Hashtags for YouTube Shorts: Rules and Tips

YouTube Shorts follow the same hashtag rules as other YouTube videos. Hashtags can go in the title or description, and YouTube shows the first three from the description above the title. Knowing the rules helps you avoid a common mistake: using too many.

The 60-hashtag over-tagging threshold

YouTube allows hashtags in the title and description, but says that more than 60 hashtags causes all hashtags on that video to be ignored. In practice, a small set of two or three relevant hashtags is easier to review.

Where to put them

Put hashtags at the end of the description for most Shorts. The first three appear above the title as clickable links. Keep the title for a clear, human description of the Short, and avoid filling it with tags.

Hashtags are not tags

YouTube also has a hidden Tags field in YouTube Studio, with a limit of 500 characters across all tags. Tags help with spelling variations and related terms but have a small effect. Hashtags are visible and clickable. You can use both for different jobs, and our YouTube tag generator can help with the tag field.

Choose accurate topics

Use hashtags that match the topic of the Short, such as #homeworkout or #streetfood. Adding #shorts is common but optional, and you should avoid unrelated viral tags because they mislead viewers.

Check performance in Studio

YouTube Studio shows where viewers came from. Check whether Shorts feed, search or browse brings viewers, and adjust your titles and topics accordingly instead of relying on tags alone.

Short-form YouTube example

For a YouTube Short, start with the subject in the title and description, then consider whether a small hashtag set adds useful context. A coding Short might use the language and specific task; a food Short might use the dish and cuisine. YouTube says the title, thumbnail and description are more important metadata for discovery than the separate Tags field, and it ignores hashtags when a video or playlist has more than 60. That makes relevance and restraint a better workflow than trying to fill a large quota.