How to See Dislikes on YouTube in 2026 (3 Working Methods)

YouTube removed the public dislike count in November 2021, so you can't just glance at a video and see them anymore. But the data isn't entirely gone — there are still three reliable ways to see or estimate dislikes in 2026, whether it's someone else's video or your own.

Method 1: Return YouTube Dislike (browser extension)

The most popular option for any video:

1. Install the Return YouTube Dislike extension from your browser's add-on store (available for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari).
2. Refresh YouTube — a dislike count now appears under videos, next to the like button.
3. The number is an estimate (more on that below), but it's good enough to spot heavily disliked videos.

How accurate is it? After YouTube cut off the public dislike API, the extension estimates the count using the data it archived before the change, dislikes from its own extension users, and modeling. So it's directional, not exact — useful for "is this video controversial?", not for precise figures.

Method 2: YouTube Studio (your own videos — exact numbers)

If you own the video, you still get the real count:

1. Open YouTube Studio.
2. Go to Content and click the video.
3. Open Analytics → Engagement, or check the likes/dislikes card on the video details.

YouTube hid dislikes from the public, not from creators — so your exact like-to-dislike ratio is right there. Use it as honest feedback on which videos landed and which missed.

Method 3: Read the room (no tools)

When you can't or don't want to install anything, signals still leak:

• Comments — the tone tells you most of what a dislike count would.
• Like count vs views — an unusually low like-to-view ratio often hints at pushback.
• Engagement patterns — lots of comments but few likes can signal a divisive video.

Why YouTube hid dislikes in the first place

YouTube said public counts fueled "dislike mobs" (coordinated campaigns to bury a video) and harassment of smaller creators. The button still works — your dislikes quietly tune your own recommendations — but the public-facing number was removed to protect creators.

What this means if you're a creator

You don't need the public number — you have the real one in Studio. What matters is using that feedback to improve:

• Watch which topics and formats get a worse ratio, and adjust.
• Pair it with watch-time and retention data for the full picture.
• Keep publishing consistently so a single off video doesn't define your channel — see our guide to a consistent posting schedule.

And if you're repurposing videos across platforms, remember every platform has its own feedback signals — our cross-platform posting guide covers managing that without living in five dashboards. Postlia helps you plan, schedule, and publish everywhere from one place — start free.

Quick summary

• Any video: the Return YouTube Dislike extension (estimate).
• Your own videos: exact counts in YouTube Studio → Analytics.
• No tools: read comments and the like-to-view ratio.
• Dislikes were hidden in 2021 to curb dislike mobs — the button still works.