YouTube auto dubbing, explained
Learn how creators can reach new audiences around the world, automatically.
May 15, 2026 [[read-time]] minute read
Auto dubbing brings YouTube content to entirely new audiences, seamlessly translating videos into dozens of languages so people around the world can experience them. In a recent podcast, YouTube Creator Liaison Rene Ritchie sat down with Auto-Dubbing Product Manager Buddhika Kottahachchi to learn about the latest developments.
What is auto dubbing on YouTube?
Auto dubbing takes the original audio in your video, translates it into new languages, and dubs it over the video so viewers can watch and follow along with the same cadence as the original language. Auto dubbing is available in 27 languages, and eight languages offer Expressive Speech for even more realistic sound.
There are already millions of channels using auto dubbing, and the benefits are clear. The biggest is audience reach: when more people who don't understand your spoken language can watch and enjoy your content, your audience grows. As of December 2025, there were over 6 million viewers watching 10 minutes or more of auto dubbed content on YouTube every day.
How can creators make the most of auto dubbing?
According to Buddhika, the best part is there isn't much for a creator to do after setting it up for the first time. "Auto" dubbing really means automatic!
Once you're set up with auto dubbing, YouTube Studio makes it easy to see how your videos are performing in different languages using the "audio track" filter. If you're not seeing the viewer behavior you were expecting, consider making adjustments to your video format to improve the dubbing — things like speaking clearly, avoiding overlapping speech, and providing translated titles and descriptions.
Rest assured that having your videos dubbed has no negative impact on viewer discovery, only potential upside now that your video can be understood by even more people around the world. If you would like to submit your own dubs or turn off auto dubbing, you can make that choice as well.
YouTube preferred language settings
What options do viewers have for using auto dubbing?
Buddhika reiterates that viewers have control over which videos they will experience as-uploaded and which will have auto dubbing applied. Using your preferred language settings, you can choose which videos you want to hear in their original language and the rest will be dubbed where possible.
On any given video you're watching, you can also use the player settings to choose a different audio track. Whether you're bilingual, learning a new language or just want to explore, the choice is always yours.
What's new and upcoming for auto dubbing
YouTube is focused on overcoming language barriers. With a goal of improving auto dubbing for creators and viewers alike, Buddhika and his team are working on adding new languages to the system, expanding Expressive Speech feature to more languages, and building tools so creators can adjust and improve the dubs applied to their videos.