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​Goodbye, YouTube annotations: Google ends support May 2

Google's going with Cards instead, because of mobile.

Scott Stein Editor at Large
I started with CNET reviewing laptops in 2009. Now I explore wearable tech, VR/AR, tablets, gaming and future/emerging trends in our changing world. Other obsessions include magic, immersive theater, puzzles, board games, cooking, improv and the New York Jets. My background includes an MFA in theater which I apply to thinking about immersive experiences of the future.
Expertise VR and AR, gaming, metaverse technologies, wearable tech, tablets Credentials
  • Nearly 20 years writing about tech, and over a decade reviewing wearable tech, VR, and AR products and apps
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Scott Stein
youtube-annotated-video.jpg

Annotations have been around for almost ten years.

 Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET

Google's making a change to YouTube that's already been underway: YouTube annotations are being discontinued.

The reason is all mobile. Annotations use has dropped 70 percent on Google's massive video site, according to a blog post Friday announcing the change. Instead, Google's recommending everyone use Cards and End Screens to handle anything interactive.

Annotations began back in 2008, before the mobile shift. According to Google's YouTube Creators blog post, 60 percent of all YouTube traffic is now mobile.

After May 2, you won't be able to create or edit YouTube annotations anymore, but users will be able to delete existing ones.

Speaking of which, if both annotations and cards annoy you, here's how to turn them off.

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