Tagging on YouTube is simpler than on most platforms: you type @ followed by a channel handle, and it becomes a clickable mention. There’s no request, no approval step, and nothing the other channel has to accept. Here’s how it works everywhere it’s available — and where it isn’t.
How to Tag Someone in a Comment
- Open the video and click into the comment box.
- Type @ followed by the channel’s handle (for example, @channelname).
- A dropdown of matching channels appears as you type — select the right one rather than typing the whole thing manually, so the mention links correctly.
- Finish your comment and post it. The mention appears as a clickable link to that channel immediately.
The same flow works on mobile in the YouTube app.
Tagging in Community Posts
@ mentions work identically in Community posts, if your channel has that tab enabled. Type @, pick from the suggestions, and publish.
Tagging in Video Descriptions
You can @ mention channels in a video description too — useful for crediting a collaborator, a guest, or a source. This is the standard way to credit someone in a video, since you can’t tag inside the video itself.
What YouTube Doesn’t Support
- No tagging inside the video — there’s no way to tag a person on the video frame the way you’d tag someone in a photo. Use the description, a verbal mention, or an end screen linking to their channel.
- No approval workflow — mentions are instant links; nobody accepts or declines them.
- No way to prevent being tagged — since a mention is just a link to a public channel, there’s no opt-out setting. Channel owners can moderate mentions in their own comment sections, but not elsewhere.
Does the Person Get Notified?
Sometimes. A mention can surface in the channel’s activity depending on their notification settings and how much activity they get — large channels receive far too many mentions for every one to appear. Treat a tag as a link, not as a guaranteed way to reach someone. If you genuinely need a creator’s attention, the business email in their channel’s About section is more reliable.
Tagging Etiquette
- Only tag channels genuinely relevant to the conversation. Tagging several unrelated channels in one comment reads as spam and can get the comment filtered automatically.
- Don’t repeatedly tag a large creator hoping for a response — it rarely works and can get you shadow-filtered from their comment section.
- Check a creator’s About section before tagging them with a question; they may not cover the topic you’re asking about.
Tags vs. Video Tags — Not the Same Thing
Worth clearing up a common confusion: “tagging someone” (an @ mention) is completely separate from “video tags” (the keywords creators add in upload settings to describe their content). Video tags carry far less ranking weight than they used to, and they have nothing to do with mentioning people.
FAQ
Does the person I tag have to approve it?
No. YouTube mentions are instant clickable links — there’s no request or approval step of any kind.
Can I tag someone inside a video?
No. There’s no way to tag someone on the video frame itself — use the description, a verbal mention, or an end screen instead.
Does someone get notified when I tag them?
Sometimes, depending on their notification settings and activity volume. For large channels, most mentions never surface — use their business email if you need a reply.
Is tagging someone the same as adding video tags?
No. Tagging someone is an @ mention linking to their channel; video tags are keywords creators add to describe their own uploads.