YouTube has officially entered its third decade, marking 20 years since its inception. The Google-owned platform underscored its monumental growth on April 23, revealing that an astounding figure of over 20 billion videos have been uploaded to the site since its inception. To commemorate its two-decade journey, YouTube has unveiled a series of new statistics highlighting its immense scale and influence.
“Today’s the day: @YouTube's 20th birthday🎈On April 23, 2005, the very first video was uploaded to YouTube,” said Neil Mohan, CEO of YouTube.
“What started as a simple video-sharing platform has grown into a force, driving culture and fundamentally reshaping how we watch and create entertainment,” he added.
“Me at the Zoo”: First video uploaded on YouTube
The milestone coincides with the 20th anniversary of the very first video ever shared on YouTube: the now-iconic 19-second clip titled “Me at the Zoo.” Shot by co-founder Jawed Karim at the San Diego Zoo, the simple video of Karim in front of elephants unknowingly launched a digital revolution in how people consume and share video content worldwide.
5 fun facts about YouTube
As per YouTube, there are over 20 million videos uploaded daily to YouTube (as of April 2025).
Both YouTube Music and YouTube Kids are turning 10! But before YouTube Music launched, it went by the codename Woodstock.
In 2024, YouTube users averaged over 100 million comments on videos on a daily basis. “And we discovered that creators hearted comments from an average of 10 million viewers every day,” YouTube added.
Last year, on average, YouTube videos received over 3.5 billion likes from users per day.
More than 300 music videos on YouTube are in the billion views club.
Upcoming features on YouTube
In addition to the staggering upload figure, the platform has also announced several forthcoming features aimed at enhancing the user experience and is embedding celebratory Easter eggs throughout the site for users to discover.
For YouTube TV subscribers, the platform will soon introduce an experimental feature allowing members to create their own customised multiview experience with select non-sports content. This initial rollout will involve a limited selection of popular channels, with plans for expansion in the near future.
YouTube is expanding access to the voice-reply feature for video comments to a wider range of creators later this year. This functionality enables creators to engage with their audience in a more direct and conversational manner, fostering stronger community interaction.
YouTube is launching "Ask Music," a personalised radio station generator accessible through voice commands. Available on iOS and Android for all YouTube Premium and YouTube Music subscribers, Ask Music allows users to describe the type of music they're in the mood for and instantly create a tailored listening experience.
YouTube Premium members on mobile devices will also gain a significant boost in playback control with the introduction of 4x playback speed. This expands the existing range of faster playback options beyond 2x (including increments like 2.05x, 2.5x, and 3x), providing users with greater flexibility in how quickly they consume video content.
Finally, YouTube is preparing a comprehensive upgrade to the TV viewing experience this summer. Viewers can anticipate easier navigation, enhanced playback controls, improved quality adjustments, and streamlined access to features such as comments, channel information and subscription options.
“Today’s the day: @YouTube's 20th birthday🎈On April 23, 2005, the very first video was uploaded to YouTube,” said Neil Mohan, CEO of YouTube.
“What started as a simple video-sharing platform has grown into a force, driving culture and fundamentally reshaping how we watch and create entertainment,” he added.
To our incredible community of @YouTubeCreators, artists, viewers, partners and employees: you make YouTube what it is ▶️ Here’s to the next 20! 🎉 https://t.co/ceW6ZST4xp (3/3) pic.twitter.com/2sRAKmRcv6
— Neal Mohan (@nealmohan) April 23, 2025
“Me at the Zoo”: First video uploaded on YouTube
The milestone coincides with the 20th anniversary of the very first video ever shared on YouTube: the now-iconic 19-second clip titled “Me at the Zoo.” Shot by co-founder Jawed Karim at the San Diego Zoo, the simple video of Karim in front of elephants unknowingly launched a digital revolution in how people consume and share video content worldwide.
5 fun facts about YouTube
As per YouTube, there are over 20 million videos uploaded daily to YouTube (as of April 2025).
Both YouTube Music and YouTube Kids are turning 10! But before YouTube Music launched, it went by the codename Woodstock.
In 2024, YouTube users averaged over 100 million comments on videos on a daily basis. “And we discovered that creators hearted comments from an average of 10 million viewers every day,” YouTube added.
Last year, on average, YouTube videos received over 3.5 billion likes from users per day.
More than 300 music videos on YouTube are in the billion views club.
Upcoming features on YouTube
In addition to the staggering upload figure, the platform has also announced several forthcoming features aimed at enhancing the user experience and is embedding celebratory Easter eggs throughout the site for users to discover.
For YouTube TV subscribers, the platform will soon introduce an experimental feature allowing members to create their own customised multiview experience with select non-sports content. This initial rollout will involve a limited selection of popular channels, with plans for expansion in the near future.
YouTube is expanding access to the voice-reply feature for video comments to a wider range of creators later this year. This functionality enables creators to engage with their audience in a more direct and conversational manner, fostering stronger community interaction.
YouTube is launching "Ask Music," a personalised radio station generator accessible through voice commands. Available on iOS and Android for all YouTube Premium and YouTube Music subscribers, Ask Music allows users to describe the type of music they're in the mood for and instantly create a tailored listening experience.
YouTube Premium members on mobile devices will also gain a significant boost in playback control with the introduction of 4x playback speed. This expands the existing range of faster playback options beyond 2x (including increments like 2.05x, 2.5x, and 3x), providing users with greater flexibility in how quickly they consume video content.
Finally, YouTube is preparing a comprehensive upgrade to the TV viewing experience this summer. Viewers can anticipate easier navigation, enhanced playback controls, improved quality adjustments, and streamlined access to features such as comments, channel information and subscription options.
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