The Ultimate Blueprint for Captivating and Professional-Looking Live Video Thumbnails

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.

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.

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.”

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

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.

• 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!

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

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.

• 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.

• 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.

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!

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

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.

• 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.

• 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.

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!

Unseen YouTube Videos: The Meaning of ‘Unlisted’ Status

Complete Guide: What Does Unlisted Mean on YouTube

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Whether personal or professional purposes, YouTube is a great platform for sharing videos but, there are times, when you don’t wish to share it with each and everyone across the globe. The YouTube unlisted meaning is a video which can be viewed only by the users having the link to it. At the back of your mind, you may be wondering how safe an unlisted video is. Let’s learn in detail what does unlisted mean on YouTube.

• Part 1: What is Unlisted Video on YouTube
• Part 2: How to Make YouTube Videos Unlisted
• Part 3: How to Share Unlisted Video

Wondershare Filmora video editor is one of the most widely used video editing software for YouTubers, it makes the video editing simplified with the pre-programmed effects and templates. You can download the free trial version to check.

---

Part 1: What Does Unlisted Video Mean on YouTube

The YouTube unlisted meaning is that your video will neither come up in the search results nor on your channel. Only the users who have the link to the video can view it. The link can be shared with anyone and everyone, even with the users who do not have a YouTube account. Many people don’t know the difference between private and unlisted YouTube videos . In order to understand what does unlisted mean on YouTube in a detailed way, let’s dive deeper into it and know the difference between public videos, unlisted videos, and private videos.

1. What is Unlisted YouTube Video

Between private and public, you can find the unlisted videos. What does unlisted mean on YouTube? An unlisted video does not appear in the search results, suggestions or video tab. If you unlist a new video, your subscribers won’t receive any notification informing about it. You can share an unlisted video with the people you wish to share and the users having a link to the video can see it. It can also be viewed by the friend of friends if they share the link with their friends.

The unlisted videos are treated like public videos by YouTube. This means that you cannot use the copyright audio or video and it will be reviewed by the YouTube team if other users flag it as inappropriate content within a timeframe of 24-hours .

What Unlisted YouTube Videos Can Do

The unlisted videos can be shared with family and friends. If you are conducting a webinar and wish to share the video with only the registered users, an unlisted video can be used. You may also use the unlisted video for giving access to the people who embedded it while cleaning the YouTube page. For getting feedback from closed groups for market research or to share online resume link for job applications, the unlisted videos can be of great help.

Takeaway: Unlisted videos are a great way to share personal videos with just your family and friends, or to get feedback from people you trust on videos before you decide whether to make them public.

2. What is Private YouTube Video

The videos that do not appear in the recommendations, search options in YouTube or in your tab are the private videos. When you select the private setting for a video, the subscribers don’t get a notification. The private videos can be seen only by the uploader and the mentioned Google accounts. It is not available for friends of friends which mean if you share a private video with a friend, only that person can see it. If your friend shares it with someone, it won’t be visible to others. If anyone wishes to view a private video, the person has to request permission to view to the uploader.

What Private Youtube Videos Can Do

By using private YouTube videos, the internal company information can be kept confidential, the family videos can be shared safely with the people you wish to, and also store your personal data without worrying about being hacked by the strangers. By choosing the private setting, you may upload and schedule the date and time when a video can be made public on YouTube. It helps in saving storage space on your phone.

Takeaway: A private YouTube video is only available to YouTube users that you invite to view it.

3. What are Public Youtube Videos

The Public setting in the YouTube video is a default setting which allows everyone to see the video you post. When you want your video to appear in the search engine results and want more and more viewers and traffic on your video, you can keep the Public default setting on.

What Public YouTube Videos Can Do

Do you wish to grow your brand awareness? Select the Public default setting as it is the best way to do it. You may use the Public setting in any of these situations below:

• Having a video sharing business like explainer videos, product reviews, commercials, etc. with customers or prospective viewers
• Targeting at earning money through YouTube videos
• Looking forward to the growing personal brand by a YouTuber
• Looking for more and more subscribers on YouTube

But, you must remember that once you post the video, it will be available for everyone throughout the world on YouTube. Even if you decide to change the settings or delete the video, later on, you will be subjected to judgment, professionally and personally. While posting a video with Public setting, you must have an answer to questions like-

• Shall the senior or your boss see this video?
• Can your job prospect hamper with this video?
• Does the video contain harassing or offensive content?
• Can your friends ridicule you after seeing the video content?

