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Yes, YouTube launched its own Spotify Wrapped-style feature. Called YouTube Recap, it debuted on December 2, 2025, and summarized a viewer’s year across YouTube—not just music. However, the 2025 recap was temporary: YouTube says recaps were automatically deleted after the end of the year, so readers looking for it in September 2026 should not expect the old version to remain available.
What was YouTube Recap?
YouTube Recap was a personalized, end-of-year summary based on the viewing activity saved in a user’s YouTube watch history. YouTube described it as a broad look at the viewer’s year, covering interests, favorite channels, viewing patterns, creators, music and selected personality-style cards.
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Depending on the account and the amount of available data, the experience could contain up to 12 recap cards. These might highlight:
- Top channels and creators
- Major interests and topics
- Viewing “deep dives”
- Changes in viewing habits
- Selected viewing moments
- Top artists and songs for eligible users
- A YouTube-generated personality category
The feature was for viewers reviewing their own media habits. It was not a creator analytics dashboard; creators still use YouTube Studio to analyze their channels.
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YouTube’s launch announcement explains the feature in more detail: YouTube Recap 2025.
How people found the 2025 Recap
On the YouTube mobile app
- Sign in to the YouTube app.
- Tap You at the bottom of the screen.
- Look for the banner saying “Your YouTube Recap is here!”
- Tap the banner to start the recap.
YouTube’s Help Center listed version 18.43 or newer of the Android or iPhone YouTube app for the supported experience.
On desktop
The desktop route for the 2025 feature was:
https://www.youtube.com/recap
That was the access path for the 2025 Recap, not a guarantee that the URL would continue displaying a recap after the year ended.
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YouTube Recap versus YouTube Music Recap
These were related but separate features. Calling YouTube Recap simply “YouTube Wrapped” is convenient, but incomplete: the main recap covered general YouTube viewing, including ordinary videos and Shorts.
| Feature | YouTube Recap | YouTube Music Recap |
|---|---|---|
| Main focus | General YouTube viewing | Music listening |
| Where it appeared | YouTube app or youtube.com/recap |
YouTube Music app |
| What it could include | Videos, Shorts, creators and interests | Artists, songs, genres and listening activity |
| Main eligibility issue | Enough eligible YouTube watch history | Enough music listening activity |
YouTube Recap could include some music highlights. For users who listened heavily to music, YouTube’s launch guidance directed them toward the deeper YouTube Music experience. That guidance said users generally needed at least 10 hours of music listening on YouTube to receive the deeper music link. This should not be treated as a universal requirement for every music-related card.
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Why you may not have received one
Not every YouTube account qualified, and different viewers could receive different cards based on their viewing history, location and language.
There was not enough eligible watch history
YouTube’s Help page says users needed enough eligible watch history from January through late October 2025. Activity did not help build the recap if it had been removed through auto-delete settings or recorded while watch history was paused.
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You may also have watched much of YouTube while signed out, or under a different Google account. In those cases, the activity would not necessarily be associated with the account you checked.
You checked the wrong account
Watch history is tied to the account and profile in use. This can cause confusion for people who switch between personal, work, school or family accounts, browser profiles, and Brand-account identities. YouTube specifically excluded delegate users on Brand accounts.
Your account had age or supervision restrictions
The 2025 Recap was unavailable to children’s accounts and supervised accounts, as well as viewers under 13—or under the applicable minimum age in their country.
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The feature had not reached your region yet
YouTube said the rollout began in North America and expanded globally during that week. Its Help page said the feature was available in more than 185 countries and 17 languages, but availability still depended on the account and rollout conditions.
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According to YouTube’s Help documentation, eligible recap activity could include:
- Long-form YouTube videos
- YouTube Shorts
- Viewing on mobile devices
- Viewing on computers
- Signed-in viewing on TVs
- Downloaded videos
It did not include:
- YouTube TV content
- Primetime Channels content
YouTube Music activity was handled separately through YouTube Music Recap. So watching television through YouTube TV should not be assumed to contribute to the ordinary YouTube Recap.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What were the personality cards?
Some users received a category generated from their viewing patterns. YouTube listed categories including Adventurer, Challenger, Changemaker, Connector, Creative Spirit, Curious Mind, Dreamer, Philosopher, Self-Improver, Serenity Seeker, Skill Builder, Sunshiner, Trailblazer and Wonder Seeker.
These labels were an entertainment and sharing feature—not a scientific personality assessment or psychological test. They also were not guaranteed to appear for every viewer.
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Could the recap be edited or regenerated?
No. YouTube’s Help page says users could not refresh or edit their Recap. A deleted recap could not be viewed again, and YouTube says recaps were automatically deleted after the end of the year.
That made saving important cards worthwhile. Users could share individual cards directly or download them to their device and then post or send them through another app. YouTube’s sharing guide describes those options: How to find, share and save your YouTube Recap.
Can you still view the 2025 version?
Probably not. The official Help documentation says Recaps were automatically deleted after the end of the year. As of September 2026, the official sources available for this article verify the 2025 Recap, but do not verify a separate 2026 Recap.
Therefore, the old youtube.com/recap address should be treated as a historical access route, not as a permanent YouTube feature page. If you saved downloaded cards or screenshots, those are likely the only way to revisit your personal 2025 results.
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How to improve your chances of receiving a future recap
- Stay signed in to the Google account whose viewing history you want summarized.
- Use that account consistently across your phone, computer and signed-in TV devices.
- Keep YouTube Watch History enabled if you want activity retained for personalization.
- Review auto-delete settings if preserving longer-term history matters to you.
- Remember that YouTube TV and Primetime Channels are excluded from the documented recap data.
- Save or download interesting cards when a recap appears, because the experience may be temporary.
There is a privacy trade-off: a more personalized recap requires YouTube to retain more viewing history. Pausing history or using auto-delete can provide greater control over stored activity, but may leave too little eligible data for a detailed summary.
How it differed from YouTube Rewind
YouTube Recap was a private, account-specific summary of an individual viewer’s activity. That is different from YouTube Rewind, the platform-produced annual video series that looked back at broader YouTube culture and trends. Recap was personalized; Rewind was a public editorial production.
The bottom line
YouTube Recap was real: YouTube launched it on December 2, 2025 as a viewer-focused annual summary spanning videos, Shorts, channels, interests and selected music activity. It was easy to miss because it appeared in the You tab or through youtube.com/recap, and eligibility depended on retained watch history, account type, age and region. But it was not permanent—the 2025 version was scheduled for deletion after the end of the year.
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