How to Add Tags to a YouTube Video (Step by Step)
Adding tags takes under a minute once you know where they live. Here's the exact process for videos and Shorts.
New to this? YouTube SEO in 2026: The Complete Guide for Creators covers the fundamentals first.
Adding tags to a video
- Go to studio.youtube.com and sign in.
- Click Content in the left sidebar.
- Select the video you want to tag.
- Open the Details tab and click 'Show more'.
- Find the Tags field and enter comma-separated tags.
- Keep the total under 500 characters and click Save.
Adding tags to a YouTube Short
Shorts use the same Tags field in YouTube Studio. Open the Short under Content → Details → Show more, and add your tags. For Shorts, also add #shorts and a couple of trending hashtags to your title or description to help YouTube group your clip in the Shorts experience.
What tags to add
Lead with your exact target keyword, then add a few broad category tags and several specific long-tail phrases. The fastest way to build a strong set is to use a YouTube tag generator, which produces balanced, difficulty-scored tags you can copy in one click.
Put this into practice
Generate a full set of ranking-ready tags for your next video in seconds — free.
Open the Tag Generator →