Why can’t I add or play YouTube videos in Kahoot! anymore?

To comply with YouTube’s updated terms and maintain an ad-free experience on Kahoot!, adding or playing YouTube videos is no longer supported. 

The change will impact all business users and social users, regardless of whether they have a free account or are on one of our paid subscriptions. Currently, the Kahoot! 360 Spirit Premium subscription offers the possibility to upload your own video files directly into your kahoots.
 

What can I use instead of YouTube videos in kahoot?

You still have great options to keep your kahoots engaging and visually rich:

1. Vimeo videos – Vimeo is fully supported and ad-free, making it easy to add high-quality videos.
   
   💡 You can upload your own video to Vimeo and then embed it into your kahoot. To get started, follow this guide from Vimeo on how to upload a video from your device. If you run into any issues, please contact Vimeo support for assistance.
   
   ☝️ Kahoot! may not recognize links with additional parameters, which can cause issues when trying to embed the video. To avoid this, simply remove everything after the video ID (the number at the end of the link), so it ends like this: https://vimeo.com/939492565
    
2. Upload your own videos (available with Kahoot! 360 Spirit Premium) – Add custom training videos, internal presentations, or other personalized content directly to your kahoots. Learn more about uploading your own video.
   
3. Images and GIFs – All users can upload images, choose from curated Getty Images and Unsplash libraries, or use Giphy’s integrated GIF search to add visual flair. Learn more about using images and GIF's.
   

These alternatives ensure your kahoots stay fun, dynamic, and tailored to your audience - without relying on YouTube.
 

What happens to my old kahoots with YouTube videos?

If you’ve created a kahoot that has a YouTube video included, those videos will no longer play inside the game. You might notice a message saying that the media is not supported. But don’t worry - your kahoot is still fully usable and you don’t have to start from scratch.

How to update your kahoot:

1. While editing a kahoot, remove the YouTube video from the question.
    
2. Choose an alternative media option:
   - Use a Vimeo video (fully supported and ad-free).
   - Upload your own video if you're using a Kahoot! 360 Spirit Premium plan.
   - Add an image or GIF using Kahoot!’s built-in Giphy integration or upload your own image.
   💡 If your question relied on the YouTube video, rephrase it to match the new media you’ve added.
    
3. Save your kahoot and host live as usual.

These simple edits will help you refresh your old kahoots quickly, so you can continue using them without any disruption.

As an alternative, simply click the “Watch on YouTube” button that appears in the question. This will open the video in a new browser tab, so you can watch it directly on YouTube.

The start timestamp you originally set in the kahoot is included in the link. So if the clip was set to start at 0:43, it will open at exactly 0:43 on YouTube ensuring your question still makes sense.

How can I add a Lobby video to my kahoot?

As a workaround, you can use a slide with an uploaded video (such as a Vimeo file) that plays in the Lobby when using Presentation mode or Lecture mode. Here's how to do it:

1. While creating your kahoot, add a slide as the first item, before any quiz or poll questions.
2. On the slide:
   - Upload a video from your device (available with Kahoot! 360 Spirit Premium) or use a Vimeo video (fully supported and ad-free).
   - This first slide will appear in the Lobby, before the game starts, while you're waiting for players to join.  
3. Save your kahoot and host in Presentation mode or Lecture mode to display the slide and video before the game begins.

Note: You’ll need to start the video manually once the Lobby screen appears.

Read more:
➡️ Kahoot! Professional experience: the interactive presentation tool for hosting
➡️ Kahoot! Lecture experience: the essential lecture toolkit for education

Why doesn’t my YouTube Premium subscription work in Kahoot!?

YouTube Premium removes ads only when you are signed in and watching videos directly on the YouTube platform. When videos are embedded in Kahoot!, the YouTube embedded player is used, which does not support user login. This means YouTube cannot identify whether you have a Premium subscription and, therefore, may still show ads.