A random Redditor figured out something YouTube never meant to give us: the ability to reply to comments with straight-up photos. No text required, no GIF search, just a clean image that sits right there in the thread like it belongs.
Here’s how it actually works. You’re on mobile (this whole thing falls apart on desktop), you find the comment you want to dunk on, tap the three dots, and hit “save.” That saved comment now lives in your Shorts creation flow.
Next, you make a new Short, drop in whatever picture you want (a screenshot, a meme, whatever), add the saved comment so YouTube knows where to thread it, set the Short to unlisted, and post. The image instantly appears as your reply. If you don’t want any title cluttering things up, paste a couple invisible spaces — “ ” works — and you’re left with a pure photo response.
The OP, a user named Alone_Newspaper_3642, also posted a two-minute walkthrough that’s already racked up a ton of views because the steps are that simple.
There’s also a half-baked way, which involves tapping the camera icon when you’re typing a reply, but half the time the picture never actually shows up, so most people are sticking with the Shorts route.
Right now the feature is mobile-only. Open the same video on your laptop or TV and the image replies vanish completely. YouTube clearly built this as a side effect of Shorts replies, not as a proper comment upgrade.
The comment sections under the Reddit threads are already bracing for impact. Top replies are some version of “great, now the p**n bots have 4K ammo” and “UTTP is about to have a field day.” On the other hand, many users are genuinely excited to share reaction images, proof screenshots, or quick fan art without having to jump through hoops.
YouTube hasn’t said a word about closing the loophole or turning it into a real feature, which probably means they’re watching how bad (or harmless) it gets. That said, give it a shot and let us know if it worked for you.
Featured image credit: u/Alone_Newspaper_3642 / Reddit
Dwayne Cubbins
1748 Posts
My fascination with Android phones began the moment I got my hands on one. Since then, I've been on a journey to decode the ever-evolving tech landscape, fueled by a passion for both the "how" and the "why." Since 2018, I've been crafting content that empowers users and demystifies the tech world. From in-depth how-to guides that unlock your phone's potential to breaking news based on original research, I strive to make tech accessible and engaging.