A YouTube end screen should continue viewing after the video's promise has been fulfilled. Choose one main continuation and leave time for it in the edit. If the end screen covers the last useful frame, fix the composition first, and then add the elements.
Prepare the final seconds
According to YouTube's help, an end screen occupies the last 5–20 seconds; the video itself must be at least 25 seconds long. The available features depend on the format, device, and type of content. For example, end screens are unavailable for videos "made for kids," and a viewer can hide them. Therefore, important instructions cannot be left only in an interactive element.
A hypothetical craftsperson finishes the video by assembling a shelf. The next video shows the mount being tested. At the end, they state what the viewer will find there and leave free space next to the shelf. This way the transition is connected to the current task, rather than to a random popular video.
Add a suitable element
In the Editor, select End screen and the desired video or playlist. Check that the continuation is already available to the viewer. For an external link, separate partner program terms apply; do not promise this option to every channel and do not draw a non-working button in the frame.
Check when the element appears relative to the speech. If the host is still showing an important detail, move the invitation later or change the edit. Several equally valid options are not always appropriate: for a sequential instruction, one clear next step is easier to verify.
Checking on a phone
Watch the ending in Studio preview and in an available viewer scenario. Check that the element does not overlap captions and leads to the promised material. You can add a regular link to the continuation in the description as an additional path.
The result should be evaluated by interaction with the element and behavior in the next video, not by the fact that it was installed. The appearance may differ across devices; an end screen does not guarantee subscriptions, sales, or that a view will count toward monetization requirements.
Diagram: 1 — choose a logical continuation; 2 — free up space in the ending; 3 — check the element and the target video.
Related task: How to link YouTube Shorts to a long video and guide the viewer to the offer.
Sources
YouTube: end screens. Verified on September 22, 2026. Practical scenarios and diagrams are an editorial methodology; the hypothetical numbers are not client data.
After preparing a separate public video, you can review the terms of the views service. The service does not perform the described editorial or organizational work and does not guarantee organic interest, inquiries, or sales. The method of obtaining activity and the platform's restrictions are checked separately.