YouTube Description Counter
YouTube allows up to 5,000 characters in video descriptions.
YouTube description limits
- Video description: 5,000 characters
- Video title: 100 characters
- Channel description: 1,000 characters
- Tags total: 500 characters
- Comment: 10,000 characters
Only the first 200–250 characters of a description appear in search results. Use those characters for keywords and a compelling summary to improve click-through rates.
SEO tip: Include your primary keyword in the first 100 characters. YouTube's algorithm reads descriptions to understand what your video is about.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Every character in a URL counts toward your 5,000-character description limit. Use a URL shortener if character space is tight, but note that full URLs (not shortened) can look more trustworthy to viewers.
Google typically shows 155–160 characters of a YouTube description in search snippets. Write your most important summary within the first 150 characters.
Yes — if your video is longer than 5 minutes, adding timestamps (chapters) in the description increases watch time and engagement. Format: 0:00 Intro, 1:30 Topic name, etc.