Overview
- Recap went live on December 2 for North American users, with a global rollout underway this week, and is accessible from the homepage, the You tab, or youtube.com/recap.
- Users receive up to 12 cards highlighting top channels, recurring interests, and how viewing evolved over the year, along with a watch personality; the most common were Sunshiner, Wonder Seeker, and Connector.
- A dedicated music layer surfaces top artists and songs for 2025, with deeper insights on genres and podcasts available in the YouTube Music app.
- Eligibility excludes children under 13 (or local minimum age), supervised accounts, and accounts with paused watch history or auto‑delete settings enabled.
- YouTube says Recap was refined through nine feedback rounds and 50+ concept tests, features an on‑screen “AI can make mistakes” disclaimer, and launches alongside its 2025 End of Year lists as Google Photos rolls out a Gemini‑powered Recap.