Where to find and edit your YouTube About section

Your YouTube About section lives on your channel page, visible to anyone who visits. To change it, go to YouTube.com, click your profile icon in the top right corner, and select Create a channel if you haven't already, or Manage your channel if you have. On your channel page, click the About tab near the top. You'll see a pencil icon next to your channel description — click it to edit.

If you're on mobile, the process is similar: tap your profile icon, go to your channel, tap About, and look for the edit button (usually three dots or a pencil icon). The mobile version may look slightly different depending on your device, but the location of the About tab stays the same.

Key Takeaways

  • Your About section is edited from the About tab on your channel page, accessible through your profile menu.
  • YouTube lets you write up to 1,000 characters in your channel description, which appears on the About tab.
  • You can add links to your website, social media, or other channels in the Links section of your About page.
  • Changes to your About section take effect when ready and are visible to all viewers.

What you can include in your channel description

The main text field in your About section allows up to 1,000 characters. This is where you tell viewers what your channel is about, what kind of content they'll find, and why they should subscribe. Be clear and direct — many people scan rather than read, so put the most important information first.

You can mention your upload schedule, the topics you cover, or what makes your channel different. Some creators use this space to explain their background or why they started the channel. Keep in mind that the first two or three lines are what viewers see before they click "Show more," so lead with your strongest hook.

Adding links to your About section

Below your description, YouTube provides a Links section where you can add up to five external links. These might point to your website, Patreon, Discord server, Instagram profile, or any other URL you want viewers to find. Click Add link and paste the full URL (including https://).

Each link can have a custom label — for example, instead of showing the full URL, you can label it "My Website" or "Support Me." YouTube will display these links on your About tab, and they're clickable for all viewers. If you remove a link later, just delete it from the list and save your changes.

Uploading and changing your channel art

While you're editing your About section, you may also want to update your channel art — the banner image that appears at the top of your channel page. Click Add channel art (or the pencil icon if you already have one) to upload a new image. YouTube recommends images that are 2560 × 1440 pixels, though it will resize them to fit different devices.

Your profile picture (the small circular image next to your channel name) is separate. To change that, click your profile icon in the top right of YouTube, go to Create a channel or Manage your channel, and look for the profile picture option. Both the banner and profile picture update when ready across YouTube.

How changes appear to viewers

Any edits you make to your About section are live right away — you don't need to wait for approval or refresh the page. Viewers will see your updated description, links, and channel art the next time they visit your channel or refresh their browser. If you're checking your own channel, you may need to clear your browser cache or open an incognito window to see changes when ready.

Keep in mind that YouTube's search and recommendation systems don't use your About section to rank or promote your videos. Your About section is purely for viewers who land on your channel page — it helps them decide whether to subscribe and understand what you make.

What you cannot change in the About section

Your channel name and URL are separate from your About section. To change your channel name, go to Settings (the gear icon on your channel page) and look for Basic info. You can change your channel name up to three times every 90 days. Your custom URL (the youtube.com/@yourname address) has different rules and requires at least 500 subscribers and 3,000 watch hours in the past year.

You also cannot add HTML, embed videos, or use special formatting in your About section — YouTube accepts plain text only. Links must be pasted as full URLs; YouTube will automatically make them clickable.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many characters can I use in my channel description?

YouTube allows up to 1,000 characters in your main channel description. This includes spaces and line breaks. If you need more room to explain your channel, you can use the Links section to point viewers to a website or document with more details.

Can I add hashtags to my About section?

Yes, you can type hashtags in your description, and viewers can click them to search for that hashtag on YouTube. However, hashtags in your About section don't affect how YouTube recommends your videos — they're just for viewer convenience. Hashtags in your video titles and descriptions have more impact on discoverability.

What happens if I delete my About section?

If you clear your description entirely, your About tab will be blank. Viewers will still be able to see your channel art, profile picture, and links, but there will be no text explaining what your channel is about. You can always add a description back later.

Do I need to verify my links before adding them?

No, YouTube doesn't verify links before you add them. However, make sure the URLs are correct and lead to active websites. If a link breaks or points to a dead page, viewers will see an error when they click it.