You can’t access YouTube Studio Classic mode any more. YouTube removed the old Creator Studio for most creators in early 2020, and every Classic link now redirects to YouTube Studio. I published the original version of this guide in April 2020 showing a workaround that worked at the time, and it stopped working once YouTube switched Classic off. This rebuilt guide shows where everything you liked about Classic lives now, including the weekly and monthly charts that were the biggest loss.
Last updated: 24 October 2026 · By Alan Spicer, YouTube Certified Expert
The short version: Classic is gone for good, and no setting, URL or extension brings it back. What you can do is set up YouTube Studio so it feels familiar and gives you the views you relied on.
If you’re seeing a different Studio layout to older screenshots, that’s because YouTube started rolling out an updated Studio experience in July 2026.
Why listen to me? I’m Alan Spicer, a YouTube Certified Expert since 2017 (including Channel & Asset Management). I’ve been creating on YouTube since 2012, so I used Classic Creator Studio for years before the switch, and I spent 2020 to 2021 on the vidIQ customer success team helping 400+ creators through exactly this change. Since then I’ve run 500+ channel audits, all of them in YouTube Studio.
Stuck on what your Studio data is telling you? Book a free discovery call.
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⚡ QUICK ANSWER: Can you still access YouTube Studio Classic mode?
No. YouTube removed Classic Creator Studio for most creators in early 2020, and every old Classic link now redirects to YouTube Studio. There’s no setting, browser trick or extension that brings it back. The good news is that Studio now does everything Classic did, including the weekly and monthly charts people missed.
Can you still access YouTube Studio Classic mode?
No. YouTube Studio Classic mode, the old Creator Studio, has been unavailable since 2020 and can’t be switched back on. YouTube Studio at studio.youtube.com is now the only creator dashboard.
YouTube said in its final creator letter of 2019 that access to Classic would be removed for the majority of creators early in 2020, with each creator notified in advance. That’s what happened. For a few months there were workarounds, like the one this page originally described (going through the Customise channel button and clicking your subscriber count), but YouTube closed those as it finished the move.
You can check this yourself. Old Classic addresses such as youtube.com/my_videos, which used to open the Video Manager, now send you straight to the Content page in YouTube Studio. When I tested that link on 24 October 2026 it returned a permanent redirect to studio.youtube.com.
Watch out for old tutorials: Videos and articles from 2019 and early 2020 (including my own original video on this topic) show buttons and menus that no longer exist. If a guide tells you to click “Creator Studio Classic” in a menu, it’s out of date.
Early 2020
Classic removed for most creators
July 2026
Updated YouTube Studio starts rolling out
4 views
Daily, weekly, monthly and yearly charts in Advanced mode
Up to 3
Titles and thumbnails you can A/B test in Studio
Sources: YouTube Creators blog (November 2019); YouTube Help pages on Advanced mode and A/B testing, checked 24 October 2026.
Why did YouTube remove Classic Creator Studio?
YouTube removed Classic Creator Studio because it was built on older technology that slowed down bug fixes and new features. In the same 2019 letter, YouTube said many Studio updates came from creator requests, and pointed to exclusive features such as the new dashboard, deeper analytics and real-time performance metrics.
Running two dashboards side by side also meant every new feature had to be built twice. Once everyone was on Studio, YouTube could ship things like impressions click-through rate, the Shorts tab, Shopping and A/B testing in one place. Classic had real strengths (it was fast, and plenty of us knew it by muscle memory), but it wasn’t coming back.
Where is every Classic Creator Studio feature in YouTube Studio?
Every main Classic Creator Studio feature has a home in YouTube Studio, usually under a different name. This table maps the old sections to the new ones.
| Classic Creator Studio | Where it is in YouTube Studio | What’s different |
|---|---|---|
| Video Manager (all videos list) | Content | Tabs for videos, Shorts, live, posts and playlists, with filters and bulk edits |
| Analytics with weekly or monthly x-axis | Analytics > Advanced mode > date view | Switch between daily, weekly, monthly and yearly views |
| Channel dashboard | Dashboard | Latest video performance, channel analytics and creator updates |
| Comments | Community | Filters for questions, unanswered comments and subscribers |
| Monetisation tab | Earn | YPP settings, Shopping, memberships and other income features |
| Customise channel | Customisation | Layout, branding and basic info in one place |
| Impressions and CTR | Analytics > Content tab | Built into Studio (it was never in Classic) |
| Thumbnail testing | Content > video > A/B testing | Test up to three titles and thumbnails (new in Studio) |
Source: YouTube Help, Navigate YouTube Studio, Advanced mode and A/B test titles and thumbnails, checked 24 October 2026. Menu labels may vary slightly while the 2026 Studio update rolls out.