If all the questions are answered in YES… then it is better to think hard and long before uploading the video content with Public setting on YouTube. You may upload the content with unlisted or private settings.

Takeaway: If you make a video public, anyone will be able to find and watch it. When uploading a video using default settings through YouTube, it will always default to being a public video.

Below is a brief comparison table about the differences among YouTube Unlisted, Private and Public video settings.

Feature	Unlisted	Private	Public
Can I share video URL to friends?	Yes	No	Yes
Can I add video to YouTube channel?	Yes	No	Yes
Can I shows up video in YouTube platform?	No	No	Yes
Can I post video on my channel?	No	No	Yes
Can I leave a comment?	Yes	No	Yes
Can I see it in landing page?	Yes	No	Yes
Do People need an account to watch it?	No	No	Yes

Part 2: How to Make an Unlisted YouTube Video

Follow the below-mentioned steps to make an unlisted YouTube video -

• Log in to your YouTube channel
• In the top right corner, click the add video button
• Find the drop-down menu and choose Upload Video
• Select the setting by clicking on Public and a drop-down menu appears to unlisted
• Search the instruction select files to upload your video
• When you start uploading your video, a message box appears, Click Public on the right side corner and select unlisted from the drop-down menu
• Once you have selected unlisted, click Done in the top right corner and your video is published

Part 3: How to Share Your Unlisted Video

If you wish to share the unlisted video , just share the published video link with anyone you wish to share. A Google account is not required to see the video. So, if the person you shared the link with is not logged in to his Google account, still the video can be viewed. The people who have the link to your video can also share and re-share the link in a number of ways. It can be shared on the social media or just forwarded amongst their friends. But, if you don’t want your friends to re-share it, change the settings to Private.

You can see a message showing “this video is unlisted” on YouTube when you want to share someone else’s unlisted video on social platforms. Think before you consider sharing an unlisted video.

Conclusion

Now, that you clearly know what does unlisted mean on YouTube, consider the option while uploading a video. It helps in retaining the privacy of your video.

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Whether personal or professional purposes, YouTube is a great platform for sharing videos but, there are times, when you don’t wish to share it with each and everyone across the globe. The YouTube unlisted meaning is a video which can be viewed only by the users having the link to it. At the back of your mind, you may be wondering how safe an unlisted video is. Let’s learn in detail what does unlisted mean on YouTube.

• Part 1: What is Unlisted Video on YouTube
• Part 2: How to Make YouTube Videos Unlisted
• Part 3: How to Share Unlisted Video

Wondershare Filmora video editor is one of the most widely used video editing software for YouTubers, it makes the video editing simplified with the pre-programmed effects and templates. You can download the free trial version to check.

---

Part 1: What Does Unlisted Video Mean on YouTube

The YouTube unlisted meaning is that your video will neither come up in the search results nor on your channel. Only the users who have the link to the video can view it. The link can be shared with anyone and everyone, even with the users who do not have a YouTube account. Many people don’t know the difference between private and unlisted YouTube videos . In order to understand what does unlisted mean on YouTube in a detailed way, let’s dive deeper into it and know the difference between public videos, unlisted videos, and private videos.

1. What is Unlisted YouTube Video

Between private and public, you can find the unlisted videos. What does unlisted mean on YouTube? An unlisted video does not appear in the search results, suggestions or video tab. If you unlist a new video, your subscribers won’t receive any notification informing about it. You can share an unlisted video with the people you wish to share and the users having a link to the video can see it. It can also be viewed by the friend of friends if they share the link with their friends.

The unlisted videos are treated like public videos by YouTube. This means that you cannot use the copyright audio or video and it will be reviewed by the YouTube team if other users flag it as inappropriate content within a timeframe of 24-hours .

