YouTube notes are short pieces of context that appear below a video when it's inaccurate or unclear. Eligible viewers write them, other people rate them, and a note is only published if it's rated as helpful by many people with a broad set of perspectives. Writing notes is only available in the United States, in English.
If you've spotted a box of extra context under a YouTube video and wondered who put it there, this is it. Notes aren't written by the creator, and they aren't written by YouTube staff. Here's how the feature works, who's allowed to write one, and what to do if you think a note under your own video is wrong.
What a YouTube note is for
YouTube says you can sign up to submit notes on videos you find inaccurate or unclear, to help others stay informed. Its writing tips describe a good note as one that adds clarity or useful context, addresses a claim made in the video or title directly, and offers context that isn't readily available in the video, description or title.
Everyone can see published notes, on mobile and on computer, even if they can't write them.
Who can write YouTube notes
Eligibility is strict. To write notes, YouTube says your channel must meet all of these conditions:
| Requirement | Detail from YouTube Help |
|---|---|
| Channel age | Created 6 or more months ago |
| Strikes | No Community Guidelines strike in the past 12 months |
| Account type | Not a supervised account |
| Ownership | Doesn't have multiple owners |
| Not shared | Isn't owned by an account that can be managed by multiple users, like a Brand Account or school account |
| Location and language | Based in the United States with your language set to English |
The Brand Account rule matters for business channels. If your company channel is run as a Brand Account with several managers, it can't write notes, even if it ticks every other box.
How to sign up to write notes
Sign-up happens in the mobile app, not on a computer:
- Sign in to the YouTube mobile app.
- Tap your profile picture.
- Tap Settings, then General.
- Tap Help inform viewers to begin signing up.
If you sign up, you'll get a notification when you're off the waitlist and can start writing. If you're off the waitlist but still can't write notes, YouTube says to check you're logged in to the channel that has access and was mentioned in your invite email.
How to write a note on a video
- Under the video you're watching, select Add note.
- Write your note in the text box.
- Optionally, under Timestamp, add the time in the video your note refers to. You can type it or add the current time.
- Optionally, add a link to a source that supports your note. Separate multiple links with a comma.
- Select Submit.
If you don't see Add note, you may not be eligible yet. YouTube also says the option isn't available on videos that may feature minors, Made for Kids content or private videos.
YouTube's rules for a helpful note
- Write in your own words, never text copied from a source.
- Cite sources that support the note's claims.
- Use language that's easy to understand.
- Use neutral language and avoid expressing an opinion.
- Address a claim in the video or title directly, with a timestamp if possible.
- Use 600 characters or less.
If you like the timestamp idea, the same trick works for sharing: my guide on sharing a YouTube video at a specific time shows how.
How a note gets published
Notes aren't approved by a vote of fans. YouTube says third-party human evaluators rate the helpfulness of notes, and they're the same people who give feedback on YouTube's search results and recommendations. Raters are asked whether a note is helpful, including whether it cites high-quality sources and is written clearly and neutrally.
A note only shows under a video if a wide range of people rate it as helpful. YouTube's systems look at rating history and pick out notes where raters who've historically disagreed now agree. Not every note is published, and every note must follow YouTube's Community Guidelines.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
If your note is published, you get a notification, it appears below the video, and it's anonymous, so your channel name isn't shown.
How to delete a note you wrote
You can delete your note at any time, even after it's published. In the YouTube app, tap the You tab, then Settings, then Your data in YouTube, then Manage your YouTube Watch History, then Interactions, Context notes and ratings, and tap delete beside your note. You can also delete it from the video itself by selecting Add note, then More beside your note, then Delete. YouTube says removal can take a few hours.
If you think a note on your video is wrong
YouTube says that if you believe the info in a note is incorrect, select More beside the note, then Send feedback. For creators, the bigger lesson is in the writing tips: notes target claims that the video, description or title don't back up. Clear sourcing in your description gives a note less to add. If your worry is a policy problem rather than a note, my guide to YouTube Community Guidelines strikes covers how those work.
My verdict
YouTube notes are a context layer, not a punishment. Viewers can't add a note just because they dislike a video: it has to be rated helpful by people who usually disagree, and it has to stay neutral and sourced. If you're in the US and your channel qualifies, it's worth signing up. If you're a creator, the best protection is simple: source your claims in the description so there's nothing missing for a note to fill.
Frequently asked questions
What are notes on YouTube?
Notes are short pieces of context that appear below a video, written by eligible viewers and published only if many people with different perspectives rate them as helpful.
Who can write notes on YouTube?
Your channel must be at least 6 months old, have no Community Guidelines strike in the past 12 months, not be supervised, a Brand Account or have multiple owners, and be based in the United States with English set.
How long can a YouTube note be?
YouTube's writing tips say to use 600 characters or less.
Is my name shown on a published YouTube note?
No. YouTube says a published note is anonymous, so your channel name won't be displayed.
Who decides if a YouTube note is published?
Third-party human evaluators rate notes, and a note shows under a video only if a wide range of people rate it as helpful.