If you’re new to these sections, YouTube Analytics explained covers every metric, and impressions vs views explains the two numbers people most often mix up. Impressions click-through rate is the share of thumbnail impressions that turned into views; a good benchmark is in what a good YouTube CTR is.
How do you see weekly or monthly analytics charts in YouTube Studio?
You see weekly or monthly charts in YouTube Studio through Advanced mode. Open Analytics, click Advanced mode (or See more) under any report, then use the date view control to switch between daily, weekly, monthly and yearly views, according to YouTube’s Advanced mode help page.
This was the feature I missed most when Classic went, and I said so in the original version of this post: you couldn’t set the x-axis to a weekly or monthly interval, so it was easy to miss the general trend in a noisy daily line. Advanced mode fixes that, and goes further. You can add a comparison against an earlier period or another video, break the data down by traffic source or geography, and save the report so it opens with your settings next time.
- Sign in to YouTube Studio and click Analytics.
- Under any chart, click Advanced mode.
- Set the date range (for example, Lifetime or the last 365 days).
- Use the date view control to pick weekly, monthly or yearly.
- Click Save so the report is ready next time.
Audit tip: Monthly views in Advanced mode are the quickest way to see whether a channel is growing, flat or declining once the seasonal ups and downs are smoothed out. For the reports that drive decisions, see the 5 analytics reports that matter, and if views have fallen suddenly, use my views dropped overnight guide.
Not sure what your YouTube Studio data is telling you?
On a free discovery call I’ll go through your Studio analytics with you and show you the two or three numbers to fix first.
- Your views or watch time have dropped
- You want a clear growth plan from your own data
- You’re working towards YPP before the 1 February 2027 rule change
How do you make YouTube Studio feel like Classic?
You make YouTube Studio feel like Classic by setting up your Content view, saving your favourite Advanced mode reports and changing a few default settings. These five steps get you most of the way.
- Open YouTube Studio. Go to studio.youtube.com or click your profile picture on YouTube and choose YouTube Studio.
- Find your videos under Content. Click Content in the left menu to see the list that replaced the old Video Manager, then use the tabs and filters to narrow it down.
- Open Advanced mode in Analytics. Click Analytics, then Advanced mode under any report, to get the detailed table and chart view.
- Switch the date view. Use the date view control to change the chart from daily to weekly, monthly or yearly, and save the report so it opens that way next time.
- Customise the dashboard and settings. Review the Dashboard cards and the upload defaults in Settings so Studio works the way your old Classic setup did.
Upload defaults are worth the five minutes: set your usual description template, tags, category and licence once and every new upload starts from there. I list the rest in YouTube Studio settings every creator should change, and if you’re starting fresh, how to set up a YouTube channel in 2026 walks through it from zero.
What can YouTube Studio do that Classic couldn’t?
YouTube Studio can do several things Classic never could, and some of them matter more for growth than anything Classic offered.
| YouTube Studio feature | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| A/B testing for titles and thumbnails | Test up to three versions; YouTube shows the one with the highest watch time to everyone, usually within two weeks (YouTube Help). See YouTube A/B testing |
| Impressions and impressions CTR | Shows how often your thumbnail was shown and how often it was clicked. Start with my thumbnail guide |
| Key moments for audience retention | Highlights intros, spikes and dips in each video. See audience retention |
| Real-time and first-24-hours reports | Special reports in Advanced mode for launch performance |
| Shorts, live and posts tabs | Separate analytics and content lists for each format |
| Earn tab | Monetisation, Shopping and memberships in one place. The new YPP thresholds are in YouTube monetisation requirements 2027 |
VIDEO
How to A/B test thumbnails in YouTube Studio, one of the features Classic never had.
Is there an extension or workaround to bring Classic back?
No. No extension or workaround can bring Classic Creator Studio back, because YouTube no longer serves the old pages. Anything advertised as “Classic Studio restored” is either a restyle of YouTube Studio or out of date.
If what you really want is extra data on top of Studio, browser tools are worth a look, as long as they come from a known company. vidIQ adds keyword research and competitor insight next to Studio (my vidIQ vs YouTube Studio comparison explains when you need both), and TubeBuddy adds bulk editing and testing tools. For the full list, see the best YouTube analytics tools for 2026.
Account safety: Be wary of little-known extensions that promise the old dashboard and ask for access to your Google account. A compromised account can cost you your channel. If that happens, follow my guide on what to do when your YouTube account is hacked.
Can you use YouTube Studio on your phone?
Yes. The YouTube Studio app for Android and iPhone gives you the Dashboard, Content, Analytics, Community and Earn sections, according to YouTube Help. You can edit video details, check analytics, reply to comments and manage monetisation settings on the go.
Some tools are desktop only, including A/B testing for titles and thumbnails, and the full Advanced mode report builder is much easier on a bigger screen. I check the app daily and do any real analysis on a computer.
People also ask
Is YouTube Studio the same as Creator Studio?
YouTube Studio replaced Creator Studio. Creator Studio was the name of the old dashboard (later called Classic), and YouTube Studio is the current one at studio.youtube.com.
Where is the Video Manager in YouTube Studio?
The Video Manager is now the Content page in the left menu of YouTube Studio. It does the same job with more filters and tabs. My YouTube Studio settings guide covers the settings worth changing first.
Why does YouTube Studio look different in 2026?
YouTube began rolling out an updated Studio experience in July 2026, so some menus and the Analytics page have moved. The features are the same, and YouTube’s Advanced mode help page reflects the new layout.
YouTube Studio Classic: FAQ
Can you still access YouTube Classic Creator Studio?
No. YouTube announced in November 2019 that access to Classic would be removed for most creators in early 2020, and it has been gone ever since. Old Classic addresses such as youtube.com/my_videos now redirect straight to YouTube Studio. Any video or article claiming you can still switch back is out of date.
Why did YouTube get rid of Classic Studio?
YouTube said Classic Studio was built on older technology that stopped it releasing bug fixes and new features quickly. Moving everyone to YouTube Studio let it ship things creators had asked for, such as the new dashboard, deeper analytics and real-time performance metrics, on one platform.
How do I get the old YouTube video list back?
The old Video Manager list now lives in YouTube Studio under Content. It shows your videos, Shorts, live streams, posts and playlists in separate tabs, and you can filter by visibility, views, copyright claims and more. You can also select several videos and edit them in bulk from the same page.
Can I see weekly or monthly analytics charts in YouTube Studio?
Yes. Open Analytics, click Advanced mode, and use the date view control to switch between daily, weekly, monthly and yearly views. That fixes the main thing creators missed from Classic, the ability to see growth over time on a simpler chart instead of a noisy daily line.
Is there a browser extension that restores Classic Studio?
No extension can restore Classic Studio, because the old pages no longer exist on YouTube’s servers. Extensions that claim to do it only restyle YouTube Studio or add their own tools on top. Be careful with any extension that asks for access to your Google account, and stick to well-known tools.
What is the updated YouTube Studio rolling out in 2026?
From July 2026, YouTube started gradually rolling out an updated YouTube Studio experience, so your Analytics page and menus may look different from older guides and screenshots. The core sections stay the same: Dashboard, Content, Analytics, Community and Earn.
Can I use YouTube Studio on my phone?
Yes. The YouTube Studio app for Android and iPhone lets you check your dashboard, edit video details, view analytics, reply to comments and manage monetisation settings. Some features, such as A/B testing titles and thumbnails, are only available in YouTube Studio on a computer.
Final thoughts
Classic Creator Studio is gone and isn’t coming back, so the time is better spent getting comfortable with YouTube Studio. Set up your Content view, save an Advanced mode report with a weekly or monthly chart, and you’ll have everything Classic gave you plus the testing and retention tools it never had.
If you’d like help reading your Studio data, book a free discovery call, or start with how I run a YouTube channel audit.
About the author
Alan Spicer is a YouTube Certified Expert (since 2017) and independent YouTube consultant with 20 years of self-employment. He has been creating on YouTube since 2012, coached 500+ creators, run 500+ channel audits and worked on the vidIQ customer success team from 2020 to 2021. He has six YouTube Silver Play Buttons and a combined audience of 100K+.
Related reading
- YouTube Studio Settings Every Creator Should Change Today
- YouTube Analytics Explained: Every Metric That Matters (2026)
- YouTube Analytics Deep Dive: The 5 Reports That Drive Decisions
- YouTube A/B Testing: How to Split-Test Thumbnails and Titles
- vidIQ vs YouTube Studio Analytics: Do You Need Both?
- YouTube Impressions vs Views
- How to Set Up a YouTube Channel Correctly in 2026
- How I Run a YouTube Channel Audit
Want a growth plan built from your own Studio data?
Work with a YouTube Certified Expert with six Silver Play Buttons, 500+ creators coached and 500+ channel audits behind him.
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p style=”font-size:0.85em;font-style:italic;color:#6c757d;margin:24px 0″>Sources: YouTube Creators blog, My final letter in 2019 (Classic removal and reasons); YouTube Help, Learn how to use Advanced mode for analytics reports (date views, saved reports, 2026 Studio update), A/B test titles and thumbnails and Navigate YouTube Studio, all checked 24 October 2026. Redirect of youtube.com/my_videos tested 24 October 2026. Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links (marked rel=”sponsored”). If you sign up through them I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Programme terms change, so check current terms on each provider’s site.
