Best Time to Post on YouTube and Shorts
The best day and hour for your niche, in your viewers' time zone, with your whole week under it.
What are you posting?
Not sure? YouTube Studio shows it: Analytics, then Audience, then Top geographies.
Best time to post
Thursday, 2 PM
In your time zone, for long videos in any niche.
A general guide, not your channel's data. Your own best times are in YouTube Studio: Analytics, then Audience, then “When your viewers are on YouTube”.
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Your full week
The best hour each day, in your viewers' time. Darker means more viewers online.
Long videos and Shorts
When each does best, as a general guide.
| What | Long videos | Shorts |
|---|
Post on the same days every week, so your viewers know when to come back.
The best time to post on YouTube in is weekday afternoons, 2 PM to 4 PM in your viewers' time zone. That is a general guide. Thursday and Friday are strongest.
Shorts do best a little earlier, from 12 PM to 3 PM. Your own channel's best times are in YouTube Studio, and they beat any general guide.
How to Find YOUR Best Time to Post on YouTube
YouTube shows you when your own viewers are online. It takes a minute in YouTube Studio.
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Open Analytics
Sign in to YouTube Studio and pick Analytics in the left menu.
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Pick Audience
It is in the menu along the top.
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Read the card
“When your viewers are on YouTube” shows when they were online across YouTube in the last 28 days.
Where are they? The Top geographies card on the same tab shows which countries give you the most watch time.
How YouTube Posting Time Affects Your Views
Posting when your viewers are online means more of them see your video while it is new.
The hour is only one part. A title and thumbnail people want to click matter more, and so does posting on the same days every week.
Best Posting Times by Niche
Each audience has its own daily rhythm. These are general guides, in your viewers' time zone.
- Gaming: 6 PM to 9 PM, and Saturday evening
- Business and education: 9 AM to 11 AM on weekdays
- Beauty and lifestyle: 1 PM to 3 PM
- Tech and reviews: 10 AM to 12 PM on weekdays
- Music and entertainment: 6 PM to 8 PM, best on Saturday
- Cooking and food: 3 PM to 6 PM, before dinner
- Fitness: around 7 AM and 6 PM, before and after work
- Kids and family: 9 AM to 11 AM on weekends
- News and commentary: 8 AM to 10 AM, and again around 6 PM
Measure whether it worked with the Engagement Rate Calculator.
Best Time to Post on YouTube by Day of the Week
For most niches, as a general guide in your viewers' time zone:
| Day | Long videos | Shorts |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 2 PM to 4 PM | 12 PM to 3 PM |
| Tuesday | 1 PM to 4 PM | 12 PM to 3 PM |
| Wednesday | 2 PM to 4 PM | 12 PM to 3 PM |
| Thursday | Around 2 PM | 12 PM to 3 PM |
| Friday | 1 PM to 4 PM | 12 PM to 3 PM |
| Saturday | 1 PM to 3 PM | 12 PM to 2 PM |
| Sunday | 11 AM to 4 PM | 11 AM to 3 PM |
Best Times to Post YouTube Shorts
Shorts get watched in quick breaks, so they peak a little earlier: 12 PM to 3 PM in your viewers' time zone.
Gaming and music Shorts are the exception. They do better from about 5 PM to 8 PM.
Best Time to Upload YouTube Videos in India
Viewers in India follow the same daily rhythm, so use India Standard Time (IST, UTC+5:30). As a general guide:
- Long videos: 1 PM to 4 PM IST on weekdays
- Shorts: 12 PM to 3 PM IST
- Evenings: 6 PM to 9 PM IST for gaming, music and entertainment
Pick India in the tool above to see your whole week in IST, with your own time beside it.
Best Time to Post on YouTube in the UK
Use UK time: GMT in winter, BST in summer. As a general guide:
- Long videos: 1 PM to 4 PM on weekdays
- Shorts: 12 PM to 3 PM
- UK and US together: 5 PM UK time is 12 PM in New York
How to Schedule a Video in YouTube Studio
Scheduling lets you post at your best time without being there.
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Upload your video
In YouTube Studio, press Create, then Upload videos.
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Press Schedule
Fill in the details, then pick the Schedule card.
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Set the time zone
Choose the date, the time and your viewers' time zone, then press Schedule.
Plan a whole month of uploads with the Posting Schedule Generator.
The times in this tool are our own estimate from public posting-time studies, not YouTube data. YouTube facts checked in November 2026 against YouTube Help on your audience and scheduling a video.
Frequently asked questions
What creators ask most about when to post on YouTube.
What is the best time to post on YouTube in 2026?
As a general guide, weekday afternoons from 2 PM to 4 PM in your viewers' time zone, with Thursday and Friday strongest. It changes by niche: gaming peaks around 7 PM, business around 9 AM. Your own best times are in YouTube Studio.
What is the best time to post YouTube Shorts?
As a general guide, 12 PM to 3 PM in your viewers' time zone, a little earlier than long videos. Gaming and music Shorts do better in the evening, from about 5 PM to 8 PM.
How do I find MY best time to post on YouTube?
In YouTube Studio, open Analytics, then Audience, and look at "When your viewers are on YouTube". It shows when your own viewers were online across YouTube in the last 28 days. That beats any general guide.
Should I post based on my time zone or my audience's time zone?
Your audience's. YouTube Studio's Top geographies card, under Analytics then Audience, shows where your watch time comes from. When you schedule a video, Studio lets you pick the time zone too.
Does it matter what day of the week I post on YouTube?
A little. As a general guide, Thursday and Friday afternoons are strongest, and weekends suit gaming, music and family videos. Posting on the same days every week matters more than the exact day.
Does the best posting time change for different niches?
Yes. As a general guide, gaming and music peak in the evening, business, tech and news in the morning, food in late afternoon, and fitness early morning and after work.
Should I schedule my YouTube videos?
Yes, it helps you post at the same time every week. In YouTube Studio, upload the video, press Schedule, then set the date, the time and the time zone.
How often should I post on YouTube to grow?
Post as often as you can keep up every week. One good video a week on the same day beats three rushed ones. Shorts can go out more often, between your long videos.
What is the best time to post on YouTube on Monday?
As a general guide, 2 PM to 4 PM in your viewers' time zone. Monday is a quieter day for most niches, so business and education videos suit it best.
What is the best time to post on YouTube on Tuesday?
As a general guide, 1 PM to 4 PM in your viewers' time zone. For Shorts, try 12 PM to 3 PM.
What is the best time to post on YouTube on Wednesday?
As a general guide, 2 PM to 4 PM in your viewers' time zone. It is a strong midweek day for most niches.
What is the best time to post on YouTube on Thursday?
As a general guide, around 2 PM in your viewers' time zone, the strongest slot of the week. If you post once a week, Thursday afternoon is a good pick.
What is the best time to post on YouTube on Friday?
As a general guide, 1 PM to 4 PM in your viewers' time zone. Friday is one of the strongest days, and it suits entertainment and lifestyle videos.
What is the best time to post on YouTube on Saturday?
As a general guide, 1 PM to 3 PM in your viewers' time zone. Gaming and music do best on Saturday evening, from about 6 PM to 8 PM.
What is the best time to post on YouTube on Sunday?
As a general guide, 11 AM to 4 PM in your viewers' time zone. Engagement is steady through the day, and drops late on Sunday evening.
What is the best time to upload YouTube videos in India?
Use India Standard Time (IST). As a general guide: long videos 1 PM to 4 PM on weekdays, Shorts 12 PM to 3 PM, and 6 PM to 9 PM for gaming, music and entertainment.
What is the best time to post on YouTube in the UK?
Use UK time (GMT, or BST in summer). As a general guide: long videos 1 PM to 4 PM on weekdays, Shorts 12 PM to 3 PM. For UK and US viewers together, 5 PM UK time is 12 PM in New York.
Where do these posting times come from?
They are our own estimate, drawn from public studies of posting times. They are not YouTube data and not your channel's data. Use them as a starting point, then check YouTube Studio.
Is this posting time tool free?
Yes. It is free with no sign-up, and it runs in your browser. It never connects to your YouTube account.
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