It is not possible to say with certainty here which YouTube video currently has the most views of all time. A verified ranking with a date is needed for that. It concerns all views of one video since upload. So when checking a list, first check the date and whether all types of videos are included, not just music.
Below, you can read how to check such a ranking and what high view counts do and do not tell you.
Which views count towards the most viewed YouTube video?
You compare the total number of views, meaning view counts, of individual videos. The number of subscribers a channel has does not count. You also do not add together all the views from one creator.
Pay attention to which version you are viewing. An official clip, a video with only the audio and a new upload of the same song are different videos. In a ranking of individual videos, they remain separate.
The first search result does not have to be the video with the most views. According to YouTube’s explanation of search and recommendations search results are not simply a ranking of the most viewed videos.
What belongs in a top 10 of the most viewed YouTube videos?
A useful top 10 lists the title, channel, number of views and date on which that number was checked for each video. There is no top 10 here because ten verified titles and view counts are not available.
Have you come across a list? Check what type of overview it is:
| Type of overview | What are you comparing? | What should you look for? |
|---|---|---|
| Most viewed of all time | All views since upload | All types of videos must be eligible for inclusion |
| Music charts, or music rankings | Music within the selected list and period | Check the period, country and type of music list |
| Snapshot | View counts recorded on a particular date | The numbers may now be higher |
A list of the most viewed videos of all time is also a snapshot. ‘All time’ means that all views since upload are counted. It does not mean that the order is fixed.
When does a ranking of YouTube view counts change?
View counts can change as soon as new views are added. The order only changes when one video overtakes another.
A fictional calculation example: video A has 100 million views and video B has 99 million. A gains 1 million and reaches 101 million. B gains 3 million and reaches 102 million. B is therefore above A afterwards.
A list is not always updated as soon as the figures change. The YouTube’s explanation of Charts mentions daily updates for music video charts. Such a music chart is therefore not a complete list of the most viewed videos of all time.
How do you check a ranking of YouTube views?
Have you found a top 10 that you want to share? Check these five points:
- Find the date of the view counts. The date on which an article was updated does not have to be the date on which the views were checked.
- Check which videos are included. Does the list include all types of videos, only music or only videos from a particular country?
- Check the period. A weekly list does not show which video has had the most views since upload.
- Compare the same uploads. Check the title and the channel. This prevents you from viewing a different version.
- Watch out for rounded numbers. Two videos that both have ‘1,5 billion’ views do not necessarily have exactly the same number of views.
Do you want to save or share the figures? Note the displayed number of views and the date for each video. That makes it clear later when your comparison was made.
Are YouTube views the same as viewers?
No. Views are view counts, not different people. One person can watch a video more than once. So the total number of views does not show how many unique viewers there were: how many different people watched the video.
A high number of views also does not automatically tell you how much attention viewers paid or how many people subscribed afterwards. The most viewed video and the channel with the most subscribers therefore belong in separate rankings. Curious about that second list? Read who has the most YouTube subscribers.
Further reading about YouTube videos
Want to work on a video yourself? Read how to edit a YouTube video. Want to remove one of your own uploads? Then read the explanation of deleting a YouTube video.
