YouTube rolls out its first-ever viewing recap

YouTube is stepping into year-end nostalgia with a new feature designed to show users exactly how they spent their time on the platform. Until now, the company focused mainly on summarizing listening habits through its YouTube Music Recap. But this year, for the first time, it’s introducing a dedicated recap for videos watched on the main service—a move that puts it squarely into the same seasonal spotlight as Spotify Wrapped and similar end-of-year roundups.

The newly launched YouTube Recap presents users with up to a dozen personalized cards, each offering a different lens on their viewing behavior. These cards spotlight top channels and creators, highlight recurring themes and interests, and trace how someone’s tastes have evolved throughout the year. Perhaps the most playful element is the personality type YouTube assigns based on what users watch most. It’s a small touch, but one that makes the experience more engaging and social-media-friendly—just the kind of content people love posting online.

These personality categories aim to capture the spirit behind a viewer’s habits rather than simply ranking videos. Users categorized as “Skill Builders,” for example, are those who gravitate toward tutorials, educational breakdowns, and anything that helps them develop new capabilities. “Sunshiners” lean toward upbeat, positive content—creators who focus on humor, comfort, or good-news storytelling. Meanwhile, “Trailblazers” are drawn to bold, unconventional videos that step away from mainstream formats or ideas. Additional personality types, such as the “Wonder Seeker,” the “Connector,” and the “Dreamer,” flesh out this lighthearted attempt to reflect the moods and curiosities that shape someone’s time on YouTube.

Music lovers aren’t left out, either. The recap includes a summary of the year’s top songs and artists each user listened to. Still, those wanting a deeper breakdown will find that the full YouTube Music Recap—rolled out last week—offers more extensive details on listening habits, playlists, and trends.

Initially available to users in North America, the YouTube Recap begins rolling out globally this week. YouTube has made the feature easy to find: it appears both on the homepage and in the “You” tab across mobile and desktop. The company notes that this feature didn’t appear overnight. YouTube says users had been requesting a dedicated video recap for some time, and internal teams reportedly tested more than 50 different approaches before settling on the final design.

The debut of YouTube Recap arrives alongside another annual tradition: the platform’s release of its year-end trend charts. These lists highlight top creators, podcasts, and songs that dominated YouTube over the past 12 months. Unsurprisingly, MrBeast once again claimed the top-creator title—his sixth consecutive year in the No. 1 spot. In the podcast category, “The Joe Rogan Experience” led the charts, maintaining its long-standing influence. As for music, the hit “Die with a Smile” by Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga secured the top position, reflecting its widespread popularity across the platform.