What Does "Allow Embedding" Mean on YouTube? (2026 Guide)

Last updated: February 6, 2026

You've spent hours filming, editing, and uploading your latest video. You want the world to see it. But then you see a checkbox in YouTube Studio: "Allow embedding."

Do you check it? Leave it alone? What happens if you turn it off?

For most creators, this setting is an afterthought. But for businesses using video marketing, understanding embedding is critical. It determines whether your video travels across the web or stays locked on YouTube.com.

Here is everything you need to know about embedding YouTube videos in 2026, from how views are counted to why some creators disable it entirely.

What Does "Allow Embedding" Actually Mean?

In simple terms, embedding takes a video hosted on YouTube and displays it on another webpage. It's like opening a small window on your site that looks directly onto YouTube's servers.

Technically, this is done using an iframe (Inline Frame). When you or someone else embeds your video, they are placing a snippet of HTML code on their site that loads your video player. YouTube's IFrame Player API documentation covers the full technical spec.

When the "Allow embedding" box is checked (enabled):

• Anyone can click the "Share" button on your video.
• They can copy the <iframe> code.
• They can paste that code onto their blog, news site, or social media feed.
• The video plays directly on their site without redirecting the user.

When the "Allow embedding" box is unchecked (disabled):

• The "Embed" option disappears from the Share menu.
• If someone already embedded the video, the player will show a "Video unavailable" error.
• Users must click "Watch on YouTube" to view the content.

For a deeper dive into the code itself, check out our guide to video embed codes.

How to Enable or Disable Embedding (Step-by-Step)

YouTube enables embedding by default. If you want to turn it off—or make sure it's on—you'll need to dive into YouTube Studio. Here is how to do it in 2026.

For a Single Video

1. Log in to YouTube Studio.
2. Click Content in the left sidebar.
3. Click the pencil icon (Details) on the video you want to change.
4. Scroll down to the very bottom and click SHOW MORE.
5. Scroll down further to the "License and distribution" section.
6. Check or uncheck the box for Allow embedding.
7. Click Save.

For Multiple Videos (Bulk Edit)

If you have hundreds of videos, you don't need to do this one by one.

1. Go to Content in YouTube Studio.
2. Check the Select All box at the top of your video list.
3. Click Edit > Embedding.
4. Select On or Off.
5. Click Update videos.

The Big Question: Do Embedded Views Count?

This is the most common question we get: "If someone watches my video on a blog, does it count toward my YouTube view total?"

The short answer is YES.

However, YouTube has strict rules to prevent view manipulation (spam). For an embedded view to count, it must meet two criteria:

1. User-Initiated Playback: The viewer must click the play button. If the video is set to autoplay, the view generally does not count (HubSpot, 2024).
2. 30-Second Rule: The viewer usually needs to watch for at least 30 seconds. This filters out accidental clicks and bots.

Note on "Verify" Mode: Sometimes, YouTube freezes view counts at 301 or similar numbers to verify traffic sources. This happens frequently with viral embedded videos. Don't panic—once YouTube confirms the views are real humans, the counter will catch up.

Pros and Cons of Allowing Embedding

Should you leave that box checked? It depends on your goal. If you are a YouTuber chasing fame, the answer is usually yes. If you are a business trying to keep users on your website, the answer is often no.

Here is the breakdown:

For a detailed look at the trade-offs, read our full guide on the pros and cons of YouTube embeds.

Why Creators Disable Embedding

You might have seen the message "Video unavailable. The owner has disabled playback on other websites." Why would anyone do this?

1. To Protect Monetization
Some external sites use scripts that block ads on embedded videos. If a YouTuber relies on ad revenue, they might force you to come to YouTube.com to ensure they get paid.

2. To Control the Environment
Luxury brands or artists often don't want their content appearing on low-quality spam blogs. Disabling embedding ensures the video is only seen in a controlled context.

3. To Stop Traffic Leaks
If you are using video to sell a product on your landing page, an embedded YouTube player is a leak. It's full of "suggested videos" designed to distract your potential customer. Disabling embedding prevents others from sharing it, but it doesn't solve the problem of YouTube distracting users on your site.

Advanced Embed Options (For Developers)

If you are manually adding the embed code, you can tweak how the player behaves using URL parameters. You add these to the end of the video URL in the iframe code.

For example: src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VIDEO_ID?autoplay=1&mute=1"

• autoplay=1: Starts the video automatically when it loads. Note: Modern browsers block autoplay unless you also add mute=1.
• controls=0: Hides the bottom player controls (play bar, volume).
• start=30: Starts the video at the 30-second mark.
• rel=0: The most misunderstood parameter of all.

The "Suggested Videos" Problem (rel=0)

Before 2018, you could add ?rel=0 to your embed code, and YouTube would stop showing "Related Videos" at the end. It was a great way to keep viewers focused.

That is no longer true.

Today, rel=0 simply changes the behavior: instead of showing random videos, it shows related videos from your own channel (Google Developers). You cannot turn them off completely. If you pause the video, or when it ends, YouTube will suggest other content.

For businesses, this is a dealbreaker. You don't want your homepage video to end and immediately show a grid of old, irrelevant videos from your channel.

Alternatives to YouTube Embedding

If you need "Allow embedding" to get viral reach, YouTube is king. But if you are embedding video on your business website, the cons often outweigh the pros.

Consider these alternatives:

1. SmartVideo (Swarmify): Designed for business. It automatically ingests your YouTube videos and serves them through a clean, ad-free player. You get the speed of a professional CDN without losing your YouTube content.
2. Vimeo: Offers great privacy controls and ad-free playback, though their free tier is very limited compared to YouTube. See our list of YouTube alternatives for more details.
3. Self-Hosting: You can upload video files directly to WordPress, but be warned: this usually hurts site performance.

If you're using WordPress, check out our guide on how to embed YouTube videos specifically for WordPress to avoid common slowing issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

The "Allow embedding" checkbox is a small setting with big implications. For creators, it's a gateway to viral growth. For businesses, it's a trade-off between free hosting and giving up control of your user experience.

If you need a YouTube alternative for your website that keeps your brand front and center, SmartVideo gives you full control without ads or distractions.