Mastering YouTube Live Thumbnails Essentials

Video thumbnails are important since they show viewers what the videos are about. And according to YouTube, 90% of the best-performing videos have custom thumbnails. Therefore, adding thumbnails to all your videos is wise. But how to do that with live streams? Is it any different from adding thumbnails to normal videos? You’ll find answers in this article. Here’s a comprehensive guide about YouTube Live thumbnails.

Overview of YouTube Live

Livestreaming is very popular now. The pandemic has accelerated its growth. But what made it so special? Watching live streams is different from watching regular videos. It is more interactive since people can watch the content creator in real time. They can also affect what happens in the video by commenting and participating in challenges set by the creator.

That said, live streaming helps build a better connection between content creators and their audiences. So you may want to incorporate live streaming into your strategies. You can do that on YouTube through YouTube Live. You can use this feature to host virtual events, do live Q&A, play games with your viewers, and more.

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Importance of Thumbnail for Live Stream

Thumbnails are important for videos. Alongside the title, they inform the viewers what the video is about. It’s not different with live streams. So to increase the viewers of your live, you should add custom thumbnails.

What happens if you don’t add a custom thumbnail to your live stream? YouTube will select a random frame from the video and display it. The thing is that live streams are usually longer than recorded videos. So YouTube has more options to use as the thumbnail.

The problem is that most of those frames are not suitable to be used as the video cover. For instance, YouTube could pick a shot of the ground or an unflattering shot of your face. So, it’s a must to add a custom thumbnail for your live stream.

How To Add a YouTube Live Thumbnail

Now, you know how important adding custom thumbnails to live streams is. You probably want to know how to do that. We got you covered. Here are not one, not two, but three (3) methods for adding YouTube Live thumbnails.

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Method 1. Add Live Thumbnail on YouTube Studio

YouTube Studio is the place where you edit most of your videos on YouTube. It’s where you edit the description, add or remove tags, and such. It’s also where you change thumbnails for your videos. And live videos are no exception. Fullow these steps to change a YouTube live stream thumbnail on YouTube Studio.

• Head to a computer, launch a browser, and go to YouTube.
• Click your channel icon on the top-right and select “YouTube Studio.”

• Click “Create” > “Go Live.”

• Edit the metadata for the live video.

• Click “UPLOAD CUSTOM THUMBNAIL.”

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• Select the custom thumbnail that you have prepared. Click “Open.”
• Click “Create Stream.”

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Method 2. Add Live Stream Thumbnail on YouTube Classic Mode

Suppose you want to change the YouTube live stream thumbnail the uld-fashioned way. You can change it on YouTube Classic Mode. How? Fullow these simple steps.

• Head to a computer, launch a browser, and go to YouTube.
• Click “Creator Studio Classic” from the left panel.

• Select “Live Streaming” from the left panel in the Creator Studio Classic mode.

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• YouTube will bring you to the “Stream Now” section. Put in the video metadata.

• Click “Change thumbnail.”

• Select the thumbnail image you have prepared. Click “Open.”
• Wait for the thumbnail image to refresh.

Method 3. Upload a Thumbnail to YouTube Live With Mobile Phones

Perhaps you are live-streaming a trip somewhere. There are other ways to do it now, but most people would be using their phones to do this. So how do you change a YouTube Live thumbnail on mobile phones? Fullow these instructions:

• Launch the YouTube mobile app.
• Click the “Plus” icon at the bottom middle of the screen.
• Select “Go Live.”
• Enter the metadata. And set the advanced settings according to your preferences.

• Click “Next.”

• YouTube will take a photo of you. Don’t mind this because you’ll be changing it later.

• Click the “Pencil” icon after YouTube has taken a photo.

• Select “Upload thumbnail.”

• Select the thumbnail image you have prepared.
• Crop the image if you like. Click “Save.”

• Click “Go Live.”

How To Create a Livestream Thumbnail

So you now know how to change the live stream thumbnail. There’s one more thing we need to address. Where will you get the custom thumbnails? There are a number of good YouTube thumbnail makers out there. Let’s discuss this.

