Most YouTube videos end in under 15 minutes. A handful keep going for a day, a week or close to a month. Some are endurance stunts, some are art projects, one is a DJ archive and one is simply a countdown clock that takes eight days to reach zero.
These marathon uploads exist because YouTube once let anyone post a video of any length. Today the standard cap for a verified account sits at 12 hours or 256 GB, whichever comes first, so most of the records below were set before that rule or as rare exceptions.
Here is the full list of the longest videos on YouTube, from the 596.5 hour slideshow that started the race to the 108 hour concert archive of 2026, along with how long each would take to watch and the livestreams that outlast them all.
- The Longest Videos on YouTube at a Glance
- The Longest YouTube Videos Explained
- 1. The Longest Video on YouTube: 596.5 Hours (Jonathan Harchick)
- 2. 200 Hour Countdown Timer (Mac Paverick)
- 3. USB002 EVERY SHOW (Fred again..)
- 4. 100 Hour Timer Countdown (Mac Paverick)
- 5. Teo does a 36 hour stream (More Teo)
- 6. I Counted To 100,000! (MrBeast)
- 7. 1 Year Survival Challenge In The Jungle (Survival Challenge)
- 8. PLAYING MINECRAFT FOR 24 HOURS STRAIGHT! (Unspeakable)
- 9. Longest Video on Youtube (24 Hours) (jtpfreak)
- 10. I Drew Pewdiepie For 24 Hours Straight (ZHC)
- 11. 24 Hour Challenge Family Fun Challenge (That YouTub3 Family)
- 12. The longest 5 seconds on YouTube. (The Slow Mo Guys)
- Longest YouTube Livestreams and Endless Videos
- How Long It Takes to Watch the Longest Videos on YouTube
- Why New Videos Rarely Beat the Longest YouTube Records
- Longest Videos on YouTube FAQs
The Longest Videos on YouTube at a Glance
Longest YouTube Videos Ranked by Runtime
| Rank | Video | Creator | Length | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Longest Video on YouTube: 596.5 Hours | Jonathan Harchick | 596.5 hours | 2011 | Removed |
| 2 | 200 Hour Countdown Timer | Mac Paverick | About 200 hours | 2020 | Available |
| 3 | USB002 EVERY SHOW | Fred again.. | 108 hours | 2026 | Available |
| 4 | 100 Hour Timer Countdown | Mac Paverick | 100 hours | 2020 | Available |
| 5 | Teo does a 36 hour stream | More Teo | 36 hours | 2022 or earlier | Available |
| 6 | I Counted To 100,000! | MrBeast | 40 hours recorded | 2017 | Available |
| 7 | 1 Year Survival Challenge In The Jungle | Survival Challenge | 24 hours | 2021 | Available |
| 8 | PLAYING MINECRAFT FOR 24 HOURS STRAIGHT! | Unspeakable | 24 hours | 2018 | Available |
| 9 | Longest Video on Youtube (24 Hours) | jtpfreak | 24 hours | 2010 | Available |
| 10 | I Drew Pewdiepie For 24 Hours Straight | ZHC | 24 hours | 2019 | Available |
| 11 | 24 Hour Challenge Family Fun Challenge | That YouTub3 Family | 24 hours | 2019 | Available |
| 12 | The longest 5 seconds on YouTube. | The Slow Mo Guys | About 19 hours | 2016 | Available |
The Longest YouTube Videos Explained
1. The Longest Video on YouTube: 596.5 Hours (Jonathan Harchick)
| Watch | The Longest Video on YouTube: 596.5 Hours |
| Channel | Jonathan Harchick |
| Length | 596.5 hours |
| Uploaded | 2011 |
| Status | Removed from YouTube; archived copy only |
| Content | Photo slideshow with blank and repeated segments |
In 2011, YouTube briefly lifted its upload limit, and Jonathan Harchick of Moldy Toaster Media took the bait. His first attempt in July ran 571 hours. By December 14, 2011 he topped it with this 596.5 hour slideshow: 24 days, 20 hours and 30 minutes of photos from a trip to Chile two years earlier, padded with blank and repeated stretches.
His challenge to the internet was simple: try to make a longer one. The runtime still stands as the record. YouTube later removed his channels for policy violations, so the video now survives only through web archives such as the Wayback Machine snapshot linked above.
2. 200 Hour Countdown Timer (Mac Paverick)
| Watch | 200 Hour Countdown Timer |
| Channel | Mac Paverick |
| Length | About 200 hours |
| Uploaded | 2020 |
| Content | Plain countdown clock, white background, silent |
| Channel size | About 327,000 subscribers |
German creator Mac Paverick posted this countdown on August 10, 2020. It is exactly what the title promises: a timer ticking down from 200 hours on a plain white background, with zero music and zero graphics, for a little over eight days.
Viewers use it for study sessions, focus timers and pure curiosity, and the comment section fills with people posting how far in they made it. By raw runtime, it is the longest video still playable on YouTube.
