Substack Release Notes

When we introduced Polymarket embeds in 2024, creators started weaving prediction market data into their analysis, from election forecasts to AI breakthroughs to economic policy. As more creators have integrated and responded to this data in their work, we’ve been building tools to support how they reference and discuss it on Substack.

Today, in partnership with Polymarket, we’re introducing native tools that make it easier to share, discuss, and debate prediction market data directly on Substack. Polymarket has also joined our sponsorships pilot, supporting a cohort of creators who integrate these tools into their work.

What are prediction markets, and why do they matter?

Prediction markets are an emerging technology that aggregates real-time estimates of what will happen in the future. While the stock market lets people trade shares of companies, and the price reflects an estimate of how much a business is worth, Polymarket lets people trade shares of future events, like elections, economic trends, and scientific breakthroughs. The price reflects a market estimate of how likely an outcome is to happen.

So while the stock market can tell you how much traders think Nvidia is worth, Polymarket can tell you whether traders think the Fed will raise interest rates, that Ukraine will join NATO this year, or that One Battle After Another will win Best Picture at the Oscars. As with the stock market, these prices offer powerful insights into how participants are assessing the likelihood of different outcomes—everyone is free to disagree about how much Nvidia is actually worth, or what movie will win, but everyone still sees the same ticker of what it’s trading at, up to the second.

What’s new

When we first introduced Polymarket embeds, creators had to paste external links into posts. Even with that extra step, one in five of Substack’s top 250 highest-revenue publications started using them. Today, we’re making it easier with three new features, now available on iOS, Android, and web:

Notes embeds

Polymarket data can now be embedded directly in Notes, not just posts. This means you can quickly reference a prediction market that automatically refreshes with the latest odds, while sharing commentary, responding to news, or sparking a discussion—whether you’re writing a full article or a quick note.

Writer and podcaster Konstantin Kisin referenced market expectations in a note about different timelines for Keir Starmer’s potential exit as U.K. prime minister, while tech analyst Azeem Azhar used a Polymarket embed in Notes to comment on how Anthropic’s research progress moved prediction market sentiment around AI model performance.

Search within Substack

You can now search for Polymarket data directly from the post editor or Notes composer. No need to open a new tab, find the right market, and copy a link back. Just search, select, and insert an embed directly alongside your analysis.

Dynamic visualizations

Polymarket embeds now adapt their visual format to match the type of question you’re referencing—a yes-or-no question looks different from one with multiple possible outcomes. Substack automatically selects the right format to ensure that the data is clear and easy to read.

For example, when Cartoons Hate Her embedded data on the Democratic favorite for 2028—with the caveat that it’s still “way too early to say”—it automatically displayed as a multi-candidate ranking. When shit you should care about embedded a question about whether the U.S. will confirm before 2027 that aliens exist, it displayed as a simple percentage.

These tools are available to start using today. You’ll find instructions in our Help Center, and if you publish something using the tools, tag Substack Team—we’d love to see what you’re working on.

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Today, we’re rolling out a set of updates designed to give publishers more control over how their work appears and reaches their subscribers, from new formatting options for publications and recipes to scheduling livestreams on Android and desktop.

Publication design settings

We’ve made a number of updates to the theme editor that make it easier than ever to shape the experience subscribers have when they land on your publication’s homepage.

Here’s what’s new:

• Custom header and footer: Resize your wordmark and adjust its placement.
• Faster homepage editing: Click any section in the homepage preview to adjust its settings directly. You can also drag and drop sidebar modules to reorder them.
• Welcome page colors: Set a background color for your welcome page independent of your main homepage.
• Undo after saving: Made a change you didn’t mean to? Undo appears right after you save.

You’ll find these settings in the same place as before: Settings → Website → Theme.

Learn more about customizing your publication in our Help Center.

Wendy MacNaughton, the author of DrawTogether, used these updates to create a homepage that’s both beautiful and easy to navigate.

Drop Site News uses the custom layouts to add social links and highlight work from their contributors.

For more ideas, take a look at Sub Club’s distinctive logo placement and The Preamble’s expert use of the footer.