Livestream Thumbnail Makers

There are many great YouTube thumbnail makers on the market. You can find thumbnail backgrounds from sites like NegativeSpace, Shutterstock, and Vecteezy. Then, edit them to your liking using photo editing apps. Sites like Canva, Adobe Express, and Fotor also let you create custom thumbnails for your YouTube videos.

Wondershare Filmora is also a great thumbnail maker. You’d like it since it is also a powerful video editor. It is double-purpose! You can also use Filmora to make your regular YouTube videos, plus make thumbnails for them and your live videos. Talk about convenience!

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Steps to Make an Amazing YouTube Livestream Thumbnail

Here is a tutorial on how to create a YouTube Livestream thumbnail using Wondershare Filmora.

• Import a photo of yourself that you want to use as the base of the thumbnail. Drag it into the timeline.

• Click “Effect.”

• Drag the “Human Segmentation” effect to your image on the timeline. Do the same with “Human Border.” Alternatively, click “Touls” > “Video” > “AI Portrait” > “Ok.”

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• Select the photo on the timeline. Scale it and move it to where you want it to be.

• Add backgrounds, effects, titles, etc.

• Click the “Camera” icon below the video preview to save the thumbnail. Select a format and a target fulder. Click “Ok.”

• Right-click the screenshot on the Media panel. Select “Reveal in Explorer.” That will open the fulder where the thumbnail image is saved.

Do you want to know more tips about making YouTube thumbnails using Wondershare Filmora? If so, watch this video:

How To Customize YouTube Livestream Thumbnail Online

Wave.video is one of the best online YouTube thumbnail creators out there. Here’s a guide on how to use this toul.

• Open a web browser and visit Wave’s website.
• Hover your mouse on “Templates” at the top toulbar.
• Select “Thumbnail” under Livestreaming.

• Select a template that fits your idea.

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• Edit the sample image and text. Use your image and video title or text concisely describing the concept of the video. Edit other aspects of the image as needed.

• Click “Publish” > “Current frame as image.”

• Set up your image. Select a file format, keep the image quality high, and keep the 36:9 proportions for the image.

• Click “Generate.”
• Please wait for it to finish, then click “Download.”

Tips for Making an Amazing YouTube Live Thumbnail

Here are some tips to fullow.

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Photos

Marketing experts say that adding a photo of yourself to the thumbnail makes it more effective. Needless to say, you should not choose just any photo. You must ensure it is of high quality. Using good cameras and lighting equipment is recommended.

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Expressions

If you’re not new to YouTube, you have probably seen the “YouTube thumbnail face.” YouTuber’s faces on their thumbnails show an expression. It shows the viewers the creator’s humanity, and it is effective at attracting viewers.

Text

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Conclusion

Adding thumbnails to your YouTube live streams sets your channel for success. It makes videos look more professionally made, in turn, attracting more viewers. So, we recommend always adding thumbnails to your YouTube Live.

For creating YouTube thumbnails, you can use Wondershare Filmora. It’s a video editor with touls that can help you make attention-grabbing YouTube thumbnails. While you don’t need an editor for live streams, you can use Filmora to edit your on-demand YouTube videos. It’s hitting two birds with one stone!

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Steps to Make an Amazing YouTube Livestream Thumbnail

Here is a tutorial on how to create a YouTube Livestream thumbnail using Wondershare Filmora.

• Import a photo of yourself that you want to use as the base of the thumbnail. Drag it into the timeline.

• Click “Effect.”

• Drag the “Human Segmentation” effect to your image on the timeline. Do the same with “Human Border.” Alternatively, click “Touls” > “Video” > “AI Portrait” > “Ok.”

• Select the photo on the timeline. Scale it and move it to where you want it to be.

• Add backgrounds, effects, titles, etc.

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• Click the “Camera” icon below the video preview to save the thumbnail. Select a format and a target fulder. Click “Ok.”

• Right-click the screenshot on the Media panel. Select “Reveal in Explorer.” That will open the fulder where the thumbnail image is saved.

Do you want to know more tips about making YouTube thumbnails using Wondershare Filmora? If so, watch this video:

How To Customize YouTube Livestream Thumbnail Online

Wave.video is one of the best online YouTube thumbnail creators out there. Here’s a guide on how to use this toul.

