How we pick videos

Every guide on howtos.video starts with a public YouTube video. Here is how a video gets from YouTube to this site.

1. We search for real tasks

We search YouTube for specific tasks, such as "how to reset a router" or "how to prune tomato plants". Most searches use a recent upload date range. Other searches have a wider range or no date limit. Topics with fewer guides get more searches.

2. We filter the video details

A video has to be public, allowed to be embedded on other sites and in English. We skip YouTube Shorts, live streams, videos made for children, and anything that looks like a review, reaction, vlog, compilation or advert. Of what is left, we prefer videos that:

  • have a title and description focused on one task
  • have a sensible length and a good response from viewers
  • come with a helpful description, and ideally chapters
  • match the search and its upload date range

We also avoid publishing two guides for the same task.

3. We write the guide

AI writing tools draft guides using the video's title, description and chapters, together with standard methods for the task. A short description can qualify. The written guide may include general instructions that are not stated in the creator's description. Chapter links are included when a step matches a creator timestamp.

Our writing tools cannot watch the video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure, and tell us about errors so we can correct them.

4. We check before publishing

Drafts go through automatic checks for length, step count and chapter timestamps. The writing instructions exclude unsuitable content, and drafts that fail the checks are skipped. Publishing does not include a human review step. These checks do not verify the instructions against the full video or establish their accuracy.

5. We keep guides current

We check published videos regularly. When a creator deletes a video, makes it private or stops it being embedded, we remove the guide.

What we never do

  • We do not download, copy or re-upload videos. They always play from YouTube.
  • We do not accept payment to feature a video.
  • We do not claim a video shows something its creator did not describe.

Creators who would rather not be featured can email [email protected] with the guide's address, and we will remove it.