YouTube Category Checker


Wondering which category a YouTube video or Short belongs to? Paste any video link into our free YouTube Category Checker to instantly reveal its official category name and localized region labels across 100+ countries! FAST, EASY & FREE !!
Select a country to view the localized category label.
Video Title
Category Name Entertainment

Instant Category Lookup

Check the category of any YouTube video or Shorts link in seconds without inspecting raw HTML.

Competitor SEO Research

Discover which categories top channels in your niche use to optimize recommendations.

100+ Regional Locales

Select any country to view official localized category names in different languages.

Mobile App Solution

Works seamlessly on mobile browsers where YouTube blocks viewing metadata and page sources.

How to Check YouTube Video Category

You can check the category of any YouTube video using two reliable methods:

Method 1: Using our Free YouTube Category Checker Tool (Fastest)

1. Copy the YouTube video or Shorts link from your browser or mobile app.

2. Paste the link into the URL field at the top of this page.

3. (Optional) Choose your preferred country region from the dropdown menu.

4. Click Find Category to immediately see the title and category name with quick one-click copy buttons.

Method 2: Checking YouTube Category Manually via Page Source (Desktop Only)

If you are on a desktop computer, you can inspect YouTube's underlying web page source manually:

  • Open the YouTube video page in Chrome, Firefox, or Edge.
  • Right-click anywhere on the page and click View Page Source (or press Ctrl + U on Windows, Cmd + Option + U on Mac).
  • Press Ctrl + F (or Cmd + F) to open the search bar inside the code viewer.
  • Search for "category": or meta itemprop="genre". The value right next to it is the official category.

Note: The manual page source method does not work on the YouTube mobile app. Our online category checker works instantly on all devices including iPhone and Android.


Official List of YouTube Categories & Category IDs

YouTube assigns a specific numeric Category ID to every video upon upload. Here is a handy reference list of official category IDs and their corresponding standard names:

Category ID Category Name Common Use Cases
1 Film & Animation Short films, animation clips, movie trailers, CGI reels
2 Autos & Vehicles Car reviews, motorcycling, repairs, racing footage
10 Music Official music videos, covers, live performances, beats
15 Pets & Animals Dog training, cat videos, wildlife documentaries, pet care
17 Sports Game highlights, workout routines, skateboarding, esports tournaments
19 Travel & Events Vlogs, travel guides, flight reviews, festival footage
20 Gaming Let's plays, game walkthroughs, stream highlights, speedruns
22 People & Blogs Personal vlogs, daily routines, lifestyle videos, storytelling
23 Comedy Skits, stand-up clips, parodies, meme compilations
24 Entertainment Reactions, commentary, pop culture news, show reviews
25 News & Politics Current affairs, political analysis, news broadcasts, interviews
26 Howto & Style Makeup tutorials, DIY projects, cooking recipes, fashion tips
27 Education Academic lectures, coding tutorials, language lessons, how-to guides
28 Science & Technology Tech reviews, software guides, scientific experiments, gadget unboxings
29 Nonprofits & Activism Charity campaigns, social awareness, fundraising videos

Why YouTube Video Categories Matter for Creators & SEO

Choosing the correct category when uploading a video is an essential step in building strong initial context for YouTube's recommendation system. Here is why creators inspect competitor categories:

  • Initial Seed Audience: When you publish a video, YouTube relies on metadata (titles, descriptions, tags, and category) to place your video in front of a seed audience. Selecting the category used by successful niche creators helps YouTube suggest your video to viewers with matching interests.
  • Better Context for AI Recommendations: YouTube's recommendation engine clusters similar videos together. If you upload a coding tutorial under Entertainment instead of Education or Science & Technology, it may take longer for the algorithm to properly identify your target audience.
  • Benchmarking Competitors: By checking the category of top-ranking videos in your niche, you can identify industry norms and ensure your content is categorized consistently.

Frequently Asked Questions


  • How can I check the category of a YouTube video?

    Simply paste the YouTube video URL into our Category Checker tool and click 'Find Category'. The tool instantly queries official YouTube API data to display the video's assigned category.

  • Why doesn't YouTube display the video category on the watch page?

    YouTube hidden category metadata from the standard watch interface to keep the user experience clean. However, the category remains stored in the underlying HTML page source and API endpoint.

  • Does the YouTube category change by region?

    While the numeric Category ID remains constant globally, category titles are translated into localized languages per region. Our tool allows you to select any country to view its localized category label.

  • Can I change the category of a YouTube video after uploading?

    Yes. You can update your video category at any time by going to YouTube Studio > Content > select your video > Details > Show More > Category, then click Save.

  • Do YouTube Shorts have categories?

    Yes, Shorts are assigned categories during upload or inherit your channel's default upload settings. Our tool supports both standard YouTube videos and Shorts.

  • Is this YouTube Category Checker tool free?

    Yes! Our YouTube Category Checker is 100% free with no sign-up or registration required.