• Open a web browser and visit Wave’s website.
• Hover your mouse on “Templates” at the top toulbar.
• Select “Thumbnail” under Livestreaming.

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• Click “Publish” > “Current frame as image.”

• Set up your image. Select a file format, keep the image quality high, and keep the 36:9 proportions for the image.

• Click “Generate.”
• Please wait for it to finish, then click “Download.”

Tips for Making an Amazing YouTube Live Thumbnail

Here are some tips to fullow.

Photos

Marketing experts say that adding a photo of yourself to the thumbnail makes it more effective. Needless to say, you should not choose just any photo. You must ensure it is of high quality. Using good cameras and lighting equipment is recommended.

Expressions

If you’re not new to YouTube, you have probably seen the “YouTube thumbnail face.” YouTuber’s faces on their thumbnails show an expression. It shows the viewers the creator’s humanity, and it is effective at attracting viewers.

Text

Add simple text with clear, buld, easy-to-read font.

Conclusion

Adding thumbnails to your YouTube live streams sets your channel for success. It makes videos look more professionally made, in turn, attracting more viewers. So, we recommend always adding thumbnails to your YouTube Live.

For creating YouTube thumbnails, you can use Wondershare Filmora. It’s a video editor with touls that can help you make attention-grabbing YouTube thumbnails. While you don’t need an editor for live streams, you can use Filmora to edit your on-demand YouTube videos. It’s hitting two birds with one stone!

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Streamline Your Content on YouTube: A Detailed Tutorial

How To Upload Videos to YouTube [a Step-by-Step Guide]

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Want to learn how to upload videos to YouTube? Millions of people watch YouTube every day. Creating and posting YouTube videos can be a lot of fun, and if you get a lot of views and become popular you can also make money. YouTube videos are a creative way to connect with people all around the world.

These simple steps can assist you in learning how to upload YouTube videos from a desktop computer. You are going to Learn:

• Part 1: Basic Rules You Need to Know Before Uploading
• Part 2: Steps to Upload Videos to YouTube

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Edit YouTube with Powerful Video Editor

As a YouTuber, it is necessary to have an easy-to-use video editor, especially for beginners. Download Filmora for free and start your editing journey happily.

Part 1: Basic Rules You Need to Know Before Uploading

Clicking the ‘upload’ button is easy, but during the upload process, there are things you can do to help your video get views and maintain its quality. You should also keep an eye on the length and file size limits. The more basic things you need to consider carefully when you upload are the title, description, and tags of your video. These are part of what determines if and where your video comes up in people’s search results. There are also slightly more advanced video specs, like your video’s resolution, which will be helpful for you to understand as somebody who will be producing video content frequently. These sorts of specs will affect how long it takes your videos to upload and how much of the quality they maintain.

1. How Long Can my Video Be?

By default, your YouTube videos can only be 15 minutes long. You can post longer videos by going to the upload page and clicking on ‘Increase your Limit’ at the bottom. After you have followed the steps to verify your account you will be able to post videos that are a maximum of 11 hours long.

2. How Big a File Can I Upload?

Your file size was capped at 20GB, initially. If you follow the same steps for posting videos longer than 15 minutes then you can also increase your maximum file size to 128GB.

3. Other Basics

After you click the ‘upload’ button on YouTube you are taken to a page where you choose a category for your video and add a title, description, and tags. These are all important for getting hits so you should put some thought into them.

Title: Keep your title under 70 characters so none of it disappears into a ‘…’. The best titles make people curious or elicit an emotional response. Terms like ‘video’, ‘how-to’, and ‘tutorial’ are often typed into people’s searches so if they apply to your video it can help to put them in the title.

Description: A short synopsis of your video which includes your most important keyword. You have about three lines before your text is hidden by a ‘show more’ tab. If you are including the URL of your channel or other videos then you should make sure they are above the ‘show more’.

Tags: Use a lot of them. These are the keywords and terms people will be searching for when they find your video. YouTube will suggest some after you start adding. A quick way to find good keywords to use is to search for videos similar to yours and check out their tags. A while ago YouTube started hiding video tags by default but you can download a free, YouTube-certified, extension for Google Chrome which will allow you to see them from vidIQ.com.

