YouTube hashtags are clickable links that connect your video to a broader topic feed. Used correctly, they can surface your content to people searching for that topic — even if they’ve never seen your channel. Here’s how to use them properly.
Short Answer: Add hashtags in your YouTube video description or title (max 3 hashtags show above the title; more than 15 in the description causes YouTube to ignore all of them). Use 3–5 relevant, specific hashtags per video for best results.
How YouTube Hashtags Work
When you add a hashtag like #AndroidTips to a video description, it becomes a clickable link. Clicking it shows a feed of all public YouTube videos using that hashtag. This gives your video a chance to appear in front of viewers browsing that topic — not just through search.
YouTube also displays up to 3 hashtags above the video title on the watch page. These are the most visible hashtags and come from whichever ones you put first in the description.
How to Add Hashtags to a YouTube Video
In the Description (Recommended)
- Go to YouTube Studio
- Click Content → select your video → click Details
- In the Description box, add hashtags on a new line at the bottom:
#AndroidTips #TechTips #SmartphoneTips - Click Save
📸 SCREENSHOT NEEDED: YouTube Studio video details page with hashtags added at the bottom of the description field
In the Title
You can also add a hashtag directly in the video title. YouTube will make it clickable and it counts toward the hashtags shown above the video player. Example title: “5 Android Tips You Should Know #AndroidTips”
YouTube Hashtag Rules You Need to Know
- Max 3 shown above the title: YouTube only shows the first 3 hashtags in the description above the video title, regardless of how many you add
- 15 hashtag limit: If your video has more than 15 hashtags, YouTube ignores ALL of them — a common mistake
- No spaces: Hashtags must be single words or joined phrases:
#AndroidTipsnot#Android Tips - No special characters: Only letters and numbers are valid in hashtags
- Misleading hashtags can get your video removed: Don’t use trending hashtags unrelated to your video
Warning: Don’t add irrelevant trending hashtags to your video just to get views. YouTube’s policy treats this as misleading metadata and may remove the video or restrict its reach.
How to Choose the Right Hashtags
Be Specific, Not Generic
Generic hashtags like #tech or #tips have millions of videos competing for attention. More specific hashtags like #AndroidTips2026 or #SamsungGalaxyS24Tips have less competition and more targeted audiences.
Research Hashtags Before Using Them
Click on a hashtag in YouTube to see how many videos use it and whether those videos are recent and getting views. A hashtag with 1,000–50,000 videos is a sweet spot — big enough to have an audience, small enough that your video can rank in it.
Use a Mix of Broad and Niche
A good hashtag set for a video about Samsung tips might be: #SamsungTips (broad, 100K+ videos) + #GalaxyS25Tips (niche, 5K videos) + #AndroidTips (mid-tier).
Do Hashtags Actually Help With YouTube SEO?
Hashtags are a minor ranking factor — your video title, description text, chapters, and engagement metrics matter far more. Think of hashtags as a small bonus for discovery, not a primary growth strategy. They’re most useful for:
- Trending topics (people actively browsing that hashtag)
- Niche topics with a dedicated audience
- Building a hashtag brand for your channel (consistent hashtag across all videos)
Best practice:
Use 3–5 hashtags | Put 3 most important ones first in description | One hashtag = your channel brand | Keep them specific and relevant
FAQ
Should I put hashtags in the title or description?
Description is cleaner — it keeps your title readable and professional. The first 3 hashtags in your description appear above the title anyway, so you get the visibility benefit without cluttering the title. Only add a hashtag to the title if it genuinely fits the headline naturally.
Can I add hashtags to old YouTube videos?
Yes. Go to YouTube Studio → Content → click any video → edit the description and add hashtags → Save. The hashtags become active immediately.
How many hashtags should I use per YouTube video?
3 to 5 is the sweet spot. Enough to cover your topic angle, not so many that it looks spammy. Never exceed 15 or YouTube ignores them all.
Quick checklist:
- ✅ Add 3–5 relevant hashtags at the bottom of the video description
- ✅ Put your most important hashtag first — it shows above the title
- ✅ Never exceed 15 hashtags per video
- ✅ Check hashtag competition by clicking it on YouTube before using
- ✅ Create one consistent branded hashtag for your channel
Open YouTube Studio ↗ ↗More YouTube Tips
Conclusion
Hashtags are a small but useful part of YouTube video optimization. Use 3–5 specific, relevant hashtags per video, never exceed 15, and put your most important ones first. For more ways to grow your YouTube channel, check our full guide on YouTube tips and tricks.