YouTube rolls out new Recap feature to show your yearly viewing habits

YouTube launches 2025 Recap

YouTube has officially introduced its first video-focused YouTube Recap on the main app, giving users a personalized look at their viewing habits in 2025. It turns a year of watching into a clean set of visual highlights built around individual interests.

The feature mirrors the idea of Spotify Wrapped but focuses on videos instead of music alone. It pulls together creators, topics, and viewing patterns into one focused experience made for quick browsing and sharing.

Where you can find it

YouTube Recap is available now for users in North America and is rolling out worldwide throughout the week. It works across desktop and mobile for easy access anywhere you watch.

Users can open Recap directly from a dedicated button on the YouTube homepage. It is also available under the You tab in the main menu, making it simple to revisit at any time.

Your year in 12 cards

YouTube Recap presents your activity through as many as 12 different cards. Each card highlights a specific part of your viewing behavior, from favorite creators to the types of topics you watched.

These cards also show how your interests may have changed over time. The goal is to reflect not just what you watched most, but how your habits evolved throughout the year.

Watch history powers everything

The Recap experience is built directly from your YouTube watch history. Every topic, creator, and interest shown in your recap comes from what you actually spent time watching in 2025.

This approach gives users a more accurate picture of how their tastes formed. Whether it was tech builds, music clips, or trending reveals, your viewing choices shape the final results.

Personality types based on viewing

One of the standout features assigns users a viewing personality type. These include identities like Adventurer, Skill Builder, and Creative Spirit based on the patterns in your watch behavior.

YouTube found that the most common personalities were the Sunshiner, Wonder Seeker, and Connector. Rarer profiles like the Philosopher and Dreamer appeared less often across the platform.

Music plays a major role

For users who watched a lot of music content, Recap also highlights top artists and songs from the year. These music insights appear alongside standard video viewing statistics.

Fans can dive deeper into genres, podcasts, and even international listening trends using the YouTube Music app, which still maintains its own separate yearly recap experience.

YouTube Music keeps its Recap

Even with the new video-focused Recap launch, YouTube Music users still receive a dedicated annual summary within that app. This includes top artists, songs, genres, and podcasts.

YouTube confirmed that the main Recap does not replace the YouTube Music version. Instead, both experiences now exist side by side for video fans and music listeners.

Built using user feedback

YouTube says Recap went through nine different rounds of feedback and more than 50 concept tests. The goal was to fine-tune how the data feels personal rather than robotic.

During development, the team focused on showing personality over raw numbers. They aimed to reflect how people actually experience YouTube in everyday life.

Trend charts reveal top favorites

Alongside Recap, YouTube released trend charts showing the most popular creators, topics, podcasts, and songs in the United States during 2025. The charts reflect overall engagement across the platform.

Some results were expected, while others surprised viewers. These charts offer a snapshot of what captured the most attention during the past year.

MrBeast and Rogan lead

According to YouTube trend data, MrBeast remained the top creator on the platform in the United States for 2025. His large-scale videos continued to attract massive viewership.

The Joe Rogan Experience once again held the top position in the podcast rankings. It continued to dominate long-form audio and video conversations across YouTube.

KPop soundtrack shows mixed impact

The KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack performed strongly on YouTube’s general top songs chart for 2025. It showed wide popularity across standard online music viewing and listening behavior patterns.

However, the same soundtrack was less dominant on YouTube Shorts. This revealed how long-form and short-form audiences often respond differently to the same music trends.

Designed for sharing memories

YouTube encourages users to revisit their favorite interests and discoveries through Recap. The feature is built to feel like a personal time capsule of the year.

Once users finish viewing their Recap, they can save and share their highlights with friends. This social element mirrors how people already share music recaps each year.

Want to see how YouTube is supporting its youngest users beyond streaming? Learn more about its new mental-health tools for teens here.

Why YouTube Recap matters

YouTube Recap marks a major shift in how the platform reflects user behavior to its audience. It turns everyday viewing into a structured story of interests and trends.

Curious how streaming is evolving beyond shows and movies? Please take a look at how Netflix is now bringing games to your TV here.

What do you think about YouTube Recap for 2025? Share your thoughts and tell us how well it captured your year of watching.

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This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.