What Unlisted YouTube Videos Can Do

The unlisted videos can be shared with family and friends. If you are conducting a webinar and wish to share the video with only the registered users, an unlisted video can be used. You may also use the unlisted video for giving access to the people who embedded it while cleaning the YouTube page. For getting feedback from closed groups for market research or to share online resume link for job applications, the unlisted videos can be of great help.

Takeaway: Unlisted videos are a great way to share personal videos with just your family and friends, or to get feedback from people you trust on videos before you decide whether to make them public.

2. What is Private YouTube Video

The videos that do not appear in the recommendations, search options in YouTube or in your tab are the private videos. When you select the private setting for a video, the subscribers don’t get a notification. The private videos can be seen only by the uploader and the mentioned Google accounts. It is not available for friends of friends which mean if you share a private video with a friend, only that person can see it. If your friend shares it with someone, it won’t be visible to others. If anyone wishes to view a private video, the person has to request permission to view to the uploader.

What Private Youtube Videos Can Do

By using private YouTube videos, the internal company information can be kept confidential, the family videos can be shared safely with the people you wish to, and also store your personal data without worrying about being hacked by the strangers. By choosing the private setting, you may upload and schedule the date and time when a video can be made public on YouTube. It helps in saving storage space on your phone.

Takeaway: A private YouTube video is only available to YouTube users that you invite to view it.

3. What are Public Youtube Videos

The Public setting in the YouTube video is a default setting which allows everyone to see the video you post. When you want your video to appear in the search engine results and want more and more viewers and traffic on your video, you can keep the Public default setting on.

What Public YouTube Videos Can Do

Do you wish to grow your brand awareness? Select the Public default setting as it is the best way to do it. You may use the Public setting in any of these situations below:

• Having a video sharing business like explainer videos, product reviews, commercials, etc. with customers or prospective viewers
• Targeting at earning money through YouTube videos
• Looking forward to the growing personal brand by a YouTuber
• Looking for more and more subscribers on YouTube

But, you must remember that once you post the video, it will be available for everyone throughout the world on YouTube. Even if you decide to change the settings or delete the video, later on, you will be subjected to judgment, professionally and personally. While posting a video with Public setting, you must have an answer to questions like-

• Shall the senior or your boss see this video?
• Can your job prospect hamper with this video?
• Does the video contain harassing or offensive content?
• Can your friends ridicule you after seeing the video content?

If all the questions are answered in YES… then it is better to think hard and long before uploading the video content with Public setting on YouTube. You may upload the content with unlisted or private settings.

Takeaway: If you make a video public, anyone will be able to find and watch it. When uploading a video using default settings through YouTube, it will always default to being a public video.

Below is a brief comparison table about the differences among YouTube Unlisted, Private and Public video settings.

Feature	Unlisted	Private	Public
Can I share video URL to friends?	Yes	No	Yes
Can I add video to YouTube channel?	Yes	No	Yes
Can I shows up video in YouTube platform?	No	No	Yes
Can I post video on my channel?	No	No	Yes
Can I leave a comment?	Yes	No	Yes
Can I see it in landing page?	Yes	No	Yes
Do People need an account to watch it?	No	No	Yes

Part 2: How to Make an Unlisted YouTube Video

Follow the below-mentioned steps to make an unlisted YouTube video -

• Log in to your YouTube channel
• In the top right corner, click the add video button
• Find the drop-down menu and choose Upload Video
• Select the setting by clicking on Public and a drop-down menu appears to unlisted
• Search the instruction select files to upload your video
• When you start uploading your video, a message box appears, Click Public on the right side corner and select unlisted from the drop-down menu
• Once you have selected unlisted, click Done in the top right corner and your video is published

Part 3: How to Share Your Unlisted Video

If you wish to share the unlisted video , just share the published video link with anyone you wish to share. A Google account is not required to see the video. So, if the person you shared the link with is not logged in to his Google account, still the video can be viewed. The people who have the link to your video can also share and re-share the link in a number of ways. It can be shared on the social media or just forwarded amongst their friends. But, if you don’t want your friends to re-share it, change the settings to Private.

