Add end screens to videos

Note: We’ve updated the way you link to external websites from cards and end screens. Previously, you had the option to link to an associated website or approved merchandise and crowdfunding websites. Now, eligible creators can link to any external website that complies with our policies, including our Community Guidelines and Terms of Service.

End screens can be added to the last 5–20 seconds of a video. You can use them to promote other videos, encourage viewers to subscribe, and more.

Note:

Your video has to be at least 25 seconds long to have an end screen.
Other interactive elements, like card teasers and video watermarks, are suppressed during the end screen.
End screens aren’t available for videos set as made for kids.

Add an end screen

Sign in to YouTube Studio.
From the left menu, select Content.
Click the video you’d like to edit.
Click the End screen box and choose the element you want to add.
Click SAVE.

If you select a video element, you can choose to display your most recent upload, best for viewer, or a specific video. If you select a channel element, you must add a custom message. You can also add and customize end screens while uploading a new video.

Customize an end screen

Elements are the pieces of content that you add to your end screen. There are many ways to customize the elements in your end screen. You can apply templates, change the timing of your elements, and decide where elements should show on your video.

Apply a template

Templates contain groupings of elements that you can customize to create an end screen.

Sign in to YouTube Studio.
From the left menu, select Content.
Click the video you’d like to edit.
From the left menu, select Editor.
Click Add element to apply your template.
Click SAVE.

Remove element type

Select an element by clicking it in the end screen row of the Editor.
To the left of your video, click Delete element .
Click Add element to choose another end screen element.
Click SAVE.

Change element timing

You can choose when you'd like your end screen elements to show in your video. End screen elements will show at the same time by default. You can customize individual elements to show at different times.

Select an element by clicking it in the end screen row of the Editor.
To the left of your video, find the boxes containing end screen time.
Update the start time or end time of the element.
Click SAVE.

You can also change the timing of your end screen element by using the arrows to drag it on the end screen row of the Editor.

Change element placement

Select an element by clicking it in the end screen row of the Editor.
In the video player, drag the element to the desired position.
Click SAVE.

Tip: Click the grid

in the player to show a grid over the video preview. You can also choose “Snap to grid” and “Snap to element” for help with placing your elements.

Preview your end screen

To see how your end screen looks while your video is playing, select the play button on the video player.

About end screens

What your end screen can show

Elements are the pieces of content that you add to your end screen. Some elements can be expanded or hovered over to give more info. You can add up to four elements in your end screen for videos with standard 16:9 aspect ratio. Other aspect ratios may have a lower limit.

Elements can feature different types of content:

Video or playlist:
- Feature your most recently uploaded video.
- Allow YouTube to select a video from your channel to best suit the viewer
- Pick any video or playlist (public or unlisted) from your or any other channel.
Subscribe: Encourage subscriptions to your channel.
Channel: Promote another channel with a custom message.
External websites: If you’re in the YouTube Partner Program, you can link to an external website.

Note: Make sure your linked external website complies with our policies, including our Community Guidelines and Terms of Service. Violations can result in card or link removal, strikes, or termination of your Google Account.

Best practices for creating end screens

Feature elements that are relevant to the video.
Encourage viewers to click using calls to action for different end screen elements.
If you use a custom image, we recommend using an image that's at least 300 x 300 pixel width.
Make sure you leave enough space and time at the end of the video for an end screen. Make sure you consider the video's last 20 seconds when editing it.
Consider timing different end screen elements to show at different times.

Check end screen metrics

You can check the performance of your end screens on the Engagement tab of YouTube Analytics.

Sign in to YouTube Studio.
From the left menu, select Analytics.
From the top menu, select Engagement.

If you’re viewing analytics for your entire channel:

To compare the success of different element types, use the “Top end screen element types” card.
To see videos with end screens that viewers clicked the most, use the “Top videos by end screen” card.

If you’re viewing analytics for a specific video:

To see how often viewers click your end screen elements, use the “End screen element click rate” card.

End screen requirements for viewers

Viewers can't see your end screens in these places:

On mobile web (exception: iPad mobile web).
In the YouTube Music or YouTube Kids apps.
In Flash videos.
In 360 videos.

End screens and videos set as made for kids

End screens aren’t available for videos set as made for kids.

Even if you previously added an end screen to your video, viewers won’t see end screens when your audience is set as made for kids.

Learn more about what happens when your video is set as made for kids.

Note: Your end screen may not always show, or may show differently than designed. This difference happens as we improve end screens based on performance, viewer behavior, device, and context.

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