the page.
Step 3. Drag the video file to the arrow in the window
Alternatively, you can click the blue button that says "SELECT FILES", browse for the file on your computer, and then click To open. Either of these options will start preparing the video for upload.
- By default, you can upload videos up to 15 minutes long. If you want to upload longer videos (up to 12 hours), you need to verify your account first.
- In case you want to upload a DVD video to YouTube, please save the movie to your computer first.
- YouTube supports videos uploaded in the following formats: MOV, MPEG4, MP4, AVI, WMV, MPEGPS, FLV, 3GPP, WebM, DNxHR, ProRes, CineForm, HEVC (h265).
Step 4. Add a video title and description
The title is required and the description is optional but recommended. The title can be up to 100 characters long. Use this space to come up with a catchy title that accurately reflects the video. You can add a description to the video using the large box labeled "Description". Description information will appear below the video when viewed. You can use this space to add unique information about the video, the creator, or other projects. Add keywords in this part to make your video appear in relevant searches.
Step 5. Click on a thumbnail that you want to use
The video thumbnail is the photo that represents the video on your channel and in search results. Click on one of the suggested thumbnails to use it.
- Alternatively, you can click Upload thumbnail and select your own image to use as a thumbnail. Click the image you want to use and click To open.
Step 6. Add the video to a playlist (optional)
In case you want to add the video to a playlist, click on the drop-down menu that says "Playlist" and select a playlist you have created to add your video to. You can select multiple playlists.
Step 7. Select whether or not the video is made for children
YouTube now requires you to bookmark videos that are made for children under the age of 13. In case your video is made for kids, click the radio button next to "Yes, it's made for kids." In case your video is not made for children, click the radio button next to "No, it is not made for children."
- Properly marking if your video is made for children is required under the Children's Internet Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Flagging your video improperly could lead to YouTube taking action against your account or possibly fined by the Federal Trade Commission. Search the internet for COPPA compliance on YouTube for more information.
- Also, in case your video is made specifically for viewers over 18 years of age, you can set an age restriction for your video, for which you must click on Age restriction (advanced) and then click the box next to "Yes, restrict my video to viewers over 18".
Step 8. Click More Options (optional) and in Next.
"More options" is the blue text at the bottom of the "Details" window, showing more options that you can add to your video. When done, click Next in the lower right corner. These are the additional options:
-
Paid promotions:
In case your video has paid promotions, check the box that says "My video contains paid promotions, such as an advertisement by placement or promotion". You can also check the box that says "Add a message to my video to inform viewers of the paid promotion."
-
Tags:
Tags are keywords that allow other users to find your videos easily. Write the tags you want to use in the box that says "Add tags." Use words that are associated with your video (for example, if it is a video of dancing elephants, use "elephants", "dancing" and "funny"). Videos with similar tags usually appear together in the "Recommended" sidebar.
-
Language, subtitles and closed captions:
If you want to select a language for your video, use the drop-down menu that says "Video Language" to select it. If you want to add regular or closed captions to your video, choose a closed caption certification from the drop-down menu that says "Closed caption certification." If you want to upload regular or closed subtitles, click on the blue text that says Upload closed captions / subtitles and select if the subtitles are timed. Then select the subtitle file and click To open. Search the internet for how to insert subtitles in videos for more information on how to make subtitles and upload them to YouTube or insert them in videos.
-
Recording date and location:
If you want to add a recording date, click Recording date to specify when the video was created in the popup calendar. If you want to add a location to the video, click Video location and enter an address or the name of a place where the video was recorded. Select the location from the search results.
-
License and distribution:
click on License to choose a copyright license for the recording. Check the "Allow embedding" box to allow other people to post your video to other locations and websites. Check the box "Post to subscription pages and notify subscribers" if you want to notify subscribers about the video.
-
Category:
If you want to select a category, click Category and select one for your video. There are some categories that may have additional boxes that you can fill out.
-
Comments and Ratings:
use the drop-down menu that says "Comments Visibility" to select how you want comments to be managed. You can allow all comments, retain comments that might be inappropriate for review, retain all comments for review, or disable comments. Use the drop-down menu that says "Sort by" to select whether you want comments to be sorted by the highest rated or the most recent. Check the box "Show how many viewers like and dislike this video" in case you want this information to be displayed below the video.
Step 9. Add an ending screen or intertitle to your video (optional) and click Next
An end screen is a screen that appears at the end of the video to promote related material on your channel. Intertitles allow you to promote your material during the video. If you want to add an ending screen or intertitles to your video, click Add to the right of "Add an end screen" or "Add captions" on the video item page. Follow the instructions to add an end screen.
You must wait until after the standard definition portion of your video is processed before you can complete this step
Step 10. Choose a visibility level
You can select three visibility options. Click the radio button next to the option you prefer. These are the visibility options:
-
Public:
This makes your video public and can be searched and viewed by anyone on YouTube.
-
Hidden:
The video will not appear in public lists, but anyone who has the link to the video will still be able to view it.
-
Private:
this allows only you to view the video when you have logged into your account.
Step 11. Schedule a date to post it (optional)
In case you don't want to post the video right away, you can schedule a time for it to post. If you want to schedule a time, click the radio button next to "Schedule" and then click the date drop-down menu and choose the date you want to post it on. Then, click on the time drop-down menu and choose the time you want to post it.
Step 12. Click the blue Save button or Program.
This is in the lower right corner of the window and will post the video to your YouTube channel on the scheduled date and time or after the video finishes processing.
- If at any time you want to edit the title and description, go here and click Videos on the side panel on the left. Hover over the video on this page, click the three dots icon ⋮ and then click Edit title and description.
- It is possible to change the visibility level of the video on this page by clicking on the current level (for example, Private) and select another option.
- After uploading the video, you can embed it on your website or share it online.
Advice
- Watch the most popular videos for clues on the use of titles, tags, and descriptions.
- Make fun tags and challenges that you know are very popular to get more views. High-speed drawings also get quite a few hits.
- Avoid creating spam! This happens when you upload too many videos in a short period of time or when you post a large number of comments that are not very valuable. This, in addition to being able to annoy other members of the community, can end up causing access to your account to be revoked.
Warnings
- Avoid uploading commercial or copyright-protected DVD videos to YouTube without permission from the rights owner. This can get you in trouble or even lead to lawsuits.
- You should always follow YouTube's community guidelines and terms of use so that your account is not deleted.
-
Avoid uploading a video to YouTube that contains copyrighted material without the permission of the copyright owner.
This is against the YouTube user agreement, and video containing material that violates copyright will be removed as a warning (lack of copyright). If you continue to upload videos with copyrighted content to YouTube without the permission of the owners, your account will be deleted. You could even get a fine or go to jail. Above all, avoid violating the copyrights that belong to film studios, independent filmmakers (even the most unknown are ruthless when it comes to their copyrights), singers, actors, etc. Also, there are some YouTube users who are notoriously aggressive in enforcing their copyrights. You can upload copyrighted material that follows fair use laws.
-
Avoid uploading too many videos a day.
Otherwise the hit counters will stop or count only a few. You can still upload videos at any time, but not every day.