How many hashtags should I use on YouTube?

YouTube allows a maximum of 15 hashtags per video. If you add more than 15, YouTube ignores all of them — not just the extras. Most creators use 3-5 hashtags. The first 3 from your description appear as clickable links above your video title.

Where do I put hashtags on YouTube?

Add hashtags anywhere in your video description. The first three hashtags will appear as blue clickable text above your video title, regardless of where you place them in the description. Common placement is at the end of the description.

Do YouTube hashtags actually help with views?

The impact is small. Hashtags create clickable links that group videos by topic, which can drive minor discovery. They also give YouTube an additional context signal. But they're far less impactful than title, thumbnail, and watch time.

What's the difference between YouTube hashtags and tags?

Hashtags are visible to viewers, appear above the video title, and are clickable. Tags are hidden metadata in a separate field with a 500-character limit. Both give YouTube context signals. Hashtags are limited to 15; tags are limited by character count.

Jay Gondaliya · Updated August 12, 2026

YouTube Hashtags: The Complete Guide

YouTube hashtags are clickable links that group videos by topic. They appear above your video title — the first 3 hashtags from your description show as blue text. Unlike tags (hidden metadata), hashtags are visible to viewers. Use 3-5 relevant hashtags; more than 15 and YouTube ignores all of them.

Definition: A YouTube hashtag is a word or phrase prefixed with # (no spaces) placed in a video’s description or title. YouTube converts it into a clickable link that leads to a feed of videos using the same hashtag.

Hard numbers

Rule	Value
Maximum hashtags per video	15 (all ignored if exceeded)
Shown above title	First 3 from description
Recommended count	3-5
Format	#NoSpaces, letters and numbers only
Case sensitivity	None (search-wise), but mixed case aids readability
Hashtags in title	Allowed, but uses title character space

How YouTube hashtags work

When you add hashtags to your video description, YouTube turns them into clickable links. Clicking a hashtag takes viewers to a feed of other videos with the same hashtag.

The first 3 hashtags in your description appear as blue, clickable text directly above your video title. This is prime real estate — visible before viewers click “Show more.”

Where to put hashtags

Placement	Pros	Cons
End of description	Keeps first lines clean for SEO text	Less prominent in description
Start of description	Front and center	Takes up preview space
In the title	Maximum visibility	Uses title character space
Mixed throughout	Natural integration	Harder to manage

The first 3 hashtags from your description show above the title regardless of where you place them.

Hashtags vs. tags

	Hashtags	Tags
Visible to viewers	Yes (above title + in description)	No (hidden metadata)
Clickable	Yes (links to hashtag feed)	No
Character limit	No per-hashtag limit	500 total characters
Count limit	15 max	No count limit (character-limited)
Placement	Description or title	Separate “Tags” field
Shown above title	First 3	Never
Penalty for excess	All ignored if >15	Can’t exceed 500 chars
Algorithm impact	Very low	Low

Both serve as context signals for YouTube’s algorithm. Tags give you more space (500 characters) for detailed keywords. Hashtags give you visibility (above the title) for broad topic labels. Use both.

Hashtag format rules

Start with # followed by text, no space: #premiereprotutorial
No spaces within a hashtag. “Premiere Pro” becomes #premierepro or #PremierePro
Letters and numbers only. Special characters break the hashtag.
Case doesn’t matter for search, but mixed case improves readability: #PremiereProTutorial vs #premiereprotutorial

Choosing good hashtags

The best hashtags are:

Directly relevant to your video content
Actually searched by YouTube users
Specific enough to be meaningful (#PremiereProTutorial over #video)

The hashtag generator pulls candidates from YouTube autocomplete, so you know people actually search for these terms.

What not to do

No misleading hashtags. Using #MrBeast on an unrelated video violates YouTube’s policies.
No more than 15. Exceeding 15 means YouTube ignores all of them.
No spaces in hashtags. #premiere pro creates a hashtag for just “premiere.”
No harassment or hate. Can get your video removed.

Bottom line

Add 3-5 relevant hashtags to your description. Make sure they match your content. Use the hashtag generator to find ones backed by real search data. Then focus on what actually drives views: your title, thumbnail, and content quality.