3. USB002 EVERY SHOW (Fred again..)
| Watch | USB002 EVERY SHOW |
| Channel | Fred again.. |
| Length | 108 hours |
| Uploaded | 2026 |
| Content | 21 live DJ sets from the USB002 tour |
| Tour dates | October 3, 2025 to February 27, 2026 |
In 2026, Fred again.. uploaded a recording of every DJ set from his USB002 tour, played between October 3, 2025 and February 27, 2026. The 108 hours cover 21 shows, many of them back to back sets with other artists, and end with a four night run at Alexandra Palace in London.
He asked fans whether it was the longest video on YouTube ever. On runtime it ranks third, but unlike the two above it, every hour is original footage with zero repeats, which makes it the longest piece of real content on the platform.
4. 100 Hour Timer Countdown (Mac Paverick)
| Watch | 100 Hour Timer Countdown |
| Channel | Mac Paverick |
| Length | 100 hours |
| Uploaded | 2020 |
| Views | 4.18 million+ |
| Comments | 54,000+ |
The same creator behind the 200 hour timer posted this 100 hour countdown on January 6, 2020. It is the most watched of his timers by far, with more than 4.18 million views, over 54,000 comments and about 90,800 likes.
Its popularity shows the real audience for these marathon videos: students, gamers waiting on a launch and people using it as a background clock for long tasks.
5. Teo does a 36 hour stream (More Teo)
| Watch | Teo does a 36 hour stream |
| Channel | More Teo |
| Length | 36 hours |
| Uploaded | 2022 or earlier |
| Games | Jurassic World Evolution 2, Battlefield 2042, Inscryption |
| Original platform | Twitch livestream |
Teo streamed for 36 hours straight on Twitch and posted the full archive to his second channel, More Teo. Over the stream he played Jurassic World Evolution 2, Battlefield 2042, Inscryption and more.
He slept for about two hours in the middle and filled the gap with previously recorded videos, so viewers who stayed the whole way saw footage the entire time.
6. I Counted To 100,000! (MrBeast)
| Watch | I Counted To 100,000! |
| Channel | MrBeast |
| Length | 40 hours recorded |
| Uploaded | 2017 |
| Recording time | About 40 hours |
| Upload | Sped up to fit a 24 hour limit |
In January 2017, a teenage Jimmy Donaldson sat in front of a camera and counted from one to 100,000. The count took about 40 hours, and parts of the recording were sped up so the upload fit under the 24 hour limit YouTube had at the time.
The video went viral and became one of the first stunts that built the MrBeast brand, years before the million dollar challenges.
7. 1 Year Survival Challenge In The Jungle (Survival Challenge)
| Watch | 1 Year Survival Challenge In The Jungle |
| Channel | Survival Challenge |
| Length | 24 hours |
| Uploaded | 2021 |
| Content | A year of jungle survival edited into 24 hours |
This upload from the Survival Challenge channel packs a full year of jungle survival into one 24 hour video: building shelters, finding food and living off the land. The title claims a world record that the runtime fails to back up, though it remains one of the longest survival compilations on the platform.
8. PLAYING MINECRAFT FOR 24 HOURS STRAIGHT! (Unspeakable)
| Watch | PLAYING MINECRAFT FOR 24 HOURS STRAIGHT! |
| Channel | Unspeakable |
| Length | 24 hours |
| Uploaded | 2018 |
| Twist | Creator falls asleep at 1:23:54 |
| Ending | Character burns in lava at 23:53:09 |
Unspeakable set out to play Minecraft for a full day. He falls asleep at 1:23:54 and stays asleep, while his character keeps mining a tunnel for the next 22 hours. At 23:53:09 the character digs into a lava pool and burns, and the video ends at 23:59:33 with his social links.
The iron pickaxe lasting over 23 hours led many viewers to suspect the footage loops, which explains the heavy dislike count. It remains one of the most talked about 24 hour gaming uploads.
9. Longest Video on Youtube (24 Hours) (jtpfreak)
| Watch | Longest Video on Youtube (24 Hours) |
| Channel | jtpfreak |
| Length | 24 hours |
| Uploaded | 2010 |
| Content | Comedy and vlog footage |
Back in 2010, jtpfreak uploaded a 24 hour mix of comedy and vlog footage and called it the longest video on YouTube. For a brief moment, it was one of the earliest serious attempts at the title, made before Harchick blew the record open a year later.
10. I Drew Pewdiepie For 24 Hours Straight (ZHC)
| Watch | I Drew Pewdiepie For 24 Hours Straight |
| Channel | ZHC |
| Length | 24 hours |
| Uploaded | 2019 |
| Content | One uncut 24 hour drawing session |
In February 2019, ZHC drew PewDiePie for 24 hours straight and posted the uncut footage as proof. He shared it during the PewDiePie vs T Series subscriber race, hoping PewDiePie and MrBeast would notice.