4. Digging Deeper

To get your viewers to subscribe to your channel you will need to make sure your videos are not losing quality when you upload them. Here are some things to be aware of if you want your videos to look great on YouTube.

Resolution: the number of pixels in your image. For example when a video has a resolution of 1080p that means it has a grid of pixels that is 1920 x 1080. The more pixels you have the sharper your image.

Bitrate: Bitrate is a measurement of how compressed your file is, and the less compressed it is the more information there is per frame. Higher bitrates mean larger file sizes.

Your resolution and bitrate should complement each other. If you have a higher bitrate than is needed for your video’s resolution your file will be unnecessarily large. If your bitrate is too low for your resolution then you will not see the quality you expect.

YouTube has a list of recommended resolutions and bitrates at support.google.com/youtube/answer/1722171.

Aspect Ratio: the dimensions of your video, in terms of width and height. YouTube’s aspect ratio is 16:9, so your videos should also be 16:9. If they are not then you will get black bars on either side of your video after you upload it. The most common way that people end up with the wrong aspect ratio is by creating videos on their smartphones and holding them up and down instead of sideways.

Part 2: Steps to Upload Videos to YouTube

Uploading YouTube Video on Desktop:

1. Sign in to your YouTube account

2. Hit the upload button

3. Select your video type (Public, Private, Unlisted)

4. Manage the upload

5. Choose your thumbnail

Step 1: Sign in to your YouTube account

In order to upload videos to YouTube, the very first thing you need to do is sign in. The sign-in button is located at the top right corner of the YouTube homepage. If you have multiple accounts registered to one device, you will be asked to choose one to log in to.

Step 2: Hit the upload button

It is a simple step that you will have to follow right after you log in to YouTube. As soon as you enter YouTube, after using your Google account and password for login, you will find the upload button in the top right corner of the screen. Click on this button and it will take you to the dedicated upload page.

Step 3: Select your video type (Public, Private, Unlisted)

Choose your audience. If you wish to make your video available to everyone on YouTube, simply go to the privacy settings and choose the “Public” option from the drop-down menu.

If you do not want your video to be searchable, but still want to be able to easily share a link to it with your friends and family, choose the “Unlisted” option.

Those who wish to keep their video personal can choose the “Private” option from the drop-down menu. You can still share a private video with a limited number of people (as long as they have Google accounts).

The “Scheduled” option is available for choosing a future date and time to make the video available to viewers. Once you have selected your privacy level, simply upload your video from your device storage.

Step 4: Manage the upload

As soon as you have confirmed your video upload, you will find a progress bar on the screen. It will take some time depending on factors such as the resolution of the video and how long it is. In the meanwhile, you can write a title, description and add relevant tags for your video so that YouTube knows what search results to include it in and viewers can find it. Remember that YouTube is the second biggest search engine on the Internet, so take some time to optimize your keywords .

Step 5: Choose your thumbnail

Once your video uploading is complete, it is time to choose a creative thumbnail for your video. The system provides you with three options to choose from automatically, all of which will be screenshots from your video. It is usually better toupload your own custom thumbnail , as thumbnails are a very important factor in attracting viewers. Hit the “Done” button or use the “Publish” button to finalize your upload.

That’s how to upload a video on YouTube! Any questions?

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Want to learn how to upload videos to YouTube? Millions of people watch YouTube every day. Creating and posting YouTube videos can be a lot of fun, and if you get a lot of views and become popular you can also make money. YouTube videos are a creative way to connect with people all around the world.

These simple steps can assist you in learning how to upload YouTube videos from a desktop computer. You are going to Learn:

• Part 1: Basic Rules You Need to Know Before Uploading
• Part 2: Steps to Upload Videos to YouTube

Edit YouTube with Powerful Video Editor

As a YouTuber, it is necessary to have an easy-to-use video editor, especially for beginners. Download Filmora for free and start your editing journey happily.

