The best time to upload a video to YouTube in Pakistan is typically in the late afternoon and evening (4 PM – 8 PM) on weekdays and during late mornings or early afternoons (11 AM – 2 PM) on weekends. The optimal time, however, depends entirely on your target audience’s lifestyle (rural vs. urban) and the type of content you create.
Before diving into timing, it’s crucial to understand the sheer scale of your potential audience. According to data from February 2025, there are 55.9 million monthly YouTube users in Pakistan. This massive and diverse audience means there’s a niche for every type of creator, from vlogging enthusiasts to educational channels.
People in rural areas generally follow an early-to-bed, early-to-rise schedule. They are typically awake by 6 AM and sleep by 10-11 PM. The best times to upload for them are in the afternoon from 3 PM – 5 PM (when they’re back from work) and in the evening from 7 PM – 9 PM (post-dinner relaxation). For vloggers targeting audiences in regions like KPK, where Friday is often a holiday, you can treat it like a Sunday and upload in the late morning between 10 AM and 12 PM, before people get busy with prayer preparations.
City dwellers have a later schedule, often waking up around 8-9 AM and staying up until midnight or later. Target them during their evening commute from 5 PM – 7 PM or during primetime from 8 PM – 11 PM. On Saturday nights, people in cities often stay up until 1 AM or later, so uploading between 9 PM and 11 PM can give your video a strong initial boost. On Sundays, viewers wake up late, so the 11 AM to 2 PM slot is ideal.
Viewers look for recipes right before they need to cook. Uploading a video around 10 AM – 11 AM is perfect for lunch ideas, while uploading around 4 PM – 5 PM is ideal for dinner recipes. For drama and entertainment content, the best windows are mid-afternoon (2 PM – 4 PM), after chores are done, and late evening (9 PM – 11 PM), when the house is quiet.
This audience is busy with classes during the day. The best time to upload is after school and university hours, from 5 PM to 8 PM on weekdays, when they are studying or working on assignments.
The gaming community is most active late at night. Schedule your uploads for 9 PM onwards, with viewership often peaking after midnight. Weekends are prime time for this audience, all day long.
This audience consumes content during commutes and breaks. Uploading very early in the morning (or the night before) to be ready by 7 AM – 9 AM is great for the morning commute. The evening commute slot, 5 PM – 7 PM, is another excellent window.
Day | Suggested Upload Time(s) | Rationale / Why it Works |
Mon – Thu | 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Catches the entire post-work/post-school audience, from early returners to those who get home late. |
Friday | 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM | The weekend is starting. Avoid the 12 PM – 3 PM prayer window. |
Saturday | 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM & 9:00 PM – 11:00 PM | Caters to late risers and the active late-night city audience. |
Sunday | 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM & 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Prime relaxation day. Viewers are active both in the afternoon and evening. |
Think of these recommendations as a strong starting point, not a strict rule. Your most powerful tool is your own channel’s data. Navigate to YouTube Studio → Analytics → Audience and look at the “When your viewers are on YouTube” report. That graph provides personalized, accurate data on when your community is most active. Trust that above all else.