Channel Trailer

What is a channel trailer on YouTube?

A channel trailer is the short video YouTube shows on your channel Home tab to people who have not subscribed yet. It previews what the channel is about so a first-time visitor can decide to subscribe. Once someone watches it, YouTube stops showing it to them.

Why the channel trailer matters

Most people reach your channel from a single video, and the Home tab is where they decide whether to stay. The trailer is the slot YouTube reserves for people who have not subscribed — returning subscribers see a separate featured video instead. A trailer that holds attention also adds to the channel's watch time, because the visitor keeps playing instead of leaving.

By default ads do not run on the trailer, unless the video contains third-party claimed content. Treat it as a shop window rather than a revenue slot.

How to add a channel trailer

The trailer sits on the channel Home tab, so that tab has to be on. In YouTube Studio the toggle is under Customization, then Home tab.

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.

2. From the left menu, select Customization, then Home tab.

3. Under "Layout", click ADD section, then Channel trailer.

4. Select the video you want to use.

5. Click Publish.

The same Layout area holds up to 12 custom sections and starts with 4 pre-populated ones: Short videos, Uploads, Created playlists, and Subscriptions you have made public. To highlight a video for people who already subscribe, add a Spotlight section instead — that is the featured video for returning subscribers.

How to tell whether the trailer works

Open the analytics of the trailer video itself and read the Engagement tab: audience retention shows where new visitors stop watching, which is the clearest sign that the opening drags or the promise is unclear. Then compare the subscribers gained on the trailer with your regular uploads over the same period.

Swap the trailer whenever the format of the channel changes. A trailer describing a channel you no longer run costs you exactly the visitors who were closest to subscribing. If the channel is still new, our guide on how to start a YouTube channel covers the rest of the Home tab.