How to add links to your YouTube channel and description

Want to direct your viewers to your website, your social profiles, or your online store? YouTube lets you copy and paste URLs into your video description to create clickable links. You can also add up to 14 links to your YouTube channel, with the first link spotlighted right next to your subscribe button.

Where links can go on YouTube

On YouTube, you can add links in two primary places: your long-form video descriptions and your channel. A video description holds links for that long-form video and appears under it, where the first few lines show before a viewer taps "more." On your channel banner, you can add up to 14 custom links, and these same links will appear on your channel’s About page.

Video description links change with every new upload, while channel links remain the same across every upload.

Keep in mind that all links shared on YouTube must align with the platform’s external link policy; violating this policy may lead to video removal, warnings, channel strikes, and even account termination for repeated violations.

How to add a link to your YouTube video description

Adding clickable links to your YouTube video descriptions helps drive traffic to your website, latest content, new offers, and more. You can add links on desktop and mobile through YouTube Studio. If your links aren’t saving or appearing as clickable, check your Advanced Features channel settings (Settings > Channel > Feature eligibility). Hashtags in your description help too. Our free YouTube hashtag generator suggests tags for your topic.

Adding video description links on desktop

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.
2. From the left menu, select Content.
3. Find the video you want to update, and click Details.
4. Scroll down to the description and paste in your URL.
   1. Make sure to include the https:// or http:// when copying the URL to ensure the link is clickable.
5. Click Save.

Adding video description links on mobile

The steps to add video description links are the same on both Android and iOS devices:

1. Open the YouTube Studio app.
2. Tap Content at the bottom of the screen and find the video.
3. Tap the three dots next to the video and tap Edit video (or tap the pencil icon at the top if you’re already viewing the video details).
4. Tap on the Description box.
5. Paste in your URL, ensuring it includes https:// or http:// to be clickable.
6. Tap Save to apply your changes.

How to add YouTube channel profile links

On YouTube, you can add up to 14 links to your channel Home tab. The first link appears prominently near your subscribe button, so it's most likely to grab attention and drive action. Your remaining links appear for viewers who click to see more links.

Adding channel profile links on desktop

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.
2. From the left menu, select Customization > Profile.
3. Under Links, select Add link and enter the title and URL of your link.
4. Click Publish.

Adding channel profile links on mobile

The steps to add channel profile links are the same on both Android and iOS devices:

1. Open the YouTube Studio app.
2. In the top right, tap your profile picture.
3. Next to your channel description, tap Edit.
4. Under Links, tap Edit.
5. Tap Add and enter the title and URL of your link.
6. Tap Done > Save.

Why is your link not clickable on YouTube?

Only certain kinds of links are clickable on YouTube. Formatting errors, missing verification, and platform restrictions can all cause links to appear as plain text rather than blue, interactive, clickable links.

Start by troubleshooting which type of link you’re using and where you’re trying to place it. The table below shows whether links are clickable or not based on where they go on YouTube.

*To add clickable external links, your channel needs access to advanced features.

If your link is going somewhere the table marks as clickable and still isn't blue, these are the most common reasons and how to fix each one.

You’ve used improper formatting

• The issue: A link only turns blue when YouTube recognizes it as a web address. A partial address, stray space, or typo can break the URL and leave it as plain text.
• The fix: Always check you’ve copied over the full address, starting with https:// or http://, straight from your browser. Save the description, watch the video, and check that the link is blue.

Missing a protocol prefix (https:// or http:// at the start of the URL) is one of the most common reasons your link isn’t clickable on YouTube. Pasting in a link like example.com means YouTube will treat the link as plain text, removing its clickable functionality.

To correctly format your URLs when sharing on YouTube:

1. Open the page you want to link to and copy the full address from your browser's address bar. It should start with https:// or http://.
2. In YouTube Studio, open the video you want to edit and select the description box.
3. Paste the address in. Make sure there are no spaces in the middle and no line breaks splitting it in two.
4. Save your changes.
5. Open the video on YouTube, expand the description, and check that the link is blue and opens the right page.