Recipe embeds (beta)

Recipe embeds are now available in beta on Substack, offering a clean, structured way to publish recipes inside a post.

If you’ve ever shared a recipe as plain text, you know it’s not ideal: ingredients and steps can get buried, readers have to scroll back and forth while cooking, and recipes aren’t always surfaced well by search engines. Recipe embeds solve these issues by giving recipes a dedicated format that’s easy to follow, save for later, and built for discovery.

To add a recipe embed to an upcoming post, open the post editor and choose More → Recipe.

Recipe embeds can include:

• An image
• Title and description
• Prep and cook time
• Ingredients and directions
• Optional descriptive tags for meal categories, cuisines, etc.

And recipe embeds automatically generate the proper metadata so search engines can index and surface your recipe, helping new readers discover your Substack.

Hetty Lui McKinnon, the author of To Vegetables, With Love, put the new format to use in her latest recipe, for napa cabbage and crumbled tempeh rice noodles.

Learn more about using recipe embeds in our Help Center.

Live video scheduling on Android and desktop

You can now schedule livestreams on Android and desktop, giving you more time to promote your event and build momentum ahead of going live. Each scheduled stream generates an RSVP link that subscribers can add to their calendar and share across Substack and social channels. Email and in-app reminders help bring your audience back when it’s time to tune in.

Learn more about scheduling a livestream in our Help Center.

Try them out today

We’re focused on building tools that help publishers own their space on the internet and connect meaningfully with their communities. Whether you’re refreshing your publication or experimenting with new formats like recipes and live video, we hope you’ll try out these updates and let us know your thoughts in the comments.

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TL;DR

Custom themes are finally coming to the apps! Starting today on iOS, you’ll see this when you tap on Substacks you subscribe to from a new row atop the feed that makes it easy to keep up with your favorites. Soon, themed views will be everywhere in the apps, and this is just the beginning of a major effort to make Substacks richer and more customizable.

For years, anyone writing or creating online has faced a choice:

• Build your own website or app, reflecting your taste and featuring your aesthetics and branding, and apply your rules for commenters and community members, but watch it fail to get much attention or traffic, especially over time, without costly marketing efforts on other platforms.
• Share your work directly on those other platforms to meet audiences where they are, but compromise on style and branding, cede some or all ownership of the relationships you build, and accept the rules of the platform owners, which can change dramatically and upend your livelihood overnight.

It’s a little like owning your own small shop versus operating in a mall. Your unique store might be laid out and managed exactly as you—and your customers—want, but if you cannot attract enough people, if too many customers prefer the convenience and centrality of a mall, you’ll struggle to remain afloat. The mall’s scale advantage often wins with audiences, even when they admit that your unique vision on its own is superior, even when it’s common to hear people lament: “I hate the mall.”

Online, audiences flock to massive social media or content platforms, ignoring even the most beautiful and well-run individual sites and apps. Writers, journalists, artists, musicians, chefs, critics, and creators of all kinds need to reach people at scale in order to earn sustainable livings, and so they wind up going where the audiences are, abandoning any hope of control or customization. And once they’ve built an audience on a platform, they’re locked in: they cannot take their audience with them if they leave.

Substack has long worked to offer a different model: one where the benefits of scale accrue to creators, not just to platform owners, while as much of the value of independence is preserved as is possible. You might say that our vision is that of a thriving commercial district within a city: the benefits of density and connection without the homogenizing pressures of a mall. Much of our work over the past few years has been to make Substack a place large numbers of people like to visit, while never changing that it’s a place any creative can choose to leave without loss. Here, you own your relationships. You also get growth through scale and network effects, through our ranked home feed, our recommendations system, and features like live video and chat, which together help people discover you and your work, often signing up to become paid subscribers.

Now, we’re taking a small first step on a big effort to make this balance even better.

Starting today on iOS, you’ll see a row of Substacks you’re subscribed to right at the top of the app, with priority given to those with new posts. Tapping one brings subscribers into that Substack’s world, with its custom colors, typefaces, logos, and the newest post right at the top. Below that top post is a feed of notes and posts from that Substack, so subscribers can easily dive deeper into its world. It’s more like visiting a unique place, less like “consuming content” in a generic platform view.

