How to See Dislikes on YouTube

You cannot see the dislike count on other people's YouTube videos. YouTube made dislike counts private across the platform in November 2021, while keeping the dislike button. If you own the channel, you can still see your exact dislike totals in YouTube Studio.

What YouTube changed

YouTube's announcement, An update to dislikes on YouTube, was published on November 10, 2021. Its main points:

• Dislike counts became private across the platform. The dislike button stayed.
• The change was rolled out gradually starting that day.
• Viewers can still dislike a video to tune their own recommendations and send private feedback to creators.
• Creators can still find their exact dislike counts in YouTube Studio, alongside their other performance metrics.

YouTube said the change followed an experiment. Viewers who could not see the count were less likely to pile on dislikes, a pattern YouTube said occurs at a higher proportion on smaller channels. YouTube described the aim as protecting creators from "dislike attacks," where viewers deliberately pile on dislikes.

If you are the creator

Open YouTube Studio and check your video analytics. YouTube says exact dislike counts remain there alongside your other performance metrics, and one report places them under the Engagement tab. The layout changes from time to time.

If you are a viewer

You have three realistic options.

1. Read the signals that are still public. The like count and the tone of the comments give you a rough feel for reception.
2. Use the Return YouTube Dislike browser extension. It is an open source project that shows an estimate of the dislike count when you open a video. Per descriptions of the project, it relies on its own users, plus historical data saved before the public count was removed and public data such as views and likes. Because it is an estimate, accuracy varies.
3. Treat the estimate with care. An investigation by Automaton found cases where the extension showed a figure far above the real total. For one video, it reported 700 dislikes when the actual number was under 10% of that. The author declined to publish the exact figure. Secondary guides say accuracy depends on how many extension users have rated a video and on the video's age, so small or new videos are the least reliable.

Browser extensions can read page data, so only install ones you trust and review the permissions they request.

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What to look at instead

If your goal is to judge whether a video is any good, the dislike count was never a complete signal. Watch time and retention tell you more about whether people stayed. If you publish video yourself, our YouTube platform guide covers what the algorithm rewards, and you can plan uploads ahead with the YouTube scheduler.

FAQ

Can you still see dislikes on YouTube?

Not publicly. YouTube made dislike counts private in November 2021. Creators can see their own exact dislike counts in YouTube Studio, and viewers can only see estimates from third-party tools.

Can you still dislike a YouTube video?

Yes. The dislike button remains, and YouTube says viewers can use it to tune their recommendations and send private feedback to creators.

Is the Return YouTube Dislike extension accurate?

It is an estimate, not an official count. Its accuracy depends on how many people with the extension have rated a video, and an investigation by Automaton found cases where the displayed number was far above the real one.

Why did YouTube hide dislikes?

YouTube said an experiment showed viewers were less likely to pile on dislikes when they could not see the count, and that the change was meant to protect creators from dislike attacks.

Sources

• YouTube Blog: An update to dislikes on YouTube
• Automaton: The Return YouTube Dislike browser extension returns wildly inaccurate numbers in some cases