YouTube Category Checker
Find the category assigned to any YouTube video or Shorts. Paste a link or video ID to see the category name, its category ID, and the key details around it.
What is a YouTube video category?
A YouTube video category is a label the uploader assigns to a video, such as Education, Gaming, or Music. YouTube uses it to group similar content and to help decide where a video fits across the platform. Every category also has a numeric category ID, for example Education is 27 and Gaming is 20. The ID is what the YouTube Data API returns, so tools and integrations rely on it rather than the name.
All YouTube video categories
These are the standard categories with their IDs. Availability can vary by country, and some older categories are no longer assignable.
| ID | Category |
|---|---|
| 1 | Film & Animation |
| 2 | Autos & Vehicles |
| 10 | Music |
| 15 | Pets & Animals |
| 17 | Sports |
| 18 | Short Movies |
| 19 | Travel & Events |
| 20 | Gaming |
| 21 | Videoblogging |
| 22 | People & Blogs |
| 23 | Comedy |
| 24 | Entertainment |
| 25 | News & Politics |
| 26 | Howto & Style |
| 27 | Education |
| 28 | Science & Technology |
| 29 | Nonprofits & Activism |
| 30 | Movies |
| 31 | Anime/Animation |
| 32 | Action/Adventure |
| 33 | Classics |
| 34 | Comedy |
| 35 | Documentary |
| 36 | Drama |
| 37 | Family |
| 38 | Foreign |
| 39 | Horror |
| 40 | Sci-Fi/Fantasy |
| 41 | Thriller |
| 42 | Shorts |
| 43 | Shows |
| 44 | Trailers |
How to change a video's category in YouTube Studio
- 1. Open YouTube Studio. Go to Content and pick the video you want to edit.
- 2. Open the details. Click the video, then scroll to Show more near the bottom of the page.
- 3. Set the category. Under Category, choose the one that best fits the video.
- 4. Save. Click Save. The new category applies right away.
Why it is useful
- Verify the category set on any video
- Research how competitors categorize their content
- Check whether videos in a niche are categorized consistently
- Troubleshoot API integrations that depend on category IDs
Frequently asked questions
How do I find a video's category?
Paste the video or Shorts link above and run the check. The tool reads the category and its ID from the official YouTube Data API.
What does the category ID mean?
It is the number YouTube uses for each category in its API. For example, 27 is Education and 10 is Music. The full list is in the table above.
Can you tell if a video is a Short?
The API does not flag Shorts directly. The tool marks a video as Shorts when you paste a Shorts link or when the video is 60 seconds or shorter, so treat it as a strong hint rather than a guarantee.
Does category affect how a video performs?
Category helps YouTube understand the topic of a video, but title, description, tags, and watch time matter far more for reach. Pick the category that fits the content best.
Is this tool free?
Yes. It is free and needs no login. Paste a link and check the category.
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