See a publication's most recent post at the top of their custom feed, complete with in-line expansion for easy reading.

But this is just a first step. Soon, we’ll be introducing features that will dramatically enrich what Substacks can be.

In the future, a Substack feed will be able to include not only its creator’s own work but also that of their community of subscribers, and even of other Substacks they recommend. All of this will be fully optional and controllable; some creators will want to curate a space with many contributors, while others will be happy to keep their Substack’s feed focused solely on their own work or that of a small set. For those who include others in their feeds, we’ll make it extremely easy to set moderation rules and apply them to their communities.

Whether your Substack is a solo effort, a salon, or a whole scene will be entirely up to you. For Substacks where the community is a significant part of the value, we think this can be a game changer. Your ability to customize how your space appears within the Substack app, combined with optional community feeds and the flexible moderation tools that support and guide them, will make Substack uniquely balanced in a way that works for creators and subscribers alike.

Together, these features will let writers, journalists, artists, musicians, and everyone else build their own inimitable and authentic spaces, with unique moderation dynamics and whatever level of community involvement they want. Subscribers can get an even closer look at how a creator thinks, what they’re interested in, and the community they’ve built on Substack. And everyone will still benefit from the Substack network; indeed, curated Substack spaces should lead to more cross-pollination and subscriber growth than ever, as audiences will see more from around the network and indeed around the Internet in every space.

With these features, your space can be distinct and personal —with your vision, your branding, your rules—while still living inside a platform where people are already spending their time. At Substack, creators can carve out their own corners of the internet without sacrificing the network effects that make platforms powerful.

The old choice was between independence and scale. Now you can have both.

We’ve turned off comments for this post. As always, feel free to share your perspective in a Note, in a post, or by restacking.

And lately, many platforms suppress any links that take audiences off their own surfaces (and thus away from the ads they run on them). Incidentally, Substack doesn’t suppress off-platform links.

As we never tire of mentioning, network effects and the app account for the majority of paid subscriptions.

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Today we’re launching the Substack TV app for Apple TV and Google TV

Substack is the home for the best longform—work creators put real care into and subscribers choose to spend time with. Now these thought-provoking videos and livestreams have a natural home on the TV, where subscribers can settle in for the extended viewing that great video deserves.

That might mean watching Dolly Parton reflect on her showbiz journey, George Saunders read from his book, or Tina Brown interview leading figures in news and culture. Chris Cillizza, the author of So What and a frequent on-air contributor, put it simply: “Video doesn’t have to live in any one place. It needs to be wherever someone chooses to consume it. The Substack TV app does just that for me and my work.”

What you can do with the TV app today

Creators who already publish video don’t need to do anything new—your videos will automatically be available for subscribers who are signed in to the TV app.

This initial version of the TV app is focused on reliable, high-quality viewing, and we’ll be adding more features over time. We’re starting with the essentials and will keep improving it based on how people actually use it.

At launch, subscribers can:

• Watch video posts and livestreams from the creators and publications they’re subscribed to
• Browse a “For You” row that highlights videos from their subscriptions, plus recommended videos
• Open a dedicated page for each subscription to explore more videos from a specific publication

Both free and paid subscribers can sign in to the TV app and begin using it today, with viewing access matched to their current subscription level. While paid content previews for free subscribers aren’t supported yet, we plan to add them in a future update.

“I’m excited to report the Substack revolution will be televised,” said veteran journalist and former CNN anchor Jim Acosta, who uses Substack’s live video feature to host a daily news show. “This is a game-changing moment for the rise of independent media. Substack has proven that legacy media consumers are not only searching for fresh alternatives; they are finding them.”

How to watch Substack videos on your TV

• Search for “Substack” in your TV’s app store and download the app (Apple App Store for Apple TV, or the Apps section for Google and Android TV devices).
• Open the app on your TV.
• A QR code will appear on the screen. Scan it with your phone or enter the URL manually to log in.
• That’s it—you’re signed in and ready to start watching videos from the creators you subscribe to.