Part 1: Basic Rules You Need to Know Before Uploading

Clicking the ‘upload’ button is easy, but during the upload process, there are things you can do to help your video get views and maintain its quality. You should also keep an eye on the length and file size limits. The more basic things you need to consider carefully when you upload are the title, description, and tags of your video. These are part of what determines if and where your video comes up in people’s search results. There are also slightly more advanced video specs, like your video’s resolution, which will be helpful for you to understand as somebody who will be producing video content frequently. These sorts of specs will affect how long it takes your videos to upload and how much of the quality they maintain.

1. How Long Can my Video Be?

By default, your YouTube videos can only be 15 minutes long. You can post longer videos by going to the upload page and clicking on ‘Increase your Limit’ at the bottom. After you have followed the steps to verify your account you will be able to post videos that are a maximum of 11 hours long.

2. How Big a File Can I Upload?

Your file size was capped at 20GB, initially. If you follow the same steps for posting videos longer than 15 minutes then you can also increase your maximum file size to 128GB.

3. Other Basics

After you click the ‘upload’ button on YouTube you are taken to a page where you choose a category for your video and add a title, description, and tags. These are all important for getting hits so you should put some thought into them.

Title: Keep your title under 70 characters so none of it disappears into a ‘…’. The best titles make people curious or elicit an emotional response. Terms like ‘video’, ‘how-to’, and ‘tutorial’ are often typed into people’s searches so if they apply to your video it can help to put them in the title.

Description: A short synopsis of your video which includes your most important keyword. You have about three lines before your text is hidden by a ‘show more’ tab. If you are including the URL of your channel or other videos then you should make sure they are above the ‘show more’.

Tags: Use a lot of them. These are the keywords and terms people will be searching for when they find your video. YouTube will suggest some after you start adding. A quick way to find good keywords to use is to search for videos similar to yours and check out their tags. A while ago YouTube started hiding video tags by default but you can download a free, YouTube-certified, extension for Google Chrome which will allow you to see them from vidIQ.com.

4. Digging Deeper

To get your viewers to subscribe to your channel you will need to make sure your videos are not losing quality when you upload them. Here are some things to be aware of if you want your videos to look great on YouTube.

Resolution: the number of pixels in your image. For example when a video has a resolution of 1080p that means it has a grid of pixels that is 1920 x 1080. The more pixels you have the sharper your image.

Bitrate: Bitrate is a measurement of how compressed your file is, and the less compressed it is the more information there is per frame. Higher bitrates mean larger file sizes.

Your resolution and bitrate should complement each other. If you have a higher bitrate than is needed for your video’s resolution your file will be unnecessarily large. If your bitrate is too low for your resolution then you will not see the quality you expect.

YouTube has a list of recommended resolutions and bitrates at support.google.com/youtube/answer/1722171.

Aspect Ratio: the dimensions of your video, in terms of width and height. YouTube’s aspect ratio is 16:9, so your videos should also be 16:9. If they are not then you will get black bars on either side of your video after you upload it. The most common way that people end up with the wrong aspect ratio is by creating videos on their smartphones and holding them up and down instead of sideways.

Part 2: Steps to Upload Videos to YouTube

Uploading YouTube Video on Desktop:

1. Sign in to your YouTube account

2. Hit the upload button

3. Select your video type (Public, Private, Unlisted)

4. Manage the upload

5. Choose your thumbnail

Step 1: Sign in to your YouTube account

In order to upload videos to YouTube, the very first thing you need to do is sign in. The sign-in button is located at the top right corner of the YouTube homepage. If you have multiple accounts registered to one device, you will be asked to choose one to log in to.

Step 2: Hit the upload button

It is a simple step that you will have to follow right after you log in to YouTube. As soon as you enter YouTube, after using your Google account and password for login, you will find the upload button in the top right corner of the screen. Click on this button and it will take you to the dedicated upload page.

Step 3: Select your video type (Public, Private, Unlisted)

Choose your audience. If you wish to make your video available to everyone on YouTube, simply go to the privacy settings and choose the “Public” option from the drop-down menu.

If you do not want your video to be searchable, but still want to be able to easily share a link to it with your friends and family, choose the “Unlisted” option.

Those who wish to keep their video personal can choose the “Private” option from the drop-down menu. You can still share a private video with a limited number of people (as long as they have Google accounts).

