YouTube End Screen: Templates, Sizes & Best Practices (2026)
YouTube end screens are the interactive elements that appear in the last 5–20 seconds of your video. They’re one of the most effective tools for driving subscribers, views, and playlist engagement. Here’s everything you need to know.
What Is a YouTube End Screen?
An end screen is an overlay that appears at the end of your video, displaying clickable elements like:
- Video or playlist recommendations — link to another video or a playlist
- Subscribe button — one-click subscribe for viewers
- Channel promotion — link to another channel
- External link — link to an approved website (requires YouTube Partner Program)
You can add up to 4 elements on a single end screen.
YouTube End Screen Dimensions and Specs
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Video resolution | 1920 x 1080 (16:9) recommended |
| Safe area | Elements placed in the last 20% of the screen |
| Duration | 5–20 seconds |
| Element size | Subscribe button: ~150x150px, Video: ~300x170px |
| Minimum video length | 25 seconds |
End screen elements are positioned on a grid. YouTube handles the sizing, but you need to design your video’s final frame to accommodate the overlays without important content being covered.
How to Add an End Screen
- Go to YouTube Studio
- Select the video you want to edit
- Click Editor in the left sidebar
- Click End screen to add elements
- Choose from templates or build custom
- Position elements and set timing
- Click Save
Using YouTube’s Templates
YouTube offers several end screen templates:
- Single video — promotes one video
- Video + subscribe — one video suggestion and a subscribe button
- Two videos — two video recommendations side by side
- Video + playlist + subscribe — the most popular layout
Templates are a great starting point. You can customize the position and timing of each element after applying a template.
End Screen Best Practices
1. Design for the End Screen
Plan your video’s final frame to have space for end screen elements. Many creators use a dedicated end screen background — a simple branded frame with clear areas where elements will appear.
Avoid putting important text or visuals in the areas where end screen elements will overlay.
2. Use the Right Timing
The best timing for end screens is:
- Duration: 15–20 seconds for most videos
- Start: Begin after you’ve delivered your final piece of content and made your call-to-action
- Verbal CTA: Point to the end screen elements while saying “Watch this video next” or “Subscribe for more”
3. Choose the Right Elements
The most effective end screen combination for growth:
- Best for subscribers — subscribe button
- Best for views — link to your most popular or most relevant video
- Best for watch time — link to a playlist
Use the “Best for viewer” option when linking to videos — YouTube will automatically show each viewer the video they’re most likely to click.
4. Create a Verbal Call-to-Action
End screens alone aren’t enough. Tell viewers what to do:
- “If you found this helpful, watch this video next where I go deeper into…”
- “Subscribe and hit the bell so you don’t miss the next one”
- “Check out this playlist to learn everything about…”
Videos with verbal CTAs alongside end screens see significantly higher click-through rates.
5. Don’t Cover Important Content
Avoid placing end screen elements over:
- Your face (if you’re still talking)
- Text or graphics the viewer needs to read
- Important visual demonstrations
End Screen Templates and Ideas
For Educational Channels
- Link to the “next lesson” in a series
- Subscribe button
- Link to a playlist of the full course
For Entertainment Channels
- “Best for viewer” video recommendation
- Link to a recent upload
- Subscribe button
For Tutorial Channels
- Link to a related tutorial
- Link to a playlist of similar tutorials
- Subscribe button
Common End Screen Mistakes
- No end screen at all — you’re leaving views and subscribers on the table
- Too short (under 5 seconds) — viewers don’t have time to click
- No verbal CTA — just showing elements without telling viewers to click
- Linking to irrelevant videos — link to content the current viewer would logically want next
- Covering important content — design your outro to accommodate the overlays
End Screens vs Cards
| Feature | End Screen | Cards |
|---|---|---|
| When | Last 5–20 seconds | Anytime during video |
| Size | Large overlays | Small notification bar |
| Elements | Up to 4 | Up to 5 per video |
| Subscribe option | Yes | No |
| External links | Yes (YPP only) | Yes (YPP only) |
Use both — cards for mid-video links and end screens for your final call-to-action. Learn more about cards in our YouTube Cards guide.
Track Your Performance
YouTube Studio shows end screen analytics:
- Go to Analytics > Content tab
- Click on a specific video
- Scroll to End screen element click rate
Track which end screen elements get clicked most and optimize accordingly. For broader channel analytics and keyword tracking, check out our free YouTube tools and learn how to use YouTube Analytics effectively.