YouTube Publishing
YouTube end-screen size and layout planning guide
An end-screen planning overlay helps an editor reserve room for video, playlist and subscribe elements before publishing. Tubelexity uses a 1920 × 1080 working canvas and neutral placeholders, but YouTube controls the final interactive elements and can change placement behavior.
By Tubelexity / Updated
Open the End-Screen PreviewUse a 16:9 planning canvas
A 1920 × 1080 canvas provides precise coordinates while scaling cleanly to other 16:9 sizes. Positioning is stored as percentages so layouts remain responsive.
Check eligibility before designing the outro
YouTube end screens belong in the final 5–20 seconds of videos at least 25 seconds long. A standard 16:9 video can have up to four elements; other aspect ratios may allow fewer. End screens are unavailable on made-for-kids videos, 360-degree videos and some viewing surfaces. Confirm the available controls in YouTube Studio rather than treating a planning overlay as a publishing guarantee.
Leave interface breathing room
Safe margins, title, channel and player-control guides reduce collisions. They are planning approximations, not an official permanent specification.
- Keep important artwork outside placeholder rectangles.
- Check small mobile previews.
- Review the live publishing interface before release.
What exports contain
The transparent PNG contains selected guide elements only. PNG and JPG previews can include the current media background. Layout JSON stores element positions for later import.
When an eligible end screen still does not appear
YouTube lists mobile web and YouTube Music among unsupported viewing surfaces. Viewers may also hide end screens. A link to an external website requires YouTube Partner Program eligibility; it is different from a video, playlist or subscribe element. Check Studio's actual controls before promising a clickable destination in your outro.
| Video length | Possible end-screen interval | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 20 seconds | Not eligible | Below the 25-second minimum |
| 25 seconds | Final 5-20 seconds | Start no earlier than second 5; choose timing in Studio |
| 60 seconds | Final 5-20 seconds | Start no earlier than second 40 |
Plan artwork, then add interactive elements
A PNG exported from the planning tool is artwork, not an interactive link. Placeholders help reserve space while editing; create the clickable video, playlist or subscribe elements separately in YouTube Studio. Leave the guide overlay out of the final picture unless the marks are intentional artwork.
Reproduce a layout across resolutions
A placeholder centered at x = 25 percent and y = 50 percent is centered at (480, 540) on a 1920 by 1080 canvas. On 1280 by 720 it becomes (320, 360). This percentage calculation scales your planning artwork; it does not prove that Studio will allow an element at any particular coordinate.
| Canvas | 25% width | 50% height |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 x 1080 | 480 px | 540 px |
| 1280 x 720 | 320 px | 360 px |
Troubleshoot a missing end screen
Check eligibility and the viewing surface first, then check the element timing in Studio. Viewers can hide end screens, and some surfaces do not show them. A correct exported background cannot force an interactive element to appear. Preview on a desktop and a phone, and inspect the actual outro rather than only a still image.
Recommended workflow
- Choose a video, image or blank 16:9 background.
- Preview the final 5 to 20 seconds.
- Choose a template and arrange neutral elements.
- Keep guides away from titles and player controls.
- Export a transparent overlay or layout JSON.
Frequently asked questions
Does the template create interactive links?
No. You add interactive elements in YouTube’s publishing interface.
Can the overlay be transparent?
Yes. Transparent PNG excludes the background.
Is placement guaranteed?
No. YouTube controls final placement and behavior.