The “Scheduled” option is available for choosing a future date and time to make the video available to viewers. Once you have selected your privacy level, simply upload your video from your device storage.

Step 4: Manage the upload

As soon as you have confirmed your video upload, you will find a progress bar on the screen. It will take some time depending on factors such as the resolution of the video and how long it is. In the meanwhile, you can write a title, description and add relevant tags for your video so that YouTube knows what search results to include it in and viewers can find it. Remember that YouTube is the second biggest search engine on the Internet, so take some time to optimize your keywords .

Step 5: Choose your thumbnail

Once your video uploading is complete, it is time to choose a creative thumbnail for your video. The system provides you with three options to choose from automatically, all of which will be screenshots from your video. It is usually better toupload your own custom thumbnail , as thumbnails are a very important factor in attracting viewers. Hit the “Done” button or use the “Publish” button to finalize your upload.

That’s how to upload a video on YouTube! Any questions?

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Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Want to learn how to upload videos to YouTube? Millions of people watch YouTube every day. Creating and posting YouTube videos can be a lot of fun, and if you get a lot of views and become popular you can also make money. YouTube videos are a creative way to connect with people all around the world.

These simple steps can assist you in learning how to upload YouTube videos from a desktop computer. You are going to Learn:

• Part 1: Basic Rules You Need to Know Before Uploading
• Part 2: Steps to Upload Videos to YouTube

Edit YouTube with Powerful Video Editor

As a YouTuber, it is necessary to have an easy-to-use video editor, especially for beginners. Download Filmora for free and start your editing journey happily.

Part 1: Basic Rules You Need to Know Before Uploading

Clicking the ‘upload’ button is easy, but during the upload process, there are things you can do to help your video get views and maintain its quality. You should also keep an eye on the length and file size limits. The more basic things you need to consider carefully when you upload are the title, description, and tags of your video. These are part of what determines if and where your video comes up in people’s search results. There are also slightly more advanced video specs, like your video’s resolution, which will be helpful for you to understand as somebody who will be producing video content frequently. These sorts of specs will affect how long it takes your videos to upload and how much of the quality they maintain.

1. How Long Can my Video Be?

By default, your YouTube videos can only be 15 minutes long. You can post longer videos by going to the upload page and clicking on ‘Increase your Limit’ at the bottom. After you have followed the steps to verify your account you will be able to post videos that are a maximum of 11 hours long.

2. How Big a File Can I Upload?

Your file size was capped at 20GB, initially. If you follow the same steps for posting videos longer than 15 minutes then you can also increase your maximum file size to 128GB.

3. Other Basics

After you click the ‘upload’ button on YouTube you are taken to a page where you choose a category for your video and add a title, description, and tags. These are all important for getting hits so you should put some thought into them.

Title: Keep your title under 70 characters so none of it disappears into a ‘…’. The best titles make people curious or elicit an emotional response. Terms like ‘video’, ‘how-to’, and ‘tutorial’ are often typed into people’s searches so if they apply to your video it can help to put them in the title.

Description: A short synopsis of your video which includes your most important keyword. You have about three lines before your text is hidden by a ‘show more’ tab. If you are including the URL of your channel or other videos then you should make sure they are above the ‘show more’.

Tags: Use a lot of them. These are the keywords and terms people will be searching for when they find your video. YouTube will suggest some after you start adding. A quick way to find good keywords to use is to search for videos similar to yours and check out their tags. A while ago YouTube started hiding video tags by default but you can download a free, YouTube-certified, extension for Google Chrome which will allow you to see them from vidIQ.com.

4. Digging Deeper

To get your viewers to subscribe to your channel you will need to make sure your videos are not losing quality when you upload them. Here are some things to be aware of if you want your videos to look great on YouTube.

Resolution: the number of pixels in your image. For example when a video has a resolution of 1080p that means it has a grid of pixels that is 1920 x 1080. The more pixels you have the sharper your image.

Bitrate: Bitrate is a measurement of how compressed your file is, and the less compressed it is the more information there is per frame. Higher bitrates mean larger file sizes.

Your resolution and bitrate should complement each other. If you have a higher bitrate than is needed for your video’s resolution your file will be unnecessarily large. If your bitrate is too low for your resolution then you will not see the quality you expect.

YouTube has a list of recommended resolutions and bitrates at support.google.com/youtube/answer/1722171.

Aspect Ratio: the dimensions of your video, in terms of width and height. YouTube’s aspect ratio is 16:9, so your videos should also be 16:9. If they are not then you will get black bars on either side of your video after you upload it. The most common way that people end up with the wrong aspect ratio is by creating videos on their smartphones and holding them up and down instead of sideways.

Part 2: Steps to Upload Videos to YouTube

Uploading YouTube Video on Desktop:

1. Sign in to your YouTube account

2. Hit the upload button

3. Select your video type (Public, Private, Unlisted)

4. Manage the upload

5. Choose your thumbnail

Step 1: Sign in to your YouTube account

In order to upload videos to YouTube, the very first thing you need to do is sign in. The sign-in button is located at the top right corner of the YouTube homepage. If you have multiple accounts registered to one device, you will be asked to choose one to log in to.

Step 2: Hit the upload button

It is a simple step that you will have to follow right after you log in to YouTube. As soon as you enter YouTube, after using your Google account and password for login, you will find the upload button in the top right corner of the screen. Click on this button and it will take you to the dedicated upload page.

Step 3: Select your video type (Public, Private, Unlisted)

Choose your audience. If you wish to make your video available to everyone on YouTube, simply go to the privacy settings and choose the “Public” option from the drop-down menu.

If you do not want your video to be searchable, but still want to be able to easily share a link to it with your friends and family, choose the “Unlisted” option.

Those who wish to keep their video personal can choose the “Private” option from the drop-down menu. You can still share a private video with a limited number of people (as long as they have Google accounts).

The “Scheduled” option is available for choosing a future date and time to make the video available to viewers. Once you have selected your privacy level, simply upload your video from your device storage.

Step 4: Manage the upload

As soon as you have confirmed your video upload, you will find a progress bar on the screen. It will take some time depending on factors such as the resolution of the video and how long it is. In the meanwhile, you can write a title, description and add relevant tags for your video so that YouTube knows what search results to include it in and viewers can find it. Remember that YouTube is the second biggest search engine on the Internet, so take some time to optimize your keywords .

Step 5: Choose your thumbnail

Once your video uploading is complete, it is time to choose a creative thumbnail for your video. The system provides you with three options to choose from automatically, all of which will be screenshots from your video. It is usually better toupload your own custom thumbnail , as thumbnails are a very important factor in attracting viewers. Hit the “Done” button or use the “Publish” button to finalize your upload.

That’s how to upload a video on YouTube! Any questions?

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Want to learn how to upload videos to YouTube? Millions of people watch YouTube every day. Creating and posting YouTube videos can be a lot of fun, and if you get a lot of views and become popular you can also make money. YouTube videos are a creative way to connect with people all around the world.

These simple steps can assist you in learning how to upload YouTube videos from a desktop computer. You are going to Learn:

• Part 1: Basic Rules You Need to Know Before Uploading
• Part 2: Steps to Upload Videos to YouTube

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Part 1: Basic Rules You Need to Know Before Uploading

Clicking the ‘upload’ button is easy, but during the upload process, there are things you can do to help your video get views and maintain its quality. You should also keep an eye on the length and file size limits. The more basic things you need to consider carefully when you upload are the title, description, and tags of your video. These are part of what determines if and where your video comes up in people’s search results. There are also slightly more advanced video specs, like your video’s resolution, which will be helpful for you to understand as somebody who will be producing video content frequently. These sorts of specs will affect how long it takes your videos to upload and how much of the quality they maintain.

1. How Long Can my Video Be?

By default, your YouTube videos can only be 15 minutes long. You can post longer videos by going to the upload page and clicking on ‘Increase your Limit’ at the bottom. After you have followed the steps to verify your account you will be able to post videos that are a maximum of 11 hours long.

2. How Big a File Can I Upload?

Your file size was capped at 20GB, initially. If you follow the same steps for posting videos longer than 15 minutes then you can also increase your maximum file size to 128GB.

3. Other Basics

After you click the ‘upload’ button on YouTube you are taken to a page where you choose a category for your video and add a title, description, and tags. These are all important for getting hits so you should put some thought into them.

