How to Use YouTube Desktop
This guide shows you how to interact with YouTube Desktop — from logging in and navigating the interface to creating content and engaging with short video content.
1. Signing In
To start using YouTube Desktop, launch the app after installation and log in with your YouTube credentials.
*If you encounter issues logging in (e.g., being redirected to a QR code or login prompt), make sure your YouTube account has a password set and isn’t solely linked via eMail, as this can interfere with login workflows.* (Community tip: some users solved login problems by adjusting their YouTube security settings before attempting desktop login.)
2. Navigating the Interface
Once logged in, you’ll be greeted with the main YouTube interface — typically a timeline of posts from people you follow or suggestions of content. The layout is designed to resemble a familiar social feed, optimized for desktop screens.
YouTube Desktop also lets you switch between view modes (e.g., “Following” and “For You”) to customize how content appears in your feed, similar to the official YouTube web experience.
3. Creating a YouTube
To post a new video:
- Click the “Upload” button in the top area of the interface while being on your channel.
- Upload your video — keep it engaging and concise!
- You can include text or links if supported by the client.
- Press “Post” to publish your video to your profile and your followers’ feeds.
In general, on YouTube you create content by uploading a video, and adding any text and music to short videos you want to include.
4. Interacting with Posts
Once posts appear in your feed, you can:
- Like a video by clicking the heart icon.
- Comment to join conversations on a post.
These interactions help you engage with your community and get more visibility. Most desktop interfaces follow similar interaction patterns to the web or mobile versions.
5. Searching & Following Users
Use the search bar (typically at the top or in a navigation pane) to find users or keywords you’re interested in. Once you find someone you want to follow, hover or click their profile and tap “Subscribe” to add them to your feed.
This makes it easy to explore topics and build up a feed of content that matters to you.
Tips & Best Practices
- Keep videos visual and engaging — adding music often increases interactions.
-
Use relevant hashtags and mentions (
@username) to expand your reach. - Post consistently to grow your audience and maintain visibility in followers’ feeds.
Explore the Project
📥 Installation
Learn how to install and set up YouTube Desktop on your system.
🏠 Home
YouTube Desktop homepage.
⭐ Features
Detailed feature breakdown.
🖼️ Screenshots
Visual tour of the interface and key features.
⬇️ Downloads
Get the latest releases, installers & binaries.
📜 Changelog
Detailed changelog breakdown.
🤝 Contributing
How to help improve YouTube Desktop.
Explore our other projects
💻🖥 Other Desktop Projects
View our other Desktop projects that bring popular apps to your Windows PC.