You can see a message showing “this video is unlisted” on YouTube when you want to share someone else’s unlisted video on social platforms. Think before you consider sharing an unlisted video.

Conclusion

Now, that you clearly know what does unlisted mean on YouTube, consider the option while uploading a video. It helps in retaining the privacy of your video.

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Whether personal or professional purposes, YouTube is a great platform for sharing videos but, there are times, when you don’t wish to share it with each and everyone across the globe. The YouTube unlisted meaning is a video which can be viewed only by the users having the link to it. At the back of your mind, you may be wondering how safe an unlisted video is. Let’s learn in detail what does unlisted mean on YouTube.

• Part 1: What is Unlisted Video on YouTube
• Part 2: How to Make YouTube Videos Unlisted
• Part 3: How to Share Unlisted Video

Wondershare Filmora video editor is one of the most widely used video editing software for YouTubers, it makes the video editing simplified with the pre-programmed effects and templates. You can download the free trial version to check.

---

Part 1: What Does Unlisted Video Mean on YouTube

The YouTube unlisted meaning is that your video will neither come up in the search results nor on your channel. Only the users who have the link to the video can view it. The link can be shared with anyone and everyone, even with the users who do not have a YouTube account. Many people don’t know the difference between private and unlisted YouTube videos . In order to understand what does unlisted mean on YouTube in a detailed way, let’s dive deeper into it and know the difference between public videos, unlisted videos, and private videos.

1. What is Unlisted YouTube Video

Between private and public, you can find the unlisted videos. What does unlisted mean on YouTube? An unlisted video does not appear in the search results, suggestions or video tab. If you unlist a new video, your subscribers won’t receive any notification informing about it. You can share an unlisted video with the people you wish to share and the users having a link to the video can see it. It can also be viewed by the friend of friends if they share the link with their friends.

The unlisted videos are treated like public videos by YouTube. This means that you cannot use the copyright audio or video and it will be reviewed by the YouTube team if other users flag it as inappropriate content within a timeframe of 24-hours .

What Unlisted YouTube Videos Can Do

The unlisted videos can be shared with family and friends. If you are conducting a webinar and wish to share the video with only the registered users, an unlisted video can be used. You may also use the unlisted video for giving access to the people who embedded it while cleaning the YouTube page. For getting feedback from closed groups for market research or to share online resume link for job applications, the unlisted videos can be of great help.

Takeaway: Unlisted videos are a great way to share personal videos with just your family and friends, or to get feedback from people you trust on videos before you decide whether to make them public.

2. What is Private YouTube Video

The videos that do not appear in the recommendations, search options in YouTube or in your tab are the private videos. When you select the private setting for a video, the subscribers don’t get a notification. The private videos can be seen only by the uploader and the mentioned Google accounts. It is not available for friends of friends which mean if you share a private video with a friend, only that person can see it. If your friend shares it with someone, it won’t be visible to others. If anyone wishes to view a private video, the person has to request permission to view to the uploader.

What Private Youtube Videos Can Do

By using private YouTube videos, the internal company information can be kept confidential, the family videos can be shared safely with the people you wish to, and also store your personal data without worrying about being hacked by the strangers. By choosing the private setting, you may upload and schedule the date and time when a video can be made public on YouTube. It helps in saving storage space on your phone.

Takeaway: A private YouTube video is only available to YouTube users that you invite to view it.

3. What are Public Youtube Videos

The Public setting in the YouTube video is a default setting which allows everyone to see the video you post. When you want your video to appear in the search engine results and want more and more viewers and traffic on your video, you can keep the Public default setting on.

What Public YouTube Videos Can Do

Do you wish to grow your brand awareness? Select the Public default setting as it is the best way to do it. You may use the Public setting in any of these situations below:

• Having a video sharing business like explainer videos, product reviews, commercials, etc. with customers or prospective viewers
• Targeting at earning money through YouTube videos
• Looking forward to the growing personal brand by a YouTuber
• Looking for more and more subscribers on YouTube

But, you must remember that once you post the video, it will be available for everyone throughout the world on YouTube. Even if you decide to change the settings or delete the video, later on, you will be subjected to judgment, professionally and personally. While posting a video with Public setting, you must have an answer to questions like-

• Shall the senior or your boss see this video?
• Can your job prospect hamper with this video?
• Does the video contain harassing or offensive content?
• Can your friends ridicule you after seeing the video content?