To check which system your TV is running on, go to System or Specifications in your TV’s settings.

Learn more about setting up the TV app in our Help Center

What’s coming next

Because this is an early version, some familiar Substack features aren’t available yet. We’ll expand what the TV app can do over time, including:

• Audio posts and read-alouds
• Search and improved discovery
• Previews of paid content for free subscribers
• In-app upgrades to paid subscriptions
• Sections for different shows from one publication

Don’t forget to let your subscribers know you’re on Substack TV, and let us know what would make the experience even better.

Leave a comment

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Since live video rolled out on Substack in January, we’ve been building toward a simple idea: creators show up with something to say, and the platform handles the rest. What starts as a live conversation becomes durable media—recordings and clips—that can travel, be discovered, and earn, long after the stream ends.

Over the past year, writers and creators have used live video to report on news as it unfolded, host recurring shows, perform songs live, and talk directly with their communities. Along the way, we’ve worked on improvements to make live video easier to use, more flexible, and better aligned with how publishers actually work.

Below is a look at what’s new, along with a survey of how live video has evolved over the past year and the creative ways people are using it.

How live video has evolved

As creators experimented with live video in different ways, we paid close attention to what worked, what didn’t, and what they asked for next. That feedback has guided how live video has evolved on Substack over the past year.

Today, we’re taking the latest step forward by introducing auto-generated thumbnails for live video recordings. These create a polished cover image that viewers see before they press play—across your publication, in email, and on platforms like YouTube. Below is an example from a live conversation between Michael Simmons, Claudia Faith, and Joel Salinas.

Learn more about auto thumbnails in the Help Center

This builds on a series of improvements we’ve shipped throughout the year, all shaped directly by creator feedback:

• Scheduling: Plan live videos in advance with an auto-generated calendar link for audiences and easy-to-share promotional assets.
• Audio-only mode: Go live without video, for those who prefer not to be on camera.
• Music mode: Perform live with higher-quality audio, designed specifically for musicians and musical performances.
• Desktop streaming: Go live directly from your computer, giving people more flexibility and control over their setup.
• Enhanced clips: Automatically turn live moments into dynamic, shareable clips that extend the life of a conversation beyond the stream.
• Auto-publishing clips: Automatically share clips from your live video to YouTube and LinkedIn, making it easy for conversations to reach new audiences.

Looking ahead, we’ll continue building more ways for publishers to create compelling video and supporting materials, without needing extra tools or technical expertise. We’ll have more to share in the new year, and we’re excited to keep building alongside you.

A year of live video on Substack

In 2025, writers, analysts, artists, chefs, and musicians used live video to share insights, respond to events in real time, and connect with audiences in ways that felt immediate and personal.

At the start of the year, live video became a way to make sense of economic uncertainty. Newcomer’s Eric Newcomer joined Sequoia Capital partner Andrew Reed to discuss how rapid advances in AI models are reshaping private tech startups, why more companies are choosing to stay private longer, and the rise of venture capital megafunds.

Live video also created space for creativity and craft. Food creators Clare de Boer and Dorie Greenspan used Substack live to talk about taste, offering viewers a unique look at how different creative disciplines approach food storytelling.

For musicians, live video became a way to bring fans closer than ever. Patti Smith and longtime collaborator Lenny Kaye went live from her home for an intimate performance and conversation.

Lia Haberman of ICYMI by Lia Haberman and Natalie Jarvey of Like & Subscribe from Natalie Jarvey shared their own perspectives on media and internet culture.

In another standout discussion, i-D’s editor in chief Thom Bettridge went live with his team to host a magazine pitch meeting, giving audiences a rare look inside the editorial process.

And tomorrow, Thursday, December 18 at 1:30 p.m. PT/4:30 p.m. ET, comedians Paul Scheer and W. Kamau Bell will go live on Substack to humorously unpack what they’re leaving behind in 2025.

If you’ve been thinking about going live, now’s a great time. Go live from desktop or mobile to reflect on the year, share what you’ve learned, and what you’re thinking about as we head into the new year. Tag Substack Team, and we may feature it in the Substack feed.

