How to Disclose AI Content on YouTube
When you must disclose
- ⚑ Making a real, identifiable person appear to say or do something they did not — including AI voice clones and face swaps.
- ⚑ Altering footage of a real event or place so it shows something that did not happen (for example, making a real building appear to be on fire).
- ⚑ Generating a realistic scene that depicts a fictional but believable event (such as a tornado approaching a real town).
- ⚑ Any meaningfully altered or synthetically generated content that a viewer could reasonably mistake for real footage.
When you usually don't
- ✓ Using AI for production assistance — scripts, content ideas, outlines, titles or automatic captions.
- ✓ Clearly unrealistic, animated or heavily stylised content not meant to be mistaken for reality.
- ✓ Minor cosmetic edits such as colour correction, background blur, lighting fixes or beauty filters.
- ✓ Special effects that are obviously special effects.
When in doubt, disclose — platforms can apply a label themselves and penalise repeated non-disclosure.
How to disclose AI content on YouTube
- Upload your video in YouTube Studio (desktop or the mobile app).
- In the Details section, find the “Altered content” question.
- Select Yes if your video contains realistic altered or synthetic content that meets the criteria above.
- Finish the upload. YouTube adds a “Modified or Synthetic” label to the video’s expanded description automatically.
- For sensitive topics — elections, health, finance, major events — YouTube may show a more prominent label on the video player itself.
- As a stronger layer, add a visible disclosure in your own description and embed metadata in any AI images you use (see the generator below).
Generate your disclosure label & metadata
YouTube's in-app toggle marks the upload itself. This free generator gives you the extra layer: a visible badge for your caption or description, a plain-text disclosure, and machine-readable metadata embedded into your image file — which platforms also read automatically.
Create your disclosure
Your disclosure
Fill in the form and your badge, metadata and plain-text disclosure will appear here.
What YouTube's AI disclosure rule actually requires
YouTube requires creators to disclose content that is meaningfully altered or synthetically generated when it looks realistic. The policy is not about whether AI touched your video somewhere in production — it is about whether a reasonable viewer could be misled into thinking they are seeing something real that did not happen. That is the single test to keep in mind.
The disclosure is made through the “Altered content” setting during upload. When you select “Yes”, YouTube adds a label reading “Modified or Synthetic” to the video description. Disclosing does not reduce your reach and does not affect monetisation eligibility on its own.
What happens if you do not disclose
If content should have been disclosed and was not, YouTube can apply the label itself — and a creator-applied label cannot always be removed once YouTube adds its own. More importantly, creators who consistently fail to disclose may face penalties, including content removal or suspension from the YouTube Partner Program. Treat disclosure as routine rather than optional.
Note that AI disclosure is separate from YouTube’s inauthentic-content and monetisation rules. Disclosing AI use does not by itself make mass-produced or low-effort content eligible to earn — those are different policies you also need to meet.
Going beyond the in-app toggle
The “Altered content” toggle is a YouTube-side flag. It does not put a disclosure inside your actual media files, and it does not help on any other platform you cross-post to. For durable, portable transparency, add two things yourself: a short visible disclosure line in your description, and embedded metadata in any AI-generated images (thumbnails, b-roll stills). The generator above produces both in a few clicks, and the metadata travels with the file wherever it goes.
This page is general information, not legal advice, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by YouTube. Platform policies change; verify against the platform's official help pages.
YouTube AI disclosure — FAQs
Do I have to disclose AI on YouTube if I only used it for the script?
No. YouTube explicitly exempts production-assistance uses of AI — scripts, ideas, outlines, titles, descriptions and automatic captions do not require disclosure. Only realistic synthetic or altered media in the final video matters.
Where do I find the AI disclosure setting on YouTube?
During upload in YouTube Studio, in the Details section, look for the "Altered content" question. Select "Yes" if your video contains realistic altered or synthetic content. It is available on desktop and the mobile app.
Does disclosing AI content reduce my views or demonetise my video?
No. YouTube states that disclosing content as altered or synthetic does not limit a video's audience or affect its eligibility to earn money. Failing to disclose, however, can lead to penalties.
What label does YouTube add?
YouTube adds a "Modified or Synthetic" label to the video's expanded description. For sensitive subjects such as elections or health, a more prominent label may appear on the video player itself.
Do I need to disclose animation or obvious special effects?
No. Content that is clearly unrealistic, animated or uses obvious special effects does not require disclosure, because viewers are not misled about reality.
What if YouTube disagrees and adds its own label?
YouTube may add a label even when a creator did not disclose, especially where altered or synthetic content could confuse viewers. A label YouTube applies itself may not be removable, so it is safer to disclose accurately yourself.
More disclosure tools & guides
Main disclosure generator → All guides
See also: YouTube · TikTok · Instagram & Facebook