Your video is a YouTube Short

• The issue: To reduce spam and scams, YouTube doesn’t allow clickable links in Shorts descriptions or comments.
• The fix: Redirect viewers to your channel profile links, which are clickable (you can add up to 14 links or use Linktree to house all your important content in a single profile link).

YouTube Shorts intentionally have clickable links disabled on the platform. Shorts tend to reach new audiences fast, and bad actors can use the format to spread dangerous or misleading information. Plus, scammers have bypassed automated detection systems in the past, leading YouTube to roll out a blanket ban on links in YouTube Shorts descriptions, comments, and vertical live feeds.

As a workaround, you can prompt viewers to visit your channel’s profile links instead. Using one link to share everything you do is a handy way to reduce friction and help viewers find links relevant to the Short they just watched.

You don’t have Advanced Features enabled

• The issue: Clickable links in long-form video descriptions and comments need advanced features. Channels without much history may not have access yet, and YouTube can delay or restrict access if a channel runs into policy problems, like a Community Guidelines strike or spam. If your links stay plain text even when the formatting is perfect, this is usually why.
• The fix: Check your status first, then work through these verification levels.

To prevent automated spam and scam accounts from sharing dangerous links, YouTube also introduced Advanced Feature settings. Verifying your account unlocks Advanced features, like clickable links in long-form videos. Here’s how:

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.
2. Select Settings > Channel > Feature eligibility.
3. Look for Enabled next to the features you can use.
4. If advanced features aren't turned on, start with phone verification. Open Intermediate features, select Verify phone number, and enter the code YouTube sends via text or call.
5. Next, open Advanced features and click Access features.

Most active channels qualify for Advanced Features automatically. If you want access sooner, choose ID or video verification and follow the prompts. Keep in mind you must be the primary channel owner to verify the account.

💡 Pro tip: If you see an error saying advanced features aren't available for your account, you're probably signed in to an account you don't own, like a Brand Account. Make sure to sign in to the account you’ve used to set up this YouTube channel.

Your link breaks YouTube’s content and placement guidelines

• The issue: YouTube doesn’t allow links that direct viewers to content that violates its Community Guidelines under its external links policy.
• The fix: Check if your link falls under a prohibited external links category, and swap it for one that follows the guidelines.

YouTube’s external links policy has strict guidelines about where you can and can’t direct viewers. Disallowed links include adult content, sites that install malware or steal login details, sources offering free access to paid content or software, and sites selling regulated goods. It also covers content that promotes hate, harassment, or violence. YouTube says its list isn't complete.

The policy also applies to more than pasted URLs. It includes URLs shown in videos, workarounds like writing "dot com," and verbally sending viewers to a site.

One link instead of five

A YouTube video description with five links asks viewers to choose, and many will scroll past instead of engaging. Plus, it creates more work for you as a creator: if URLs change, you need to manually update the description links on every single video.

The fix is pointing each description to one link for everything you do. Add the link once, and every video stays up to date; you control what appears on your Linktree and can adjust links in real time as offers, products, and new releases change. You can even use a short link to make it easy to say out loud in your videos, too.

Once it’s set up, you can see what people click to learn which links are worth keeping, and use that to keep reaching the people watching your videos with fresh content about topics they care about.

Finding a link someone else mentioned

When a creator directs you to “click the link below”, they’re usually referring to a clickable URL in the video description. Scroll down below the video, select ‘more’ to expand the video description, and look for the link they’ve mentioned. If the creator mentioned it but you can't find it there, check their channel page, where channel links live.

Keep your links working on YouTube

Adding links to your YouTube video description is usually a simple copy-and-paste job. If the link isn’t clickable, check the formatting, review your advanced features settings, and make sure you’re not trying to add a link to your Shorts description. And if keeping five links current across every video has become a job in itself, one link under every video means you only update it once.