YouTube title and description limits

Titles that survive truncation

Put the hook in the first 40–50 characters. Count the full title (max 100) in the Character Counter or the YouTube description tool. Repeat the hook in spoken audio; the title is not closed captions.

Description first lines

First two lines: what the video is, then a link if you need one. The remaining 4,800 characters can hold chapters and links. Count the first paragraph separately so the fold works.

Steps

1. Write a title under 100 characters with the hook first.
2. Write a 2-line description fold.
3. Count both, then paste into YouTube Studio.

Frequently asked questions