It became an early milestone for ZHC, who went on to build one of the biggest art channels on YouTube.
11. 24 Hour Challenge Family Fun Challenge (That YouTub3 Family)
| Watch | 24 Hour Challenge Family Fun Challenge |
| Channel | That YouTub3 Family |
| Length | 24 hours |
| Uploaded | 2019 |
| Content | A full family weekend, filmed nonstop |
That YouTub3 Family filmed a full weekend for this 24 hour family challenge. Most of it shows everyday family life: meals, video games and opening fan mail, which made it a comfort watch for younger fans of the channel.
12. The longest 5 seconds on YouTube. (The Slow Mo Guys)
| Watch | The longest 5 seconds on YouTube. |
| Channel | The Slow Mo Guys |
| Length | About 19 hours |
| Uploaded | 2016 |
| Frame rate | About 343,000 frames per second |
| Real time captured | 5 seconds |
The Slow Mo Guys turned five seconds of real time into roughly 19 hours of footage in 2016, filming scenes such as a glass measuring cup bursting under a jet of water at around 343,000 frames per second.
It is the only video on this list where the length comes from the camera and the frame rate, which makes it the most watchable entry for anyone curious about high speed filming.
Longest YouTube Livestreams and Endless Videos
Livestreams play by different rules. YouTube generally trims stream archives after 12 hours, so the longest broadcasts stay as livestreams and skip the regular video list.
- Lofi Girl: The “beats to relax/study to” and “beats to chill/sleep to” streams each ran for about 21,000 hours before a false copyright claim knocked them offline in July 2022. An earlier stream ran about 13,000 hours before a brief removal in 2020.
- Guinness World Records longest YouTube livestream: 38 days, broadcast from the Dominican Republic in 2025.
- Twenty One Pilots, Level of Concern (2020): An endless music video built from fan submitted clips that ran for 178 days and holds the Guinness record for the longest music video.
- Years long glitch videos: Some uploads show runtimes of years because of broken metadata. They stop after a few seconds and fall outside real records.
How Long It Takes to Watch the Longest Videos on YouTube
Watch Time for the Longest YouTube Videos (Calculated)
| Video | Runtime | Days Nonstop | Days at 3 Hours a Day | Two Hour Movies in the Same Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Harchick slideshow | 596.5 hours | 24.9 | 199 | 298 |
| 200 Hour Countdown Timer | 200 hours | 8.3 | 67 | 100 |
| USB002 EVERY SHOW | 108 hours | 4.5 | 36 | 54 |
| 100 Hour Timer Countdown | 100 hours | 4.2 | 33 | 50 |
| I Counted To 100,000! (recorded) | 40 hours | 1.7 | 13 | 20 |
| A 24 hour challenge video | 24 hours | 1.0 | 8 | 12 |
Watching the 596.5 hour slideshow at a steady three hours a night would take 199 days, longer than half a year. Fred again.. fans face 36 nights for the full USB002 archive, the length of 54 feature films. And the 12 videos on this list add up to about 1,220 hours, roughly 51 days of nonstop viewing.
Why New Videos Rarely Beat the Longest YouTube Records
YouTube uploads default to a 15 minute limit. Verifying your account with a phone number raises it to 12 hours or 256 GB, whichever comes first. That cap explains why almost every record above dates from the brief window when the limit disappeared, from special arrangements, or from compressed edits like the MrBeast count. Anyone hoping to post a 13 hour video today will hit the wall before the upload finishes.
Length rarely equals reach, though. The most watched content on the platform tends to be far shorter; see our lists of the most liked videos on YouTube and the most commented videos on YouTube for the other end of the scale, and our guide to AI video clipping tools if you want to turn a long stream into short clips that travel.
Longest Videos on YouTube FAQs
What Is the Longest Video on YouTube?
The longest video ever uploaded is the 596.5 hour slideshow by Jonathan Harchick from 2011, since removed. The longest still playable by runtime is a 200 hour countdown timer by Mac Paverick, and the longest with fully original content is the 108 hour USB002 EVERY SHOW by Fred again.. from 2026.
What Is the Maximum Length of a YouTube Video?
Unverified accounts upload up to 15 minutes. Verified accounts upload up to 12 hours or 256 GB, whichever limit comes first.
What Is the Longest Livestream on YouTube?
Lofi Girl streams ran about 21,000 hours each before a July 2022 takedown, and Guinness World Records lists a 38 day livestream from the Dominican Republic in 2025 as the longest YouTube livestream.
How Long Is the MrBeast Counting Video?
MrBeast spent about 40 hours counting to 100,000 in 2017, then sped parts up so the upload fit within a 24 hour limit.
What Is the Longest Music Video on YouTube?
the endless Level of Concern video by Twenty One Pilots, which ran for 178 days in 2020 and holds the Guinness record.
Also See:
