There are several ways to add a subscribe button to your YouTube videos, either while editing the video or in the YouTube Studio settings. A Subscribe button can noticeably increase your subscriber count if you have many good videos and plenty of viewers. Most YouTubers do this nowadays because it’s one of the basics. If you haven’t tried it yet, follow the guide below.
Benefits of adding a subscribe button to YouTube videos
Here’s why YouTubers add a Subscribe button to their videos:
- It reminds viewers to subscribe to the channel while they’re watching.
- It shows a subscribe button right in the video, so subscribing is easy.
- It can grow your subscriber count quickly if you have many good videos with a subscribe button.
- Your future videos will get views faster thanks to subscriptions from real viewers.
Where to get subscribe button videos
Go to YouTube or other video sites and search for “subscribe green screen”. Watch a few videos and pick the styles you like. These videos usually have a green screen background.
subscribe green screenNote: Only use subscribe button videos and sounds that the creator clearly allows others to reuse (the terms and download link are usually in the video description). Even a few seconds of someone else’s video is still copyrighted, and using it without permission can get your video flagged by YouTube. If you are not sure, you can make a simple subscribe button yourself in Premiere or Camtasia.
How to add a subscribe button to a YouTube video with Premiere
Premiere is one of the most popular professional video editors. Download it through the official Adobe Creative Cloud app so you always get updates and avoid installers bundled with malware. If you’re on macOS, see how to install Adobe on Mac. If you already use Premiere, great, you’ll find the steps below easy to follow.
Step 1: After editing your main video, drag and drop the subscribe button video to the right spot on the timeline.
Step 2: Click Effects on the menu to open the Effects panel. Find Ultra Key, then drag and drop it onto the subscribe button video.
Step 3: Double-click the eyedropper (picker) icon, then hold and drag it onto the green area of the video.
Step 4: Check by eye whether the green background has been removed cleanly. If not, try switching Setting to another option, such as Aggressive.
Step 5: Adjust the size and position of the subscribe button by clicking Motion. You can then change the values or drag it directly on the video.
Once you’re done, export the video by going to File > Export on the top menu or pressing Ctrl + M.
How to add a subscribe button to a YouTube video with Camtasia
Unlike Premiere, Camtasia aims to give you all the features you need while staying as easy to use as possible.
Step 1: Add the subscribe button video to Media, then drag and drop it onto the timeline where you want it.
Step 2: Click Visual Effects on the left menu, then find the Remove a Color effect. Click and hold the effect, then drag and drop it onto the green screen video.
After dropping it, if the background is removed properly, move on to the next step. If not, click Properties and pick the green color again with the color picker. You can also try adjusting the other settings to see if the video looks better.
Step 3: Resize the Subscribe button. Scale controls the size and Position controls where it sits. You can also simply drag it around on the video once the green background is gone.
When you’re done, click the Share button in the upper right corner and select Local File to export the video.
How to add a clickable subscribe button in YouTube Studio
The sections above showed you how to add a subscribe button inside the video itself, which works as a reminder. Now I’ll show you how to add a subscribe button that viewers can actually click while watching.
Step 1: Go to YouTube Studio to manage your channel, then select Customization in the left menu and open the Profile tab. Scroll down to Video watermark, click CHANGE to upload your logo, adjust the size, then click DONE. The screenshot below shows the 2020 interface, when this option was under Settings > Channel > Branding; the new path comes from the YouTube Help Center (10/2026).
Step 2: After uploading the logo, choose the display time: end of video (the last 15 seconds), a custom start time, or the entire video. This part is up to you. Then click PUBLISH.
Now open one of the videos on your channel and look at the lower right corner to see how the subscribe button appears.
Note: According to YouTube, the watermark should be a square image of at least 150 x 150 pixels and under 1 MB. Viewers can click it to subscribe on computers; on mobile it still shows but isn’t clickable. Also, videos set as made for kids don’t show the watermark.
Final thoughts
A subscribe button helps, but your videos still need to be good and bring value to viewers before they’ll subscribe to your channel. Which of these methods do you like best? Feel free to share in the comments below. Good luck!
