Data-backed guide
Best time to post on YouTube and Shorts in 2026 (by day)
When to upload YouTube videos and Shorts, by day of the week, from Buffer's study of 1.8 million videos, plus how to find the hours your own viewers watch.
By ClipSnitch · Reviewed
Quick answer
For regular YouTube videos, the best time to post is Sunday at 10 a.m., followed by Sunday 9 a.m. and Friday 12 p.m. For YouTube Shorts, Friday is best, at 4 p.m., 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. Both come from Buffer's study of 1.8 million videos.
All times are in the local time of the audience you're posting for: 9 a.m. means 9 a.m. where your followers are.
Best time to post YouTube videos by day
| Day | Best time | Also strong |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 9 a.m. | 10 p.m.7 a.m. |
| Tuesday | 9 a.m. | 11 a.m.8 a.m. |
| Wednesday | 7 a.m. | 3 p.m.5 p.m. |
| Thursday | 5 p.m. | 6 p.m.7 a.m. |
| Friday | 12 p.m. | 11 a.m.3 p.m. |
| Saturday | 12 p.m. | 10 a.m.3 p.m. |
| Sunday | 10 a.m. | 9 a.m.12 p.m. |
Top three slots of the week (Buffer). Times are in your audience's local time.
Best time to post YouTube Shorts by day
| Day | Best time | Also strong |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 8 p.m. | 5 p.m.6 p.m. |
| Tuesday | 8 p.m. | 9 p.m.7 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 7 p.m. | 8 p.m.9 p.m. |
| Thursday | 7 p.m. | 8 p.m.9 p.m. |
| Friday | 4 p.m. | 6 p.m.7 p.m. |
| Saturday | 7 p.m. | 11 a.m.6 p.m. |
| Sunday | 7 p.m. | 8 p.m.5 p.m. |
Top three slots of the week (Buffer). Times are in your audience's local time.
Best and worst days
Regular videos do best on Sunday, then Tuesday and Monday; Wednesday and Thursday are the weakest, Thursday lowest. Shorts are the other way round: Friday is best, then Saturday and Thursday, with Tuesday and Monday the weakest. Shorts also lean to the evening, mostly 7–9 p.m.
How to find your own best time
YouTube Studio shows when your own viewers are watching:
- Open YouTube Studio and go to Analytics, then Audience.
- Find the card When your viewers are on YouTube: darker bars mean more of your viewers are online at that hour.
- Schedule uploads an hour or two before that peak, so the video is ready when they arrive.
Schedule posts for those times
ClipSnitch schedules your YouTube post for the exact day and time you pick, up to 90 days ahead, and can send the same video to YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and LinkedIn at once. AI writes the caption, and you see a preview before it goes out.
Schedule YouTube videosCommon questions
What is the best time to post on YouTube?
Sunday at 10 a.m. for regular videos, then Sunday 9 a.m. and Friday 12 p.m., according to Buffer's 1.8 million videos. For Shorts, Friday at 4 p.m., 6 p.m. or 7 p.m.
What is the best time to post YouTube Shorts?
Friday at 4 p.m., 6 p.m. or 7 p.m., according to Buffer's 1.8 million videos. On other days, Shorts do best in the evening, mostly 7–9 p.m.
What is the best day to post on YouTube?
Sunday for regular videos and Friday for Shorts. Wednesday and Thursday are the weakest days for regular videos, and Monday and Tuesday for Shorts.
Which time zone should I use?
Your audience's. Both studies report local time, so if most of your followers are in New York, 9 a.m. means 9 a.m. in New York. ClipSnitch's scheduler uses your browser's time zone; if your audience lives elsewhere, convert the time before you schedule.
Does posting time still matter?
Less than what you post. A good time helps a post get its first views and reactions, which platforms use to decide who else sees it, but a strong video at an average time beats a weak one at the perfect time. Posting on a steady schedule matters more than the exact minute.
Sources
Buffer ranks hours by median engagement rate and normalizes them to local time. Sprout Social ranks windows by engagement, also in local time. Both are averages over many accounts; your own audience may differ.