Short answer
- The limit is 1,000 characters. On desktop, the header shows about the first 86.
- Open with what viewers get and who it is for. Then add one line of proof.
- YouTube's page summary is the first 157 characters with line breaks removed, so keep the first paragraph longer than that.
- Put links in the Links field and your email in Contact info, not in the text.
What is the YouTube channel description character limit?
The limit is 1,000 characters. YouTube's Data API lists it for the channel description. Two shorter numbers matter more: the 86 or so characters the header shows, and the 157 that YouTube puts in the page summary. Here is every limit on the Profile screen.
| Field | Limit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Channel description | 1,000 characters | YouTube Data API: "maximum length of 1000 characters." |
| Shown in the channel header | About 86 characters on desktop, then "...more" | Our check of a live channel page, 12 Nov 2026. Narrower windows show less. |
| YouTube's page summary | First 157 characters, line breaks removed | Read from 12 live channel pages, 12 Nov 2026. This is the summary link previews and search engines can read. |
| Links | Up to 14 | YouTube Help. The first link shows next to your description. |
| Business email | Its own Contact info field | YouTube Help: lets people reach you for business questions. |
| Channel keywords | 500 characters in total | YouTube Data API. A separate field, not part of the description. |
| Name and handle changes | Twice each in 14 days | YouTube Help. Changing the name removes a verification badge. |
Where does the channel description show?
It shows in three places, and each one shows a different amount.
- The channel header. Under your name and subscriber count, one line, then "...more". Your first link sits right below it. This is what most visitors read.
- The About panel. Clicking "...more" opens the full text and all your links.
- The page summary. YouTube copies the first 157 characters into the page's description tag, then adds "...". Link previews and search engines can read it.
The page summary has a catch. YouTube deletes line breaks and adds no space. On 3 of the 12 channels below, two words get glued together in the summary. One reads "businessReserve". Another reads "AI.On". The checker flags this. The fix is to make your first paragraph longer than 157 characters.
How do you write a good YouTube channel description?
Write it for the visitor deciding whether to subscribe. They read one line, so that line has to name the result they get.
- Say what viewers get, and who it is for, in 86 characters or fewer. Pay off debt on a normal paycheck beats "Welcome to my channel!"
- Add one line of proof. A number or a credential, such as a former investment banker or $40,000 paid off in 18 months.
- Say what the videos cover. Keep this in the first paragraph so it runs past 157 characters.
- Add when you post and one next step. One free thing, linked below. Not five social links.
- Move links and email to their own fields. They work better there and save characters.
YouTube channel description template
Copy this and fill in the brackets. The Write one from a template tab above does it for you and checks the result.
[What viewers get] for [who it is for]. [One line of proof: why you]. Videos on [3 topics]. [When you post]. [One free thing], linked below.
Here it is filled in for a personal finance channel. It is the same idea we ran through the packaging workflow: a teacher who paid off $40,000 of student debt.
Pay off debt on a normal paycheck for teachers and other salaried workers. I paid off $40,000 of student debt in 18 months on a teacher's salary. Videos on budgets, debt payoff plans and the money mistakes I made. New video every Tuesday. Free debt payoff spreadsheet, linked below.
It is 284 characters. The first sentence is 74, so it fits in the header. The first paragraph runs past 157, so the summary has no glued words.
What do real channel descriptions look like?
I pulled the About text from 12 channels on 12 November 2026 and measured each one. Most are much shorter than the limit.
| Channel | Characters | Opens with | Then |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleo Abram | 986 | A role and the show: "Video journalist making optimistic tech explainers." | 3 social links in the text, then a long press bio |
| Ali Abdaal | 984 | Who he is: doctor turned entrepreneur and bestselling author | The story of the channel since 2017 |
| Nick Saraev | 870 | A greeting, then reach: "I've helped millions of people learn..." | Revenue proof and a list of what the videos cover |
| Liam Ottley | 492 | "I'm an AI entrepreneur from New Zealand." | What he created, then a mission line |
| Codie Sanchez | 436 | A mission: "Creating a nation of owners..." | Books and companies as arrow bullets |
| Kurzgesagt | 388 | A tagline: "Animation videos explaining things with optimistic nihilism..." | Who the team is, then where to follow |
| Mark Tilbury | 312 | The lessons from building a business after leaving school at 16 | Business email in the text |
| Nischa | 240 | "I'm a former Investment Banker (with an accountancy qualification)" | One link to a free workshop |
| MKBHD | 128 | Labels split by pipes: "Quality Tech Videos | YouTuber | Geek" | Business email and city |
| Decoding YT | 97 | "Let's DECODE the Secrets to YouTube Growth!" | Business email in the text |
| Alex Hormozi | 83 | Two roles: founder of Acquisition.com, co-founder of Skool.com | Points to a free roadmap in the links |
| John Hammond | 0 | Blank | Nothing |
What the 12 have in common
- The middle length is 350 characters. Only 3 use more than half the limit.
- Half open with who the creator is and why to trust them: a job, a result or a role.
- 8 of the 11 that have text run past 157 characters, so the page summary cuts them off.
- 3 put a business email in the text, though Contact info has a field for it.
- One is blank. People subscribe for the videos. The About text only has to confirm the choice.
How do I edit my YouTube channel description?
- Open YouTube Studio and click Customization.
- Click Profile.
- Edit the Description box. Add links under Links and your email under Contact info.
- Click Publish.
The same screen lets you add translations of your name and description, so viewers in other languages see their own version.
Does the channel description help SEO?
YouTube does not publish how much it counts. What we can measure is where the text goes. The first 157 characters become the page summary that link previews and search engines read. So use the words a viewer would search for, once, in those characters. Do not stuff a list of keywords. YouTube has a separate channel keywords field, capped at 500 characters, for that.
The bigger lever is the videos. People find a channel through a video, then check the header. If you are still choosing what to make, see which videos break out in your niche with the video analyzer or our YouTube growth strategy guide.
What are common channel description mistakes?
- Opening with a greeting. "Welcome to my channel" uses the one line people read and tells them nothing.
- A first sentence over 86 characters. It gets cut mid-sentence in the header.
- A short first paragraph. The summary glues it to the next line.
- A wall of links. Links in the text are not buttons. The Links field is.
- Pitching the creator, not the viewer. "I love making videos" is about you. "Pay off debt on a normal paycheck" is about them.
YouTube channel description FAQ
What is the character limit for a YouTube channel description?+
1,000 characters. YouTube's Data API lists that as the maximum for the channel description. Spaces, line breaks, emoji and links all count. The checker above counts the same way and turns red past 1,000.
How much of my channel description do people see?+
On desktop, the channel header shows one line, about 86 characters, then a "...more" link. Viewers click it to read the rest. On narrower screens the line is shorter. So your first sentence does most of the work.
What should I write in my YouTube channel description?+
Lead with what viewers get and who it is for. Add one line of proof that you can deliver it. Then list what the videos cover, when you post, and one free next step. Put links in the Links field and your business email in Contact info.
Does the channel description help YouTube SEO?+
YouTube does not say how much it counts. What we can show is that YouTube uses the first 157 characters as the page summary that link previews and search engines read. Write those characters for a person first. Use the words your viewers would search for, once, without stuffing.
How do I change my YouTube channel description?+
Open YouTube Studio, click Customization, then Profile. Edit the Description box and click Publish. The same screen holds your name, handle, links and contact email.
Should I put links and my email in the description?+
You can, but YouTube has better spots. The Links field holds up to 14 links and shows the first one in your header. The Contact info field holds your business email. Both keep your 1,000 characters for the pitch.
Is a channel description the same as a video description?+
No. The channel description sits on your channel page and pitches the whole channel. A video description sits under one video and has its own 5,000-character limit, hashtags and chapters. Our video description generator covers that one.
Related guides
YouTube description generator
The video description: the 150 characters people see, then the rest.
YouTube description templates
Copy-ready video description templates by niche.
YouTube chapters generator
Check timestamps against YouTube's 3 rules.
YouTube hashtag generator
How many hashtags to use and where they show.