YouTube has rolled out a new Recap feature, designed to provide users with a detailed summary of their video viewing habits over the past year, similar to Spotify’s popular year-end wrap-ups. This feature analyzes an individual’s watch history to highlight viewing trends, favorite channels, and even music preferences if YouTube is the primary source for listening. Users will be presented with a collection of up to 12 cards that showcase key interests and evolving viewing patterns. In addition to highlighting favorite content, the feature attempts to categorize users into personality types based on their habits, such as Adventurer, Skill Builder, or Creative Spirit.
The feature is accessible from the YouTube homepage in supported regions or under the You tab on mobile and desktop devices. The Recap integrates both general video content and music, offering insights into top artists, songs, and preferred genres for users who rely on YouTube for music streaming. By summarizing a user’s activities throughout 2025, the platform provides a personalized snapshot of interests that can reveal both expected and surprising viewing patterns. The analytics also reflect shifts in habits over time, making the Recap a potentially informative tool for understanding how engagement with the platform has evolved during the year.
One notable limitation is that YouTube Recap relies entirely on a user’s watch history. Users who have disabled watch tracking or opted out of history-based recommendations will not be able to generate a Recap. This means that individuals who prioritize privacy or avoid tracking will not have data for the feature to analyze. For users who have kept watch history active, the Recap will be automatically available, beginning with North American users, followed by a broader global rollout later in the week.
The introduction of YouTube Recap marks an expansion of personalized analytics from music streaming to the broader video ecosystem. Similar to how Spotify Wrapped has become a cultural staple, YouTube Recap has the potential to engage users by providing tailored insights that reflect their unique preferences and online behavior. By combining video trends, music activity, and personality-type categorization, YouTube offers a more comprehensive year-end review, encouraging users to reflect on their digital habits while providing creators and marketers with a better understanding of viewer engagement.
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