How to Upload a Video to YouTube from Your Computer or Phone

YouTube is the largest video-sharing platform. You can share your video content on YouTube to reach a global audience. Uploading a video to YouTube is a simple process. Learn how to upload a video to YouTube from your computer, Android phone, or iPhone/iPad below.

How to Upload a Video to YouTube from Your Computer

1. Create a YouTube Account and Sign in to YouTube

If you don’t have a YouTube account yet, you need to create a YouTube account first before you can upload videos to YouTube.

YouTube is owned by Google. You can sign in to YouTube with a Google account.

You can open a web browser and open the Google account sign-in page. Click “Create Account” and follow the instructions to create a Google account. If you have a Google account, skip this step.

After that, open YouTube and click the “Sign In” button in the top-right corner of the screen. Enter your Google account credentials to log into YouTube.

2. Create a YouTube Channel

Once you are signed into YouTube, you can create your own YouTube channel where you can upload videos.

Click your profile icon in the top-right corner and select “Create a channel”.

Select a profile picture, enter a name for your channel, and click “Create channel”.

After creating the channel, you can customize your channel such as adding channel description, banner, links, etc. This helps personalize your YouTube channel.

3. Upload a Video to YouTube

Click the “+ Create” icon next to your profile and select “Upload Video”.

Click “Select files” and choose the video you want to upload from your computer. You can also drag and drop the video file into the window. Let the video upload completely.

4. Enter Video Details

After adding the video, you can add important details to your video.

• Add a descriptive and catchy title for your video.
• Write a detailed description of the video content.
• Add a thumbnail for your video. You can upload a custom thumbnail or select a thumbnail from the automatically generated options. A well-designed thumbnail helps increase the video’s click-through rate.
• Optionally add the video to a relevant playlist.
• Select whether the video is made for kids or not.
• Add relevant keyword tags that may help your video get discovered.

5. Adjust Video Settings and Preview the Video

Optionally add an end screen and cards to show related videos and promote related content at the end of your video.

Choose the video privacy settings: public, private, or unlisted.

Optionally you can select a specific date and time for publishing the video.

You can also play and preview the video before publishing.

6. Publish the Video on YouTube

After the video is processed and ready, click the “Publish” button to upload and publish the video to YouTube.

After publishing the video, you can click YouTube Studio > Subtitles and select the target video to edit its subtitles.

7. Share Your Video to Social Media Platforms

Once your video is published, YouTube offers a link to let you share the video with others. You can share it on various social media platforms and websites or via email.

8. Monitor Your Video Performance

After uploading the video to YouTube, you can click your profile icon, click “YouTube Studio”, and open YouTube Analytics to track views, likes, comments, and other metrics of your video.

Related: How to Fix YouTube Not Working – 8 Solutions

How to Upload a Video to YouTube from Android or iPhone/iPad

1. Download and open the YouTube app or YouTube Studio app on your phone or tablet. Sign into your YouTube account.
2. Tap the “+” icon at the bottom center of the screen and tap “Video”.
3. Select the video you want to upload from your mobile device. Tap Next.
4. Add details to your video such as title, description, thumbnail, enhancements, etc. Select the video visibility setting and adjust other settings.
5. Tap “Upload” to publish your video to YouTube.

How to Upload a Video to YouTube – FAQs

1. Can I upload videos to YouTube for free?

Yes, you can upload videos to YouTube for free. However, you need a Google account for uploading videos. You can upload videos up to 15 minutes long by default. The maximum file size for a video is 256 GB. While uploading videos is free, if you want to earn money from ads, etc. you may need to meet YouTube’s requirements for monetization.

2. How do I upload a video to YouTube for more than 20 minutes?

By default, YouTube allows users to upload videos for up to 15 minutes. To upload videos longer than 15 minutes, you need to verify your YouTube account.

On a computer, go to https://www.youtube.com/verify in your browser. Follow the steps to verify your YouTube account. You can choose to get a verification code through a text message on a mobile device or an automated voice call.

3. How do I upload a video from my camera to YouTube?

Use a USB cable to transfer the video file from your camera to your computer. If your camera supports wireless transfer, you can also use WiFi or Bluetooth to transfer videos wirelessly to your computer. After that, you can follow the steps above to upload videos to YouTube.

4. What is the best time to upload videos to YouTube?

The best time to upload videos to YouTube can vary depending on your target audience, location, and the type of video content. However, there are some general best times for uploading. On weekdays, the best times are late afternoon to evening. On weekends, the best times are the morning and afternoon hours.

You can also consider your audience’s time zone to set your upload time to fit when the audience is most active.

Still, if you have established a YouTube channel, you can use YouTube Analytics to check when your viewers are most active.

5. What is the age limit for uploading videos on YouTube?

• 13 years or older for creating a regular YouTube account and uploading videos.
• 18 years or older for the YouTube Partner Program (for monetization).