Tutorial: Manage Comment Permissions on YouTube

How to Turn on or off Comments on YouTube

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube comments are enabled by default, and if they aren’t, learning how to turn on comments on YouTube is extremely simple. One of the major benefits of having the comments enabled on your YouTube videos is that you get genuine feedback from your audiences.

As a brand, it is imperative to thoroughly read all the comments that your YouTube videos receive. This not only helps you do sentimental analysis; it also enables you to understand what the viewers expect from you, and where should you focus more while recording and editing your footage.

Keeping all these points in mind, the following sections explain how to enable comments on YouTube and how to turn off comments on YouTube. Here you will also get to know what other types of security and privacy options are there that you can use to filter the comments posted by the disturbing elements.

Part 1: How to Turn on or Turn off Comments for YouTube Channel

If you don’t want any comments on any of the videos that you publish, you must learn how to disable comments on the YouTube channel. The process of doing so is explained below:

Step 1: Get to YouTube Studio

Use your favorite web browser to go to YouTube and sign in to your Google account. Click your profile picture from the top-right corner of the webpage, and click YouTube Studio from the menu that appears.

Step 2: Go to Channel’s Advanced Settings

From the bottom of the left pane, click the Settings icon, click Channel from the Settings box that comes up next, and go to Advanced settings from the right window.

Step 3: Turn Off Comments

From the Audience section in the right pane itself, click to select the Yes, set this channel as made for kids. I always upload content that’s made for kids radio button. Click SAVE from the bottom-right corner to save the changes in order to turn off comments on all the videos on your YouTube channel.

To turn on comments on all the videos on your YouTube channel, you can follow the instructions given below:

1. Set Channel Videos as Not Made for Kids

Use the method explained above to get to the channel’s Advanced settings box. Select the No, set this channel as not made for kids. I never upload content that’s made for kids radio button. Click SAVE to save the changes.

2. Define Acceptable Comment Types

Click the Settings icon from the bottom of the left pane one more time. On the Settings box, go to the Upload defaults category from the left pane, and go to Advanced settings from the right. From the Comment visibility drop-down list under the Comments section in the right, choose your preferred comment allowance type, and click SAVE to allow the comments on the videos the channel has.

3. Set Comment Allowance for Videos

Back on the YouTube Studio page, click Content from the left pane. From the right section, check the Video box at the top of the list to select all the videos the channel has. Click Edit from the column header, and click Comments from the menu that comes up. From the New value drop-down list, choose your preferred allowance option for the comments, click UPDATE VIDEOS from the upper-right area, check the I understand the implications of this action box, and click UPDATE VIDEOS to allow comments on all the videos of the channel.

Additional Info about Comments Options

The four options that become available when you allow the comments on your YouTube channel along with their meaning are:

• Allow all comments

When you choose this option, YouTube allows everyone to post any kind of comment, irrespective of how inappropriate or unacceptable the text is.

• Hold potentially inappropriate comments for review

This option allows all the comments from all the users only if YouTube assumes that the text is safe, and doesn’t contain any inappropriate words. In case YouTube detects some objectionable content such as spam or slang, the comment is not published, until you review the text, and approve it manually.

• Hold all comments for review

Selecting this option holds all the comments from all the users, and waits for you to review and allow or disallow each of them manually.

• Disable comments

When this option is selected, no one can post a comment to the video(s) whatsoever.

Part 2: Turn on or Turn off Comments for Specific Videos

As you might have noticed, any video that is marked as ‘Made for kids’ doesn’t allow users to post comments. You can exploit this feature to enable or disable commenting on specific YouTube videos as well.

To learn how to turn on comments on YouTube for a specific video, you can follow the steps given below:

Step 1: Go to the Content Page

Use the method explained earlier to go to YouTube Studio, and click Content from the navigation bar in the left.

Step 2: Go to the Target Video’s Details Page

Hover the mouse over the target video in the right window, and click the Details icon.

Step 3: Turn on Comments

From under the Audience section in the right window of the Video details page, select the No, it’s not made for kids radio button. Next, click SHOW MORE, scroll down to the Comments and ratings section, and choose your preferred privacy option from the Comment visibility drop-down list. Click SAVE from the upper-right area to save the changes.

Note: To learn how to disable comments on YouTube for specific video, you can repeat the above steps, and choose the Yes, it’s made for kids radio button from the Audience section when you are on the Video details page.

FAQs About YouTube Comments

1. Why can’t I comment on the YouTube video?

There could be several reasons for this. For instance, the video or the entire channel is configured as ‘Made for kids’ by the owner, comments are disabled for the video or the channel by the owner, you are using some inappropriate words in the comment that have been temporarily blocked by YouTube, and the text requires to be reviewed and approved by the owner before it becomes visible, etc.

2. I want people to comment on my Private video. What should I do?

At the time of this writing, YouTube doesn’t allow anyone to post a comment on any video that has been set as ‘Private’. If your video is configured that way, you must change its nature to ‘Unlisted’, and share its link to the users before they can post a comment.

3. How can I block certain words and links on the YouTube comments?

You can go to YouTube Studio > Settings > Community, and on the Automated Filters tab in the right window, add the words to block in the Blocked words field. You can add multiple words by separating them with commas. To block the comments with links, check the Block links box. Click SAVE to save the changes.

4. If I turn comments off and back on again, will the old comments come back?

Yes. When you turn off the comments, the existing comments disappear. When you turn them back on, all the previous comments reappear, and become visible to the audience.

5. If I change my comment settings, will the existing comments be impacted?

That depends on the nature of the comments. For instance, if you modify the settings, the changes are reflected on the comments posted on the new videos, and the new comments on your channel homepage. However, there will be no impact on the existing comments on the existing videos, new comments on the existing videos, and the existing comments on your channel’s homepage.

Conclusion

It is easy to understand how to turn on comments on YouTube. The best thing is, the comments are enabled by default, and if you don’t need them, you can simply disable them by configuring the videos or the entire channel as ‘Made for kids’. If the comments on any video were enabled previously, and are disabled later on, the existing comments automatically disappear. They reappear when the comments on the video are reenabled.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube comments are enabled by default, and if they aren’t, learning how to turn on comments on YouTube is extremely simple. One of the major benefits of having the comments enabled on your YouTube videos is that you get genuine feedback from your audiences.

As a brand, it is imperative to thoroughly read all the comments that your YouTube videos receive. This not only helps you do sentimental analysis; it also enables you to understand what the viewers expect from you, and where should you focus more while recording and editing your footage.

Keeping all these points in mind, the following sections explain how to enable comments on YouTube and how to turn off comments on YouTube. Here you will also get to know what other types of security and privacy options are there that you can use to filter the comments posted by the disturbing elements.

Part 1: How to Turn on or Turn off Comments for YouTube Channel

If you don’t want any comments on any of the videos that you publish, you must learn how to disable comments on the YouTube channel. The process of doing so is explained below:

Step 1: Get to YouTube Studio

Use your favorite web browser to go to YouTube and sign in to your Google account. Click your profile picture from the top-right corner of the webpage, and click YouTube Studio from the menu that appears.

Step 2: Go to Channel’s Advanced Settings

From the bottom of the left pane, click the Settings icon, click Channel from the Settings box that comes up next, and go to Advanced settings from the right window.

Step 3: Turn Off Comments

From the Audience section in the right pane itself, click to select the Yes, set this channel as made for kids. I always upload content that’s made for kids radio button. Click SAVE from the bottom-right corner to save the changes in order to turn off comments on all the videos on your YouTube channel.

To turn on comments on all the videos on your YouTube channel, you can follow the instructions given below:

1. Set Channel Videos as Not Made for Kids

Use the method explained above to get to the channel’s Advanced settings box. Select the No, set this channel as not made for kids. I never upload content that’s made for kids radio button. Click SAVE to save the changes.

2. Define Acceptable Comment Types

Click the Settings icon from the bottom of the left pane one more time. On the Settings box, go to the Upload defaults category from the left pane, and go to Advanced settings from the right. From the Comment visibility drop-down list under the Comments section in the right, choose your preferred comment allowance type, and click SAVE to allow the comments on the videos the channel has.

3. Set Comment Allowance for Videos

Back on the YouTube Studio page, click Content from the left pane. From the right section, check the Video box at the top of the list to select all the videos the channel has. Click Edit from the column header, and click Comments from the menu that comes up. From the New value drop-down list, choose your preferred allowance option for the comments, click UPDATE VIDEOS from the upper-right area, check the I understand the implications of this action box, and click UPDATE VIDEOS to allow comments on all the videos of the channel.

Additional Info about Comments Options

The four options that become available when you allow the comments on your YouTube channel along with their meaning are:

• Allow all comments

When you choose this option, YouTube allows everyone to post any kind of comment, irrespective of how inappropriate or unacceptable the text is.

• Hold potentially inappropriate comments for review

This option allows all the comments from all the users only if YouTube assumes that the text is safe, and doesn’t contain any inappropriate words. In case YouTube detects some objectionable content such as spam or slang, the comment is not published, until you review the text, and approve it manually.

• Hold all comments for review

Selecting this option holds all the comments from all the users, and waits for you to review and allow or disallow each of them manually.

• Disable comments

When this option is selected, no one can post a comment to the video(s) whatsoever.

Part 2: Turn on or Turn off Comments for Specific Videos

As you might have noticed, any video that is marked as ‘Made for kids’ doesn’t allow users to post comments. You can exploit this feature to enable or disable commenting on specific YouTube videos as well.

To learn how to turn on comments on YouTube for a specific video, you can follow the steps given below:

Step 1: Go to the Content Page

Use the method explained earlier to go to YouTube Studio, and click Content from the navigation bar in the left.

Step 2: Go to the Target Video’s Details Page

Hover the mouse over the target video in the right window, and click the Details icon.

Step 3: Turn on Comments

From under the Audience section in the right window of the Video details page, select the No, it’s not made for kids radio button. Next, click SHOW MORE, scroll down to the Comments and ratings section, and choose your preferred privacy option from the Comment visibility drop-down list. Click SAVE from the upper-right area to save the changes.

Note: To learn how to disable comments on YouTube for specific video, you can repeat the above steps, and choose the Yes, it’s made for kids radio button from the Audience section when you are on the Video details page.

FAQs About YouTube Comments

1. Why can’t I comment on the YouTube video?

There could be several reasons for this. For instance, the video or the entire channel is configured as ‘Made for kids’ by the owner, comments are disabled for the video or the channel by the owner, you are using some inappropriate words in the comment that have been temporarily blocked by YouTube, and the text requires to be reviewed and approved by the owner before it becomes visible, etc.

2. I want people to comment on my Private video. What should I do?

At the time of this writing, YouTube doesn’t allow anyone to post a comment on any video that has been set as ‘Private’. If your video is configured that way, you must change its nature to ‘Unlisted’, and share its link to the users before they can post a comment.

3. How can I block certain words and links on the YouTube comments?

You can go to YouTube Studio > Settings > Community, and on the Automated Filters tab in the right window, add the words to block in the Blocked words field. You can add multiple words by separating them with commas. To block the comments with links, check the Block links box. Click SAVE to save the changes.

4. If I turn comments off and back on again, will the old comments come back?

Yes. When you turn off the comments, the existing comments disappear. When you turn them back on, all the previous comments reappear, and become visible to the audience.

5. If I change my comment settings, will the existing comments be impacted?

That depends on the nature of the comments. For instance, if you modify the settings, the changes are reflected on the comments posted on the new videos, and the new comments on your channel homepage. However, there will be no impact on the existing comments on the existing videos, new comments on the existing videos, and the existing comments on your channel’s homepage.

Conclusion

It is easy to understand how to turn on comments on YouTube. The best thing is, the comments are enabled by default, and if you don’t need them, you can simply disable them by configuring the videos or the entire channel as ‘Made for kids’. If the comments on any video were enabled previously, and are disabled later on, the existing comments automatically disappear. They reappear when the comments on the video are reenabled.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube comments are enabled by default, and if they aren’t, learning how to turn on comments on YouTube is extremely simple. One of the major benefits of having the comments enabled on your YouTube videos is that you get genuine feedback from your audiences.

As a brand, it is imperative to thoroughly read all the comments that your YouTube videos receive. This not only helps you do sentimental analysis; it also enables you to understand what the viewers expect from you, and where should you focus more while recording and editing your footage.

Keeping all these points in mind, the following sections explain how to enable comments on YouTube and how to turn off comments on YouTube. Here you will also get to know what other types of security and privacy options are there that you can use to filter the comments posted by the disturbing elements.

Part 1: How to Turn on or Turn off Comments for YouTube Channel

If you don’t want any comments on any of the videos that you publish, you must learn how to disable comments on the YouTube channel. The process of doing so is explained below:

Step 1: Get to YouTube Studio

Use your favorite web browser to go to YouTube and sign in to your Google account. Click your profile picture from the top-right corner of the webpage, and click YouTube Studio from the menu that appears.

Step 2: Go to Channel’s Advanced Settings

From the bottom of the left pane, click the Settings icon, click Channel from the Settings box that comes up next, and go to Advanced settings from the right window.

Step 3: Turn Off Comments

From the Audience section in the right pane itself, click to select the Yes, set this channel as made for kids. I always upload content that’s made for kids radio button. Click SAVE from the bottom-right corner to save the changes in order to turn off comments on all the videos on your YouTube channel.

To turn on comments on all the videos on your YouTube channel, you can follow the instructions given below:

1. Set Channel Videos as Not Made for Kids

Use the method explained above to get to the channel’s Advanced settings box. Select the No, set this channel as not made for kids. I never upload content that’s made for kids radio button. Click SAVE to save the changes.

2. Define Acceptable Comment Types

Click the Settings icon from the bottom of the left pane one more time. On the Settings box, go to the Upload defaults category from the left pane, and go to Advanced settings from the right. From the Comment visibility drop-down list under the Comments section in the right, choose your preferred comment allowance type, and click SAVE to allow the comments on the videos the channel has.

3. Set Comment Allowance for Videos

Back on the YouTube Studio page, click Content from the left pane. From the right section, check the Video box at the top of the list to select all the videos the channel has. Click Edit from the column header, and click Comments from the menu that comes up. From the New value drop-down list, choose your preferred allowance option for the comments, click UPDATE VIDEOS from the upper-right area, check the I understand the implications of this action box, and click UPDATE VIDEOS to allow comments on all the videos of the channel.

Additional Info about Comments Options

The four options that become available when you allow the comments on your YouTube channel along with their meaning are:

• Allow all comments

When you choose this option, YouTube allows everyone to post any kind of comment, irrespective of how inappropriate or unacceptable the text is.

• Hold potentially inappropriate comments for review

This option allows all the comments from all the users only if YouTube assumes that the text is safe, and doesn’t contain any inappropriate words. In case YouTube detects some objectionable content such as spam or slang, the comment is not published, until you review the text, and approve it manually.

• Hold all comments for review

Selecting this option holds all the comments from all the users, and waits for you to review and allow or disallow each of them manually.

• Disable comments

When this option is selected, no one can post a comment to the video(s) whatsoever.

Part 2: Turn on or Turn off Comments for Specific Videos

As you might have noticed, any video that is marked as ‘Made for kids’ doesn’t allow users to post comments. You can exploit this feature to enable or disable commenting on specific YouTube videos as well.

To learn how to turn on comments on YouTube for a specific video, you can follow the steps given below:

Step 1: Go to the Content Page

Use the method explained earlier to go to YouTube Studio, and click Content from the navigation bar in the left.

Step 2: Go to the Target Video’s Details Page

Hover the mouse over the target video in the right window, and click the Details icon.

Step 3: Turn on Comments

From under the Audience section in the right window of the Video details page, select the No, it’s not made for kids radio button. Next, click SHOW MORE, scroll down to the Comments and ratings section, and choose your preferred privacy option from the Comment visibility drop-down list. Click SAVE from the upper-right area to save the changes.

Note: To learn how to disable comments on YouTube for specific video, you can repeat the above steps, and choose the Yes, it’s made for kids radio button from the Audience section when you are on the Video details page.

FAQs About YouTube Comments

1. Why can’t I comment on the YouTube video?

There could be several reasons for this. For instance, the video or the entire channel is configured as ‘Made for kids’ by the owner, comments are disabled for the video or the channel by the owner, you are using some inappropriate words in the comment that have been temporarily blocked by YouTube, and the text requires to be reviewed and approved by the owner before it becomes visible, etc.

2. I want people to comment on my Private video. What should I do?

At the time of this writing, YouTube doesn’t allow anyone to post a comment on any video that has been set as ‘Private’. If your video is configured that way, you must change its nature to ‘Unlisted’, and share its link to the users before they can post a comment.

3. How can I block certain words and links on the YouTube comments?

You can go to YouTube Studio > Settings > Community, and on the Automated Filters tab in the right window, add the words to block in the Blocked words field. You can add multiple words by separating them with commas. To block the comments with links, check the Block links box. Click SAVE to save the changes.

4. If I turn comments off and back on again, will the old comments come back?

Yes. When you turn off the comments, the existing comments disappear. When you turn them back on, all the previous comments reappear, and become visible to the audience.

5. If I change my comment settings, will the existing comments be impacted?

That depends on the nature of the comments. For instance, if you modify the settings, the changes are reflected on the comments posted on the new videos, and the new comments on your channel homepage. However, there will be no impact on the existing comments on the existing videos, new comments on the existing videos, and the existing comments on your channel’s homepage.

Conclusion

It is easy to understand how to turn on comments on YouTube. The best thing is, the comments are enabled by default, and if you don’t need them, you can simply disable them by configuring the videos or the entire channel as ‘Made for kids’. If the comments on any video were enabled previously, and are disabled later on, the existing comments automatically disappear. They reappear when the comments on the video are reenabled.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube comments are enabled by default, and if they aren’t, learning how to turn on comments on YouTube is extremely simple. One of the major benefits of having the comments enabled on your YouTube videos is that you get genuine feedback from your audiences.

As a brand, it is imperative to thoroughly read all the comments that your YouTube videos receive. This not only helps you do sentimental analysis; it also enables you to understand what the viewers expect from you, and where should you focus more while recording and editing your footage.

Keeping all these points in mind, the following sections explain how to enable comments on YouTube and how to turn off comments on YouTube. Here you will also get to know what other types of security and privacy options are there that you can use to filter the comments posted by the disturbing elements.

Part 1: How to Turn on or Turn off Comments for YouTube Channel

If you don’t want any comments on any of the videos that you publish, you must learn how to disable comments on the YouTube channel. The process of doing so is explained below:

Step 1: Get to YouTube Studio

Use your favorite web browser to go to YouTube and sign in to your Google account. Click your profile picture from the top-right corner of the webpage, and click YouTube Studio from the menu that appears.

Step 2: Go to Channel’s Advanced Settings

From the bottom of the left pane, click the Settings icon, click Channel from the Settings box that comes up next, and go to Advanced settings from the right window.

Step 3: Turn Off Comments

From the Audience section in the right pane itself, click to select the Yes, set this channel as made for kids. I always upload content that’s made for kids radio button. Click SAVE from the bottom-right corner to save the changes in order to turn off comments on all the videos on your YouTube channel.

To turn on comments on all the videos on your YouTube channel, you can follow the instructions given below:

1. Set Channel Videos as Not Made for Kids

Use the method explained above to get to the channel’s Advanced settings box. Select the No, set this channel as not made for kids. I never upload content that’s made for kids radio button. Click SAVE to save the changes.

2. Define Acceptable Comment Types

Click the Settings icon from the bottom of the left pane one more time. On the Settings box, go to the Upload defaults category from the left pane, and go to Advanced settings from the right. From the Comment visibility drop-down list under the Comments section in the right, choose your preferred comment allowance type, and click SAVE to allow the comments on the videos the channel has.

3. Set Comment Allowance for Videos

Back on the YouTube Studio page, click Content from the left pane. From the right section, check the Video box at the top of the list to select all the videos the channel has. Click Edit from the column header, and click Comments from the menu that comes up. From the New value drop-down list, choose your preferred allowance option for the comments, click UPDATE VIDEOS from the upper-right area, check the I understand the implications of this action box, and click UPDATE VIDEOS to allow comments on all the videos of the channel.

Additional Info about Comments Options

The four options that become available when you allow the comments on your YouTube channel along with their meaning are:

• Allow all comments

When you choose this option, YouTube allows everyone to post any kind of comment, irrespective of how inappropriate or unacceptable the text is.

• Hold potentially inappropriate comments for review

This option allows all the comments from all the users only if YouTube assumes that the text is safe, and doesn’t contain any inappropriate words. In case YouTube detects some objectionable content such as spam or slang, the comment is not published, until you review the text, and approve it manually.

• Hold all comments for review

Selecting this option holds all the comments from all the users, and waits for you to review and allow or disallow each of them manually.

• Disable comments

When this option is selected, no one can post a comment to the video(s) whatsoever.

Part 2: Turn on or Turn off Comments for Specific Videos

As you might have noticed, any video that is marked as ‘Made for kids’ doesn’t allow users to post comments. You can exploit this feature to enable or disable commenting on specific YouTube videos as well.

To learn how to turn on comments on YouTube for a specific video, you can follow the steps given below:

Step 1: Go to the Content Page

Use the method explained earlier to go to YouTube Studio, and click Content from the navigation bar in the left.

Step 2: Go to the Target Video’s Details Page

Hover the mouse over the target video in the right window, and click the Details icon.

Step 3: Turn on Comments

From under the Audience section in the right window of the Video details page, select the No, it’s not made for kids radio button. Next, click SHOW MORE, scroll down to the Comments and ratings section, and choose your preferred privacy option from the Comment visibility drop-down list. Click SAVE from the upper-right area to save the changes.

Note: To learn how to disable comments on YouTube for specific video, you can repeat the above steps, and choose the Yes, it’s made for kids radio button from the Audience section when you are on the Video details page.

FAQs About YouTube Comments

1. Why can’t I comment on the YouTube video?

There could be several reasons for this. For instance, the video or the entire channel is configured as ‘Made for kids’ by the owner, comments are disabled for the video or the channel by the owner, you are using some inappropriate words in the comment that have been temporarily blocked by YouTube, and the text requires to be reviewed and approved by the owner before it becomes visible, etc.

2. I want people to comment on my Private video. What should I do?

At the time of this writing, YouTube doesn’t allow anyone to post a comment on any video that has been set as ‘Private’. If your video is configured that way, you must change its nature to ‘Unlisted’, and share its link to the users before they can post a comment.

3. How can I block certain words and links on the YouTube comments?

You can go to YouTube Studio > Settings > Community, and on the Automated Filters tab in the right window, add the words to block in the Blocked words field. You can add multiple words by separating them with commas. To block the comments with links, check the Block links box. Click SAVE to save the changes.

4. If I turn comments off and back on again, will the old comments come back?

Yes. When you turn off the comments, the existing comments disappear. When you turn them back on, all the previous comments reappear, and become visible to the audience.

5. If I change my comment settings, will the existing comments be impacted?

That depends on the nature of the comments. For instance, if you modify the settings, the changes are reflected on the comments posted on the new videos, and the new comments on your channel homepage. However, there will be no impact on the existing comments on the existing videos, new comments on the existing videos, and the existing comments on your channel’s homepage.

Conclusion

It is easy to understand how to turn on comments on YouTube. The best thing is, the comments are enabled by default, and if you don’t need them, you can simply disable them by configuring the videos or the entire channel as ‘Made for kids’. If the comments on any video were enabled previously, and are disabled later on, the existing comments automatically disappear. They reappear when the comments on the video are reenabled.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Enhance Editing: Unlimited Free Audio Samples

Download Free Sound Effects for YouTubers

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

Whether you’re making a short film and need sounds to go with your action sequences, or just want some fun noises for your vlog or challenge video, it’s easy to find great sound effects you can use for free online.

Here are 7 places to download free sound effects! Or, if you’re interested in making your own, click here to jump to ‘Make Your Own Sound Effects’.

Part 1: YouTube Free Sound Effects Download

1. Filmora Sound Effects

Filmora Video Editor provides you with a huge library of free sound effects without download from anywhere else. There are 25 pieces of sound effect available in Filmora, such as transition swoosh, cinematic horn, beep sound and phone ring.

If you do not see the sound effect you want in Filmora, you can also go to the online effect store to find out more sound effects. The sounds are in.wav or mp3 files, so you do not have to use them inside Filmora only. They’re free to use for everyone after downloading, no matter what video editor you use.

The Filmstock audio effect library covers sound effects in different categories: nature sounds, animal sounds, movie sounds, gun sounds, fireworks, bird sounds, cricket sounds, wet sounds, dog barking, water sounds, guitar sounds, city sounds, monster sounds, laughing sounds, dinosaur sounds, fart sounds, pet sounds, dog sounds, car sounds, video game, and thunderstorm.

2. Freesound

Sounds on Freesound are uploaded by users under various Creative Commons licenses (some may require attribution, some may not allow commercial use).

The easiest way to browse the sounds on Freesound is probably to click into Sounds in the top menu, and then ‘Browse tags’ in the menu on the right of your screen. All of the tags on the site will be displayed, and the most commonly used ones will be biggest. The tags include what the sounds are meant to be (i.e. percussion or thunder) and what type of sounds they are (i.e. field-recording or synth).

3. PacDV

PacDV has been producing sound effects since 2001. You can browse and download sounds individually from their site, or download all at once in a huge bundle. You can use all the sounds for free (you just can’t sell them or provide direct download links to other people).

On the left of the website there’s a menu where you can choose what kinds of sound effects you’re interested in. The categories are:

Ambience: this is where you’ll find general background sounds, like ‘car interior’ or ‘grocery store’. Even when nothing in particular is happening, locations have sounds. This is also where you’ll find things like crowd noises.

Domestic: these are sounds you hear around the home, like sounds related to doors and appliances.

Interfaces: a lot of tech sounds live here, like beeps and clicks. Beeps are all titled ‘Beep’, but nothing else is really labeled beyond being called ‘Interface Sound’. You just have to listen and find out.

Machines: a variety of different machine sounds can be found here, from power tools like chainsaws and drills to things like typewriters or paper shredders.

Mechanical: this is where you’ll find sounds associated with cameras, coin slots, zippers, and more.

People: laughing, clapping, footsteps and even farts – this is where you’ll find human sounds.

Transportation: these sounds are all related to vehicles, be they cars or airplanes.

Voices: here you’ll find voices saying common things like ‘hi’, ‘aaah’, or ‘come on’.

Music: PacDV also has a selection of royalty free music. If you use it in your video, you need to give them credit by including Music by <www.pacdv.com/sounds/> in your video description.

Miscellaneous: sounds that don’t quite fit into other categories.

4. Sound Bible

The sounds on Sound Bible are either in the public domain, which means anyone can use them for anything without restriction, or licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License, which means you just need to provide a credit for the person who created the effect you use. When you click on sound effects on Sound Bible you’ll be able to see whether the effect is Public Domain or Attribution 3.0, and it will tell you who the sound was recorded by. Both public domain and Attribution 3.0 sounds are available for commercial use.

This site has a search function, so if you want dog sounds you can search for ‘dog’. This might be easier than trying to pick the category closest to what you’re looking for and just scrolling through, like you do on some sites.

Sound Bible is updated about 3 times a week, so you can always check back for fresh sounds.

5. Sound Gator

Sound Gator has a huge number of sound effects divided into too many categories to list (24). The categories tend to be very specific, like ‘drink sound effects’ or ‘phone sound effects. If you don’t see a category that sounds like what you’re looking for, make sure to check under Misc Sound Effects because there are 68 Mp3#s in there for everything from tools to static.

You can sort the sound effects on Sound Gator by date added, popularity, top rated, runtime, top favorites, or most discussed.

6. Sounds Crate

Sounds Crate is part of the larger Production Crate which provides all kinds of resources to creators for free (you can upgrade to a paid account to access exclusive content, but there’s a lot of great content available for free). The categories available on Sounds Crate are:

Ambient: room tones and general background noises from nature or cities.

Animal: includes things like puppy barks and angry cats.

Blades and Metal: you’ll find sounds from swords, chains, and other metal implements here.

Crashes and Debris: perfect for action, this is where you’ll find sounds associated with destruction.

Electricity: things like electrical blasts and charges can be found here.

Electronics: any sound made by anything electrical, like beeps and appliance sounds.

Explosions and Bangs: if you have a visual explosion effect, you’ll probably need to combine it with something from here.

Fight: find sounds associated with action sequences, like whooshes and punches.

Gun Related: everything from reloads to gunshots.

Impact: any kind of thud or shattering sound.

Lock n’ Load: although there are some ‘gun checking’ sounds in here, it’s mostly clothing related sounds like zippers and Velcro.

Movement: wind sounds and whooshes.

People: sounds humans make, from voices to footsteps.

Sci-Fi SFX: zaps, beeps, and sci-fi ambience.

Vehicle: includes both common vehicles like cars and less-common vehicles like tanks.

Weapons: both modern weapons like missiles and old-timey things like arrows.

7. Zapsplat

Zapsplat claims to be the fastest growing free sound effects library on the internet. With more than 23,999 professional sounds, and more being added every week, they might just be right. The owner of the site, Alan McKinney, adds 500 sound effects every week by himself and the site also accepts sounds from contributors. All of their sounds were recorded using professional equipment and then edited to make them perfect.

You can even send Alan a message and request specific sound effects if you can’t already find what you want on the site.

On Zapsplat you can browse 26 categories including fantasy, warfare, and animals for individual sounds. Or, you can visit the Free SFX Packs section and download a set of related sounds together. Packs include ‘Magic Wand’, ‘Science Fiction Alarms’, and ‘Cartoon Boings’.

Part 2: Make Your Own Sound Effects for YouTube Videos

Here are some easy ways you can make your own sound effects at home.

1. Making Natural Sounds

Fire using cellophane. Just crinkle the cellophane wrap to create a sound like a crackling fire. Chip bags work too.

Rain using rice. Sprinkle rice (or birdseed) onto a thin metal sheet.

Alternatively for rain, you could record the sound of bacon frying.

Wind using a Ziploc. Fill a large ziplock with air and then open the bag a bit and force the air out.

Thunder with aluminum. Just shake a sheet of aluminum to make a thunder sound.

2. Making Action or Sci-Fi Sounds

Ticking Bomb with a clock. Any clock that ticks will do.

Hits/Blows with a pillow. Hit a pillow to make a sound like a body blow. For really hard hits, you might want to whack a sofa cushion with a broomstick.

Bones breaking with celery. Just snap the celery stalks in half.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

Whether you’re making a short film and need sounds to go with your action sequences, or just want some fun noises for your vlog or challenge video, it’s easy to find great sound effects you can use for free online.

Here are 7 places to download free sound effects! Or, if you’re interested in making your own, click here to jump to ‘Make Your Own Sound Effects’.

Part 1: YouTube Free Sound Effects Download

1. Filmora Sound Effects

Filmora Video Editor provides you with a huge library of free sound effects without download from anywhere else. There are 25 pieces of sound effect available in Filmora, such as transition swoosh, cinematic horn, beep sound and phone ring.

If you do not see the sound effect you want in Filmora, you can also go to the online effect store to find out more sound effects. The sounds are in.wav or mp3 files, so you do not have to use them inside Filmora only. They’re free to use for everyone after downloading, no matter what video editor you use.

The Filmstock audio effect library covers sound effects in different categories: nature sounds, animal sounds, movie sounds, gun sounds, fireworks, bird sounds, cricket sounds, wet sounds, dog barking, water sounds, guitar sounds, city sounds, monster sounds, laughing sounds, dinosaur sounds, fart sounds, pet sounds, dog sounds, car sounds, video game, and thunderstorm.

2. Freesound

Sounds on Freesound are uploaded by users under various Creative Commons licenses (some may require attribution, some may not allow commercial use).

The easiest way to browse the sounds on Freesound is probably to click into Sounds in the top menu, and then ‘Browse tags’ in the menu on the right of your screen. All of the tags on the site will be displayed, and the most commonly used ones will be biggest. The tags include what the sounds are meant to be (i.e. percussion or thunder) and what type of sounds they are (i.e. field-recording or synth).

3. PacDV

PacDV has been producing sound effects since 2001. You can browse and download sounds individually from their site, or download all at once in a huge bundle. You can use all the sounds for free (you just can’t sell them or provide direct download links to other people).

On the left of the website there’s a menu where you can choose what kinds of sound effects you’re interested in. The categories are:

Ambience: this is where you’ll find general background sounds, like ‘car interior’ or ‘grocery store’. Even when nothing in particular is happening, locations have sounds. This is also where you’ll find things like crowd noises.

Domestic: these are sounds you hear around the home, like sounds related to doors and appliances.

Interfaces: a lot of tech sounds live here, like beeps and clicks. Beeps are all titled ‘Beep’, but nothing else is really labeled beyond being called ‘Interface Sound’. You just have to listen and find out.

Machines: a variety of different machine sounds can be found here, from power tools like chainsaws and drills to things like typewriters or paper shredders.

Mechanical: this is where you’ll find sounds associated with cameras, coin slots, zippers, and more.

People: laughing, clapping, footsteps and even farts – this is where you’ll find human sounds.

Transportation: these sounds are all related to vehicles, be they cars or airplanes.

Voices: here you’ll find voices saying common things like ‘hi’, ‘aaah’, or ‘come on’.

Music: PacDV also has a selection of royalty free music. If you use it in your video, you need to give them credit by including Music by <www.pacdv.com/sounds/> in your video description.

Miscellaneous: sounds that don’t quite fit into other categories.

4. Sound Bible

The sounds on Sound Bible are either in the public domain, which means anyone can use them for anything without restriction, or licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License, which means you just need to provide a credit for the person who created the effect you use. When you click on sound effects on Sound Bible you’ll be able to see whether the effect is Public Domain or Attribution 3.0, and it will tell you who the sound was recorded by. Both public domain and Attribution 3.0 sounds are available for commercial use.

This site has a search function, so if you want dog sounds you can search for ‘dog’. This might be easier than trying to pick the category closest to what you’re looking for and just scrolling through, like you do on some sites.

Sound Bible is updated about 3 times a week, so you can always check back for fresh sounds.

5. Sound Gator

Sound Gator has a huge number of sound effects divided into too many categories to list (24). The categories tend to be very specific, like ‘drink sound effects’ or ‘phone sound effects. If you don’t see a category that sounds like what you’re looking for, make sure to check under Misc Sound Effects because there are 68 Mp3#s in there for everything from tools to static.

You can sort the sound effects on Sound Gator by date added, popularity, top rated, runtime, top favorites, or most discussed.

6. Sounds Crate

Sounds Crate is part of the larger Production Crate which provides all kinds of resources to creators for free (you can upgrade to a paid account to access exclusive content, but there’s a lot of great content available for free). The categories available on Sounds Crate are:

Ambient: room tones and general background noises from nature or cities.

Animal: includes things like puppy barks and angry cats.

Blades and Metal: you’ll find sounds from swords, chains, and other metal implements here.

Crashes and Debris: perfect for action, this is where you’ll find sounds associated with destruction.

Electricity: things like electrical blasts and charges can be found here.

Electronics: any sound made by anything electrical, like beeps and appliance sounds.

Explosions and Bangs: if you have a visual explosion effect, you’ll probably need to combine it with something from here.

Fight: find sounds associated with action sequences, like whooshes and punches.

Gun Related: everything from reloads to gunshots.

Impact: any kind of thud or shattering sound.

Lock n’ Load: although there are some ‘gun checking’ sounds in here, it’s mostly clothing related sounds like zippers and Velcro.

Movement: wind sounds and whooshes.

People: sounds humans make, from voices to footsteps.

Sci-Fi SFX: zaps, beeps, and sci-fi ambience.

Vehicle: includes both common vehicles like cars and less-common vehicles like tanks.

Weapons: both modern weapons like missiles and old-timey things like arrows.

7. Zapsplat

Zapsplat claims to be the fastest growing free sound effects library on the internet. With more than 23,999 professional sounds, and more being added every week, they might just be right. The owner of the site, Alan McKinney, adds 500 sound effects every week by himself and the site also accepts sounds from contributors. All of their sounds were recorded using professional equipment and then edited to make them perfect.

You can even send Alan a message and request specific sound effects if you can’t already find what you want on the site.

On Zapsplat you can browse 26 categories including fantasy, warfare, and animals for individual sounds. Or, you can visit the Free SFX Packs section and download a set of related sounds together. Packs include ‘Magic Wand’, ‘Science Fiction Alarms’, and ‘Cartoon Boings’.

Part 2: Make Your Own Sound Effects for YouTube Videos

Here are some easy ways you can make your own sound effects at home.

1. Making Natural Sounds

Fire using cellophane. Just crinkle the cellophane wrap to create a sound like a crackling fire. Chip bags work too.

Rain using rice. Sprinkle rice (or birdseed) onto a thin metal sheet.

Alternatively for rain, you could record the sound of bacon frying.

Wind using a Ziploc. Fill a large ziplock with air and then open the bag a bit and force the air out.

Thunder with aluminum. Just shake a sheet of aluminum to make a thunder sound.

2. Making Action or Sci-Fi Sounds

Ticking Bomb with a clock. Any clock that ticks will do.

Hits/Blows with a pillow. Hit a pillow to make a sound like a body blow. For really hard hits, you might want to whack a sofa cushion with a broomstick.

Bones breaking with celery. Just snap the celery stalks in half.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

Whether you’re making a short film and need sounds to go with your action sequences, or just want some fun noises for your vlog or challenge video, it’s easy to find great sound effects you can use for free online.

Here are 7 places to download free sound effects! Or, if you’re interested in making your own, click here to jump to ‘Make Your Own Sound Effects’.

Part 1: YouTube Free Sound Effects Download

1. Filmora Sound Effects

Filmora Video Editor provides you with a huge library of free sound effects without download from anywhere else. There are 25 pieces of sound effect available in Filmora, such as transition swoosh, cinematic horn, beep sound and phone ring.

If you do not see the sound effect you want in Filmora, you can also go to the online effect store to find out more sound effects. The sounds are in.wav or mp3 files, so you do not have to use them inside Filmora only. They’re free to use for everyone after downloading, no matter what video editor you use.

The Filmstock audio effect library covers sound effects in different categories: nature sounds, animal sounds, movie sounds, gun sounds, fireworks, bird sounds, cricket sounds, wet sounds, dog barking, water sounds, guitar sounds, city sounds, monster sounds, laughing sounds, dinosaur sounds, fart sounds, pet sounds, dog sounds, car sounds, video game, and thunderstorm.

2. Freesound

Sounds on Freesound are uploaded by users under various Creative Commons licenses (some may require attribution, some may not allow commercial use).

The easiest way to browse the sounds on Freesound is probably to click into Sounds in the top menu, and then ‘Browse tags’ in the menu on the right of your screen. All of the tags on the site will be displayed, and the most commonly used ones will be biggest. The tags include what the sounds are meant to be (i.e. percussion or thunder) and what type of sounds they are (i.e. field-recording or synth).

3. PacDV

PacDV has been producing sound effects since 2001. You can browse and download sounds individually from their site, or download all at once in a huge bundle. You can use all the sounds for free (you just can’t sell them or provide direct download links to other people).

On the left of the website there’s a menu where you can choose what kinds of sound effects you’re interested in. The categories are:

Ambience: this is where you’ll find general background sounds, like ‘car interior’ or ‘grocery store’. Even when nothing in particular is happening, locations have sounds. This is also where you’ll find things like crowd noises.

Domestic: these are sounds you hear around the home, like sounds related to doors and appliances.

Interfaces: a lot of tech sounds live here, like beeps and clicks. Beeps are all titled ‘Beep’, but nothing else is really labeled beyond being called ‘Interface Sound’. You just have to listen and find out.

Machines: a variety of different machine sounds can be found here, from power tools like chainsaws and drills to things like typewriters or paper shredders.

Mechanical: this is where you’ll find sounds associated with cameras, coin slots, zippers, and more.

People: laughing, clapping, footsteps and even farts – this is where you’ll find human sounds.

Transportation: these sounds are all related to vehicles, be they cars or airplanes.

Voices: here you’ll find voices saying common things like ‘hi’, ‘aaah’, or ‘come on’.

Music: PacDV also has a selection of royalty free music. If you use it in your video, you need to give them credit by including Music by <www.pacdv.com/sounds/> in your video description.

Miscellaneous: sounds that don’t quite fit into other categories.

4. Sound Bible

The sounds on Sound Bible are either in the public domain, which means anyone can use them for anything without restriction, or licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License, which means you just need to provide a credit for the person who created the effect you use. When you click on sound effects on Sound Bible you’ll be able to see whether the effect is Public Domain or Attribution 3.0, and it will tell you who the sound was recorded by. Both public domain and Attribution 3.0 sounds are available for commercial use.

This site has a search function, so if you want dog sounds you can search for ‘dog’. This might be easier than trying to pick the category closest to what you’re looking for and just scrolling through, like you do on some sites.

Sound Bible is updated about 3 times a week, so you can always check back for fresh sounds.

5. Sound Gator

Sound Gator has a huge number of sound effects divided into too many categories to list (24). The categories tend to be very specific, like ‘drink sound effects’ or ‘phone sound effects. If you don’t see a category that sounds like what you’re looking for, make sure to check under Misc Sound Effects because there are 68 Mp3#s in there for everything from tools to static.

You can sort the sound effects on Sound Gator by date added, popularity, top rated, runtime, top favorites, or most discussed.

6. Sounds Crate

Sounds Crate is part of the larger Production Crate which provides all kinds of resources to creators for free (you can upgrade to a paid account to access exclusive content, but there’s a lot of great content available for free). The categories available on Sounds Crate are:

Ambient: room tones and general background noises from nature or cities.

Animal: includes things like puppy barks and angry cats.

Blades and Metal: you’ll find sounds from swords, chains, and other metal implements here.

Crashes and Debris: perfect for action, this is where you’ll find sounds associated with destruction.

Electricity: things like electrical blasts and charges can be found here.

Electronics: any sound made by anything electrical, like beeps and appliance sounds.

Explosions and Bangs: if you have a visual explosion effect, you’ll probably need to combine it with something from here.

Fight: find sounds associated with action sequences, like whooshes and punches.

Gun Related: everything from reloads to gunshots.

Impact: any kind of thud or shattering sound.

Lock n’ Load: although there are some ‘gun checking’ sounds in here, it’s mostly clothing related sounds like zippers and Velcro.

Movement: wind sounds and whooshes.

People: sounds humans make, from voices to footsteps.

Sci-Fi SFX: zaps, beeps, and sci-fi ambience.

Vehicle: includes both common vehicles like cars and less-common vehicles like tanks.

Weapons: both modern weapons like missiles and old-timey things like arrows.

7. Zapsplat

Zapsplat claims to be the fastest growing free sound effects library on the internet. With more than 23,999 professional sounds, and more being added every week, they might just be right. The owner of the site, Alan McKinney, adds 500 sound effects every week by himself and the site also accepts sounds from contributors. All of their sounds were recorded using professional equipment and then edited to make them perfect.

You can even send Alan a message and request specific sound effects if you can’t already find what you want on the site.

On Zapsplat you can browse 26 categories including fantasy, warfare, and animals for individual sounds. Or, you can visit the Free SFX Packs section and download a set of related sounds together. Packs include ‘Magic Wand’, ‘Science Fiction Alarms’, and ‘Cartoon Boings’.

Part 2: Make Your Own Sound Effects for YouTube Videos

Here are some easy ways you can make your own sound effects at home.

1. Making Natural Sounds

Fire using cellophane. Just crinkle the cellophane wrap to create a sound like a crackling fire. Chip bags work too.

Rain using rice. Sprinkle rice (or birdseed) onto a thin metal sheet.

Alternatively for rain, you could record the sound of bacon frying.

Wind using a Ziploc. Fill a large ziplock with air and then open the bag a bit and force the air out.

Thunder with aluminum. Just shake a sheet of aluminum to make a thunder sound.

2. Making Action or Sci-Fi Sounds

Ticking Bomb with a clock. Any clock that ticks will do.

Hits/Blows with a pillow. Hit a pillow to make a sound like a body blow. For really hard hits, you might want to whack a sofa cushion with a broomstick.

Bones breaking with celery. Just snap the celery stalks in half.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

Whether you’re making a short film and need sounds to go with your action sequences, or just want some fun noises for your vlog or challenge video, it’s easy to find great sound effects you can use for free online.

Here are 7 places to download free sound effects! Or, if you’re interested in making your own, click here to jump to ‘Make Your Own Sound Effects’.

Part 1: YouTube Free Sound Effects Download

1. Filmora Sound Effects

Filmora Video Editor provides you with a huge library of free sound effects without download from anywhere else. There are 25 pieces of sound effect available in Filmora, such as transition swoosh, cinematic horn, beep sound and phone ring.

If you do not see the sound effect you want in Filmora, you can also go to the online effect store to find out more sound effects. The sounds are in.wav or mp3 files, so you do not have to use them inside Filmora only. They’re free to use for everyone after downloading, no matter what video editor you use.

The Filmstock audio effect library covers sound effects in different categories: nature sounds, animal sounds, movie sounds, gun sounds, fireworks, bird sounds, cricket sounds, wet sounds, dog barking, water sounds, guitar sounds, city sounds, monster sounds, laughing sounds, dinosaur sounds, fart sounds, pet sounds, dog sounds, car sounds, video game, and thunderstorm.

2. Freesound

Sounds on Freesound are uploaded by users under various Creative Commons licenses (some may require attribution, some may not allow commercial use).

The easiest way to browse the sounds on Freesound is probably to click into Sounds in the top menu, and then ‘Browse tags’ in the menu on the right of your screen. All of the tags on the site will be displayed, and the most commonly used ones will be biggest. The tags include what the sounds are meant to be (i.e. percussion or thunder) and what type of sounds they are (i.e. field-recording or synth).

3. PacDV

PacDV has been producing sound effects since 2001. You can browse and download sounds individually from their site, or download all at once in a huge bundle. You can use all the sounds for free (you just can’t sell them or provide direct download links to other people).

On the left of the website there’s a menu where you can choose what kinds of sound effects you’re interested in. The categories are:

Ambience: this is where you’ll find general background sounds, like ‘car interior’ or ‘grocery store’. Even when nothing in particular is happening, locations have sounds. This is also where you’ll find things like crowd noises.

Domestic: these are sounds you hear around the home, like sounds related to doors and appliances.

Interfaces: a lot of tech sounds live here, like beeps and clicks. Beeps are all titled ‘Beep’, but nothing else is really labeled beyond being called ‘Interface Sound’. You just have to listen and find out.

Machines: a variety of different machine sounds can be found here, from power tools like chainsaws and drills to things like typewriters or paper shredders.

Mechanical: this is where you’ll find sounds associated with cameras, coin slots, zippers, and more.

People: laughing, clapping, footsteps and even farts – this is where you’ll find human sounds.

Transportation: these sounds are all related to vehicles, be they cars or airplanes.

Voices: here you’ll find voices saying common things like ‘hi’, ‘aaah’, or ‘come on’.

Music: PacDV also has a selection of royalty free music. If you use it in your video, you need to give them credit by including Music by <www.pacdv.com/sounds/> in your video description.

Miscellaneous: sounds that don’t quite fit into other categories.

4. Sound Bible

The sounds on Sound Bible are either in the public domain, which means anyone can use them for anything without restriction, or licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License, which means you just need to provide a credit for the person who created the effect you use. When you click on sound effects on Sound Bible you’ll be able to see whether the effect is Public Domain or Attribution 3.0, and it will tell you who the sound was recorded by. Both public domain and Attribution 3.0 sounds are available for commercial use.

This site has a search function, so if you want dog sounds you can search for ‘dog’. This might be easier than trying to pick the category closest to what you’re looking for and just scrolling through, like you do on some sites.

Sound Bible is updated about 3 times a week, so you can always check back for fresh sounds.

5. Sound Gator

Sound Gator has a huge number of sound effects divided into too many categories to list (24). The categories tend to be very specific, like ‘drink sound effects’ or ‘phone sound effects. If you don’t see a category that sounds like what you’re looking for, make sure to check under Misc Sound Effects because there are 68 Mp3#s in there for everything from tools to static.

You can sort the sound effects on Sound Gator by date added, popularity, top rated, runtime, top favorites, or most discussed.

6. Sounds Crate

Sounds Crate is part of the larger Production Crate which provides all kinds of resources to creators for free (you can upgrade to a paid account to access exclusive content, but there’s a lot of great content available for free). The categories available on Sounds Crate are:

Ambient: room tones and general background noises from nature or cities.

Animal: includes things like puppy barks and angry cats.

Blades and Metal: you’ll find sounds from swords, chains, and other metal implements here.

Crashes and Debris: perfect for action, this is where you’ll find sounds associated with destruction.

Electricity: things like electrical blasts and charges can be found here.

Electronics: any sound made by anything electrical, like beeps and appliance sounds.

Explosions and Bangs: if you have a visual explosion effect, you’ll probably need to combine it with something from here.

Fight: find sounds associated with action sequences, like whooshes and punches.

Gun Related: everything from reloads to gunshots.

Impact: any kind of thud or shattering sound.

Lock n’ Load: although there are some ‘gun checking’ sounds in here, it’s mostly clothing related sounds like zippers and Velcro.

Movement: wind sounds and whooshes.

People: sounds humans make, from voices to footsteps.

Sci-Fi SFX: zaps, beeps, and sci-fi ambience.

Vehicle: includes both common vehicles like cars and less-common vehicles like tanks.

Weapons: both modern weapons like missiles and old-timey things like arrows.

7. Zapsplat

Zapsplat claims to be the fastest growing free sound effects library on the internet. With more than 23,999 professional sounds, and more being added every week, they might just be right. The owner of the site, Alan McKinney, adds 500 sound effects every week by himself and the site also accepts sounds from contributors. All of their sounds were recorded using professional equipment and then edited to make them perfect.

You can even send Alan a message and request specific sound effects if you can’t already find what you want on the site.

On Zapsplat you can browse 26 categories including fantasy, warfare, and animals for individual sounds. Or, you can visit the Free SFX Packs section and download a set of related sounds together. Packs include ‘Magic Wand’, ‘Science Fiction Alarms’, and ‘Cartoon Boings’.

Part 2: Make Your Own Sound Effects for YouTube Videos

Here are some easy ways you can make your own sound effects at home.

1. Making Natural Sounds

Fire using cellophane. Just crinkle the cellophane wrap to create a sound like a crackling fire. Chip bags work too.

Rain using rice. Sprinkle rice (or birdseed) onto a thin metal sheet.

Alternatively for rain, you could record the sound of bacon frying.

Wind using a Ziploc. Fill a large ziplock with air and then open the bag a bit and force the air out.

Thunder with aluminum. Just shake a sheet of aluminum to make a thunder sound.

2. Making Action or Sci-Fi Sounds

Ticking Bomb with a clock. Any clock that ticks will do.

Hits/Blows with a pillow. Hit a pillow to make a sound like a body blow. For really hard hits, you might want to whack a sofa cushion with a broomstick.

Bones breaking with celery. Just snap the celery stalks in half.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett