How to Add a YouTube Video Watermark

To add a YouTube video watermark, open YouTube Studio > Customization > Profile, choose an image and display time under Video watermark, then click Publish. The watermark gives viewers a way to subscribe on desktop without leaving the video.The overlay appears on eligible videos, but it is not clickable on mobile and does not appear on videos marked made for kids.

What a YouTube Watermark Does (and What it Does Not)

A YouTube video watermark is a channel-level image overlay in the bottom-right corner of eligible videos. Viewers can use it to subscribe on desktop, but it is not clickable on mobile.

What it won't do:

• Protect your video from theft (it's not baked into the file)
• Replace your other CTAs (it complements end screens and verbal asks, doesn't replace them)

How to Add a YouTube Video Watermark

Use YouTube Studio on a computer to add your watermark. Prepare a square image at least 150 × 150 pixels and less than 1 MB before you upload it.

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.
2. In the left menu, click Customization, then go to Profile.
3. Find Video watermark and choose your display time: Entire video, Custom start time, or End of video (last 15 seconds).
4. Click Change, upload your image, resize it in the preview, then click Done.
5. Click Publish.

The watermark applies to eligible videos on your channel without reuploading them.

YouTube Watermark Design Tips

Use a simple logo for branding or a subscribe-style image to make the action clear. Keep the design readable at its small on-screen size.

A logo emphasizes your brand. A subscribe-style image makes the intended action clearer, but neither design guarantees more subscribers.

Grab this exact 'Subscribe' button design here!

Design tips:

• Check readability at the watermark's actual on-screen size.
• Use high contrast so it's visible but not distracting
• Keep it to one word ("Subscribe" beats "Subscribe for more!")
• Avoid busy designs that clutter your video

Choose the Right Timing For Your Watermark

YouTube lets you choose when the watermark appears:

Entire video: Shows the watermark throughout the video. Use this if it stays clear of important visuals.

Custom start time: Keeps your intro clean if you're obsessive about those first 15 seconds. The watermark appears after your hook.

End of video (last 15 seconds): Works like a gentle reminder without competing with your intro.

Pro Tip: Choose the display time that keeps your video readable. There is no universal best timing for every channel.

Keep the Bottom-Right Corner Clear

Your watermark lives in the bottom-right, so treat that area as reserved space:

• Keep captions, text overlays, and key visuals out of that corner
• If you use lower-thirds, build templates that avoid the bottom-right
• Keep your watermark simple if your end screens are busy

Where YouTube Watermarks Appear

YouTube watermarks appear in landscape view on computers and mobile devices, but they are not clickable on mobile. They do not appear on videos marked made for kids.

Check Watermark Subscriptions in YouTube Analytics

Open YouTube Studio > Analytics, click See more, and select Subscription source. YouTube groups subscriptions from watermarks and end screens under Interactive features, so that total is not a watermark-only conversion measure.

If your channel does not have enough traffic for the selected period, the Subscription source dimension may not appear. Use the report to understand subscription sources, but do not treat a change in Interactive features as proof that a new watermark design caused it.

Pair Your Watermark with Other Subscribe Prompts

A watermark works best as part of a complete subscription strategy:

• Use an end screen subscribe button on every long video.
• Add a subscribe link near the top of your description on your top-performing videos.
• Say the CTA when the value is proven, not in the first 5 seconds.