How to Schedule a YouTube Video (Steps and Time Zones)

Scheduling is the difference between posting when you happen to be free and posting when your audience is ready. If you batch your filming on a quiet day, or you want a launch video to go live while you're in a meeting, a scheduled upload does the publishing for you.

YouTube's help centre explains it clearly, and the whole thing is built into the upload screen. Here's the route, how to change the time afterwards, and the two details that cause most of the confusion: time zones and strikes.

Scheduling a YouTube video in YouTube Studio

These are the steps from YouTube's help page, for a computer:

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.
2. Click Create, then Upload videos.
3. Select your video file and fill in the details.
4. Open the Schedule card.
5. Choose the date, the time and the time zone you want it to publish in.
6. Click Schedule.

That's all there is to it. The video stays hidden until the moment you set, then turns public by itself. The help page also says that to schedule a video, you must first set it to scheduled or private on the upload page, which is what the Schedule card does for you.

Using the YouTube app to schedule a video

The help page says you can use the YouTube app for these actions too, but it doesn't give separate phone steps, and menus vary by app version. The wording it gives is the same sequence: Create, Upload videos, choose the file, add details, then look for the Schedule option and pick a date and time. If you can't find Schedule on your phone, use a computer for this one.

Changing the time of a scheduled YouTube video

Plans change, and YouTube's help covers that. In YouTube Studio:

1. Open Content and select the video.
2. Click Edit, then Visibility.
3. Keep the visibility as Private.
4. Click Edit draft and choose a new time under Schedule.
5. Click Publish.

The help page is firm about one thing here: visibility has to be Private for you to change the time. If it's set to something else, switch it back first.

Publishing a scheduled YouTube video early

Sometimes you're ready sooner than you thought. Go to Content, select the video, open Visibility, set it to Public and click Publish. YouTube's help describes exactly that, and the video goes live straight away.

Time zones on a scheduled YouTube video

This is where people get caught out. You pick a time zone when you schedule, so check the one shown before you click Schedule. YouTube also notes that the watch page date uses Pacific Standard Time. If your own time zone is ahead of PST, the date on the watch page can look different from the date you see in YouTube Studio. That doesn't mean it published at the wrong moment, it just means two screens are showing the date in different ways.

A tip I use for client work: write the publish time and time zone in your content plan next to the video, so everyone checks the same thing.

When a scheduled YouTube video stays private

The help page flags one situation to know about. If your account has a Community Guidelines strike, the video is set to private for the penalty period and won't publish. After the freeze ends you'll need to reschedule it. So if a video you scheduled didn't go live, that's one of the first things to check in Studio.

Scheduling a YouTube video as part of a small business routine

A few ways I'd put this to use:

• Film several videos in one session, then spread the publishing over a few weeks.
• Time a how-to video to land alongside an email or social post about the same topic.
• Line up an announcement for a quiet time when your team can answer comments.
• Keep a steady schedule so customers know when to expect something new.

Before you schedule anything, make sure the basics are in place. My guide to uploading a video to YouTube covers the details, and if you'd like to share a link with a client before it goes public, my explainer on what unlisted means on YouTube describes the other visibility options.

Preparing a YouTube video before you schedule it

1. Check the title, description and thumbnail on the upload screen.
2. Add subtitles if you want viewers to follow without sound. My guide to adding subtitles to a YouTube video shows how.
3. Confirm the time zone shown on the Schedule card.
4. Click Schedule, not Publish.

If your YouTube scheduled video didn't go live

Work through these checks in order:

1. Open Content in YouTube Studio and look at the video's visibility.
2. Check the date, time and time zone you picked.
3. Remember the watch page date uses Pacific Standard Time.
4. Look for a Community Guidelines strike, which keeps the video private during the penalty period.
5. If the time passed and the video is still private, set it to Public and click Publish.

If something still looks wrong, use the help centre to report it.

If you want the full set, start at the YouTube Help: 30 Guides to Channels, Subscribers, Monetisation, Thumbnails and Fixes.

Frequently asked questions

How do I schedule a YouTube video?

In YouTube Studio click Create, then Upload videos, choose your file, add details, open the Schedule card, pick a date, time and time zone, then click Schedule.

Can I change the time of a scheduled YouTube video?

Yes. Open Content, select the video, click Edit then Visibility, keep it Private, click Edit draft, choose a new time under Schedule and click Publish.

How do I publish a scheduled video early?

Open the video in Content, go to Visibility, set it to Public and click Publish.

Why is my scheduled YouTube video showing a different date?

YouTube says the watch page date uses Pacific Standard Time, so it can differ from Studio if your time zone is ahead.

Why didn't my scheduled video publish?

If your account has a Community Guidelines strike, YouTube says the video stays private during the penalty period and you'll need to reschedule it afterwards.