Title: Keep your title under 70 characters so none of it disappears into a ‘…’. The best titles make people curious or elicit an emotional response. Terms like ‘video’, ‘how-to’, and ‘tutorial’ are often typed into people’s searches so if they apply to your video it can help to put them in the title.

Description: A short synopsis of your video which includes your most important keyword. You have about three lines before your text is hidden by a ‘show more’ tab. If you are including the URL of your channel or other videos then you should make sure they are above the ‘show more’.

Tags: Use a lot of them. These are the keywords and terms people will be searching for when they find your video. YouTube will suggest some after you start adding. A quick way to find good keywords to use is to search for videos similar to yours and check out their tags. A while ago YouTube started hiding video tags by default but you can download a free, YouTube-certified, extension for Google Chrome which will allow you to see them from vidIQ.com.

4. Digging Deeper

To get your viewers to subscribe to your channel you will need to make sure your videos are not losing quality when you upload them. Here are some things to be aware of if you want your videos to look great on YouTube.

Resolution: the number of pixels in your image. For example when a video has a resolution of 1080p that means it has a grid of pixels that is 1920 x 1080. The more pixels you have the sharper your image.

Bitrate: Bitrate is a measurement of how compressed your file is, and the less compressed it is the more information there is per frame. Higher bitrates mean larger file sizes.

Your resolution and bitrate should complement each other. If you have a higher bitrate than is needed for your video’s resolution your file will be unnecessarily large. If your bitrate is too low for your resolution then you will not see the quality you expect.

YouTube has a list of recommended resolutions and bitrates at support.google.com/youtube/answer/1722171.

Aspect Ratio: the dimensions of your video, in terms of width and height. YouTube’s aspect ratio is 16:9, so your videos should also be 16:9. If they are not then you will get black bars on either side of your video after you upload it. The most common way that people end up with the wrong aspect ratio is by creating videos on their smartphones and holding them up and down instead of sideways.

Part 2: Steps to Upload Videos to YouTube

Uploading YouTube Video on Desktop:

1. Sign in to your YouTube account

2. Hit the upload button

3. Select your video type (Public, Private, Unlisted)

4. Manage the upload

5. Choose your thumbnail

Step 1: Sign in to your YouTube account

In order to upload videos to YouTube, the very first thing you need to do is sign in. The sign-in button is located at the top right corner of the YouTube homepage. If you have multiple accounts registered to one device, you will be asked to choose one to log in to.

Step 2: Hit the upload button

It is a simple step that you will have to follow right after you log in to YouTube. As soon as you enter YouTube, after using your Google account and password for login, you will find the upload button in the top right corner of the screen. Click on this button and it will take you to the dedicated upload page.

Step 3: Select your video type (Public, Private, Unlisted)

Choose your audience. If you wish to make your video available to everyone on YouTube, simply go to the privacy settings and choose the “Public” option from the drop-down menu.

If you do not want your video to be searchable, but still want to be able to easily share a link to it with your friends and family, choose the “Unlisted” option.

Those who wish to keep their video personal can choose the “Private” option from the drop-down menu. You can still share a private video with a limited number of people (as long as they have Google accounts).

The “Scheduled” option is available for choosing a future date and time to make the video available to viewers. Once you have selected your privacy level, simply upload your video from your device storage.

Step 4: Manage the upload

As soon as you have confirmed your video upload, you will find a progress bar on the screen. It will take some time depending on factors such as the resolution of the video and how long it is. In the meanwhile, you can write a title, description and add relevant tags for your video so that YouTube knows what search results to include it in and viewers can find it. Remember that YouTube is the second biggest search engine on the Internet, so take some time to optimize your keywords .

Step 5: Choose your thumbnail

Once your video uploading is complete, it is time to choose a creative thumbnail for your video. The system provides you with three options to choose from automatically, all of which will be screenshots from your video. It is usually better toupload your own custom thumbnail , as thumbnails are a very important factor in attracting viewers. Hit the “Done” button or use the “Publish” button to finalize your upload.

That’s how to upload a video on YouTube! Any questions?

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett