# How YouTube hashtags work, and which ones are worth using

> Where YouTube hashtags show, the 60-hashtag limit, the rules that get videos removed, hashtags vs tags, and how to pick hashtags that help.

Source: https://viralshooter.com/blog/guides/youtube-hashtags (Published October 2, 2026, by viralshooter)

Hashtags are keywords that start with **#**. On YouTube, each one links to a page of other videos that use the same hashtag, so viewers who like one video can find more like it. ([YouTube Help](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6390658))

This guide covers where hashtags show, the rules that matter, and how to pick ones that help.

## Where hashtags appear

You can add hashtags to a video's **title** or **description**, when you upload a video or record a Short. Type **#** and YouTube suggests popular hashtags as you go.

- Hashtags in the title and description become links to a page of videos sharing that hashtag.
- From the hashtags in your **description**, YouTube shows **up to three** that it considers most engaging next to your title. The rest still appear in the description.

## The rules that matter

YouTube's hashtag policies are short, and breaking them can hide your hashtags or remove the video:

- **No spaces.** Join words together: #TwoWords or #twowords.
- **Don't over-tag.** If a video has **more than 60 hashtags**, YouTube ignores every hashtag on it. Over-tagging can also get the video removed from your uploads or from search.
- **Stay relevant.** Hashtags unrelated to the video count as misleading and can get it removed.
- **No harassment, hate, sexual or vulgar hashtags.** These can lead to removal or age restriction.
- **No keyword dumps.** Ordinary descriptive tags or repeated sentences in the description are still prohibited.

Hashtags that break the rules won't show below your content and may be removed.

## Hashtags vs tags

They are different things. **Tags** are hidden keywords you add in YouTube Studio. YouTube says tags "play a minimal role" in a video's discovery, and are mostly useful when your topic is commonly misspelled. Your **title, thumbnail and description** matter more. ([YouTube Help](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/146402))

## How to pick hashtags that help

1. **Start specific.** A hashtag for your exact topic (#sourdough) connects you with people looking for it. Very broad ones (#video) put you among everything else.
2. **Keep it to a few.** Since only three show next to your title, put your best ones first in the description.
3. **Match what is actually charting.** Look at which hashtags videos in your niche use when they reach the charts, and borrow the ones that fit your video honestly.
4. **Check them before you post.** Click a hashtag to see the page it leads to. If those videos aren't like yours, pick another.

## See which hashtags the charts use

viralshooter lists [the hashtags shared by the most channels](https://viralshooter.com/hashtags) on the YouTube charts we track in 36 countries, with generic ones like #shorts left out. Open any hashtag to see the videos using it.

## FAQ

### How many hashtags should I use on YouTube?

As many as are genuinely relevant, usually a few. More than 60 and YouTube ignores all of them. Only three show next to your title.

### Do hashtags help a video get views?

They connect your video to a page of similar videos and help viewers find it. They don't replace a good title, thumbnail and description.

### Are hashtags and tags the same?

No. Hashtags are visible and clickable; tags are hidden keywords that YouTube says play a minimal role in discovery.

## Sources

- [YouTube Help: Find playlists & videos using hashtags](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6390658)
- [YouTube Help: Add tags to your YouTube videos](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/146402)