If all the questions are answered in YES… then it is better to think hard and long before uploading the video content with Public setting on YouTube. You may upload the content with unlisted or private settings.

Takeaway: If you make a video public, anyone will be able to find and watch it. When uploading a video using default settings through YouTube, it will always default to being a public video.

Below is a brief comparison table about the differences among YouTube Unlisted, Private and Public video settings.

Feature	Unlisted	Private	Public
Can I share video URL to friends?	Yes	No	Yes
Can I add video to YouTube channel?	Yes	No	Yes
Can I shows up video in YouTube platform?	No	No	Yes
Can I post video on my channel?	No	No	Yes
Can I leave a comment?	Yes	No	Yes
Can I see it in landing page?	Yes	No	Yes
Do People need an account to watch it?	No	No	Yes

Part 2: How to Make an Unlisted YouTube Video

Follow the below-mentioned steps to make an unlisted YouTube video -

• Log in to your YouTube channel
• In the top right corner, click the add video button
• Find the drop-down menu and choose Upload Video
• Select the setting by clicking on Public and a drop-down menu appears to unlisted
• Search the instruction select files to upload your video
• When you start uploading your video, a message box appears, Click Public on the right side corner and select unlisted from the drop-down menu
• Once you have selected unlisted, click Done in the top right corner and your video is published

Part 3: How to Share Your Unlisted Video

If you wish to share the unlisted video , just share the published video link with anyone you wish to share. A Google account is not required to see the video. So, if the person you shared the link with is not logged in to his Google account, still the video can be viewed. The people who have the link to your video can also share and re-share the link in a number of ways. It can be shared on the social media or just forwarded amongst their friends. But, if you don’t want your friends to re-share it, change the settings to Private.

You can see a message showing “this video is unlisted” on YouTube when you want to share someone else’s unlisted video on social platforms. Think before you consider sharing an unlisted video.

Conclusion

Now, that you clearly know what does unlisted mean on YouTube, consider the option while uploading a video. It helps in retaining the privacy of your video.

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Whether personal or professional purposes, YouTube is a great platform for sharing videos but, there are times, when you don’t wish to share it with each and everyone across the globe. The YouTube unlisted meaning is a video which can be viewed only by the users having the link to it. At the back of your mind, you may be wondering how safe an unlisted video is. Let’s learn in detail what does unlisted mean on YouTube.

• Part 1: What is Unlisted Video on YouTube
• Part 2: How to Make YouTube Videos Unlisted
• Part 3: How to Share Unlisted Video

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Part 1: What Does Unlisted Video Mean on YouTube

The YouTube unlisted meaning is that your video will neither come up in the search results nor on your channel. Only the users who have the link to the video can view it. The link can be shared with anyone and everyone, even with the users who do not have a YouTube account. Many people don’t know the difference between private and unlisted YouTube videos . In order to understand what does unlisted mean on YouTube in a detailed way, let’s dive deeper into it and know the difference between public videos, unlisted videos, and private videos.

1. What is Unlisted YouTube Video

Between private and public, you can find the unlisted videos. What does unlisted mean on YouTube? An unlisted video does not appear in the search results, suggestions or video tab. If you unlist a new video, your subscribers won’t receive any notification informing about it. You can share an unlisted video with the people you wish to share and the users having a link to the video can see it. It can also be viewed by the friend of friends if they share the link with their friends.

The unlisted videos are treated like public videos by YouTube. This means that you cannot use the copyright audio or video and it will be reviewed by the YouTube team if other users flag it as inappropriate content within a timeframe of 24-hours .

What Unlisted YouTube Videos Can Do

The unlisted videos can be shared with family and friends. If you are conducting a webinar and wish to share the video with only the registered users, an unlisted video can be used. You may also use the unlisted video for giving access to the people who embedded it while cleaning the YouTube page. For getting feedback from closed groups for market research or to share online resume link for job applications, the unlisted videos can be of great help.

Takeaway: Unlisted videos are a great way to share personal videos with just your family and friends, or to get feedback from people you trust on videos before you decide whether to make them public.

2. What is Private YouTube Video

The videos that do not appear in the recommendations, search options in YouTube or in your tab are the private videos. When you select the private setting for a video, the subscribers don’t get a notification. The private videos can be seen only by the uploader and the mentioned Google accounts. It is not available for friends of friends which mean if you share a private video with a friend, only that person can see it. If your friend shares it with someone, it won’t be visible to others. If anyone wishes to view a private video, the person has to request permission to view to the uploader.

What Private Youtube Videos Can Do

By using private YouTube videos, the internal company information can be kept confidential, the family videos can be shared safely with the people you wish to, and also store your personal data without worrying about being hacked by the strangers. By choosing the private setting, you may upload and schedule the date and time when a video can be made public on YouTube. It helps in saving storage space on your phone.

Takeaway: A private YouTube video is only available to YouTube users that you invite to view it.

3. What are Public Youtube Videos

The Public setting in the YouTube video is a default setting which allows everyone to see the video you post. When you want your video to appear in the search engine results and want more and more viewers and traffic on your video, you can keep the Public default setting on.

What Public YouTube Videos Can Do

Do you wish to grow your brand awareness? Select the Public default setting as it is the best way to do it. You may use the Public setting in any of these situations below:

• Having a video sharing business like explainer videos, product reviews, commercials, etc. with customers or prospective viewers
• Targeting at earning money through YouTube videos
• Looking forward to the growing personal brand by a YouTuber
• Looking for more and more subscribers on YouTube

But, you must remember that once you post the video, it will be available for everyone throughout the world on YouTube. Even if you decide to change the settings or delete the video, later on, you will be subjected to judgment, professionally and personally. While posting a video with Public setting, you must have an answer to questions like-

• Shall the senior or your boss see this video?
• Can your job prospect hamper with this video?
• Does the video contain harassing or offensive content?
• Can your friends ridicule you after seeing the video content?

If all the questions are answered in YES… then it is better to think hard and long before uploading the video content with Public setting on YouTube. You may upload the content with unlisted or private settings.

Takeaway: If you make a video public, anyone will be able to find and watch it. When uploading a video using default settings through YouTube, it will always default to being a public video.

Below is a brief comparison table about the differences among YouTube Unlisted, Private and Public video settings.

Feature	Unlisted	Private	Public
Can I share video URL to friends?	Yes	No	Yes
Can I add video to YouTube channel?	Yes	No	Yes
Can I shows up video in YouTube platform?	No	No	Yes
Can I post video on my channel?	No	No	Yes
Can I leave a comment?	Yes	No	Yes
Can I see it in landing page?	Yes	No	Yes
Do People need an account to watch it?	No	No	Yes

Part 2: How to Make an Unlisted YouTube Video

Follow the below-mentioned steps to make an unlisted YouTube video -

• Log in to your YouTube channel
• In the top right corner, click the add video button
• Find the drop-down menu and choose Upload Video
• Select the setting by clicking on Public and a drop-down menu appears to unlisted
• Search the instruction select files to upload your video
• When you start uploading your video, a message box appears, Click Public on the right side corner and select unlisted from the drop-down menu
• Once you have selected unlisted, click Done in the top right corner and your video is published

Part 3: How to Share Your Unlisted Video

If you wish to share the unlisted video , just share the published video link with anyone you wish to share. A Google account is not required to see the video. So, if the person you shared the link with is not logged in to his Google account, still the video can be viewed. The people who have the link to your video can also share and re-share the link in a number of ways. It can be shared on the social media or just forwarded amongst their friends. But, if you don’t want your friends to re-share it, change the settings to Private.

You can see a message showing “this video is unlisted” on YouTube when you want to share someone else’s unlisted video on social platforms. Think before you consider sharing an unlisted video.

Conclusion

Now, that you clearly know what does unlisted mean on YouTube, consider the option while uploading a video. It helps in retaining the privacy of your video.

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

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