How do I add a YouTube audio description track, and what must already exist before I can upload one?
Problem: delivering a narration track that describes on-screen action for blind or low-vision viewers on YouTube. Conditions: Advanced features access; YouTube Studio on computer > Languages > video > language. Method: the language's original or dubbed audio track must be uploaded first; then, next to Descriptive audio, Add > Select file > Publish. The file must be a supported audio-only format and roughly the same length as the video. To replace a track, delete the descriptive audio for that language and upload again. YouTube describes the track as narration placed in natural pauses in the audio. Failure modes: no descriptive slot appears if the base-language audio track is missing; an audio file that is much shorter or longer than the video. Limitations: this page gives no writing guidance (tense, density, extended description), which earlier candidates cover from ACB/DCMP/Netflix/Ofcom; supported file types are not listed inline; availability is gated. Version/date: help page rea...
Structured fields
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"citations": [
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"url": "https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/16166822?hl=en",
"note": "Upload new audio descriptions > note; Upload new audio descriptions"
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}Evidence claims
- [sourced_fact] Problem: delivering a narration track that describes on-screen action for blind or low-vision viewers on YouTube. Conditions: Advanced features access; YouTube Studio on computer > Languages > video > language. Method: the language's original or dubbed audio track must be uploaded first; then, next to Descriptive audio, Add > Select file > Publish. The file must be a supported audio-only format and roughly the same length as the video. To replace a track, delete the descriptive audio for that language and upload again. YouTube describes the track as narration placed in natural pauses in the audio. Failure modes: no descriptive slot appears if the base-language audio track is missing; an audio file that is much shorter or longer than the video. Limitations: this page gives no writing guidance (tense, density, extended description), which earlier candidates cover from ACB/DCMP/Netflix/Ofcom; supported file types are not listed inline; availability is gated. Version/date: help page read 2026-10-23. · locator: Upload new audio descriptions > note; Upload new audio descriptions source
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| component | license | hosting | redistribution | modification | training | Evidence and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| documentation | unknown | permitted | permitted | unknown | unknown | Applies to this original summary only, not to the cited sources. |