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Substack is building video infrastructure so that creators don’t need to be editors or videographers. Your job is to create—the rest should feel effortless. You bring your perspective, and Substack turns it into durable media that can travel across the internet.
Today, we’re taking another step toward that vision with desktop live video and enhanced clips. These updates give you more flexibility in how you go live and produce sharper, more engaging highlights automatically.
Whether you’re interviewing a peer, telling a personal story, or responding to breaking news, Substack now makes it easier to capture the moments that matter and share them far beyond your publication.
Here’s what’s new.

Here’s what’s new.

Desktop live video

If you’ve gone live from the Substack app before, desktop streaming will feel familiar. You can start a live video the same way you start any post—just click “Create,” and you’ll now see a live video option. Add a title, choose who you’re broadcasting to, and enter a preview room where you can check your setup and talk with any co-hosts before going live.
You can go live on desktop even if your co-hosts are on mobile. Scheduling livestreams on desktop is coming soon.
Learn more about desktop streaming in our Help Center.

Clips are a growth engine

Clips are becoming a meaningful part of how creators share their work and reach new subscribers. As more creators experiment with them, we’re seeing clear signs of momentum.
Here’s what the data shows:

• Nearly 50% of all livestream hosts now share or download a clip the same day they go live, taking advantage of clips as a strategic promotional tool.
• Since clips rolled out earlier this year, they have directly generated nearly 500,000 free subscriptions across the Substack ecosystem.
• Substack-generated clips on external platforms now receive more than 500,000 views every day, thanks to auto-publishing integrations with YouTube and LinkedIn.
  Learn more about auto-uploading to YouTube and LinkedIn in the Help Center.
  We’ve made improvements to clips to make them even more engaging and easier to share.
• Dynamic editing highlights the active speaker, trims dead air, and adds subtle zooms to make conversations feel sharper.
• Clean title cards give every clip a polished opening that captures attention across platforms.
• Instant availability means ready-to-share clips appear the moment your livestream ends.
• One-tap sharing and downloads make it simple to post clips to Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube Shorts, LinkedIn, or any other network where you connect with your audience.

How creators are using clips to grow

Creators on Substack use clips to capture the moments that resonate with their audience, whether it’s an unscripted insight, an unexpected emotion, or a funny exchange. Substack’s tools make it easy to turn those moments into something you can share anywhere, without needing an expensive setup or technical skills.
Below are a few examples that show the range of what clips can make possible.

• Esther Perel and Dan Harris had a thoughtful conversation about the small, practical actions anyone can take to combat loneliness.
• David Lebovitz and Leslie Brenner mused about the unique, and often comically stressful, experience of grocery shopping in Paris.
• Brooke Baldwin shared an emotional reflection about a difficult relationship with her brother. Her honesty connected deeply with viewers and spread quickly across the network.
• Anushka Joshi sat down with Ochuko Akpovbovbo to talk about AI’s impact on dating.
  Many of these clips drove new subscriptions. But more importantly, they show how a compelling moment can introduce your work to people who might never have found you otherwise.

Try it out

Go live today, from desktop or mobile, and share your best moments across your networks. Tag @SubstackTeam, and your clip could be featured this month on our Notes account.

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Basics

What is IAP?

In-app purchase (IAP) is Apple’s required payment system for buying digital content inside iOS apps. Apple has long required that any app selling paid content must offer IAP, which includes a 15% to 30% commission: 30% during the first year of a subscription, dropping to 15% starting in the second year of continuous billing.

Will this affect all my payments or just app subscriptions?

Only new subscriptions purchased in the iOS app via Apple’s IAP are affected.

• Web-based checkout in the app (shown to U.S. subscribers) is unaffected and works like all other web subscriptions.
• Subscriptions purchased on desktop, mobile web, or via email links are also unaffected.

Can I opt out of IAP altogether?

No. To comply with Apple’s App Store rules, IAP will be enabled for all paid publications in the iOS app.

Why do U.S. subscribers see both web checkout and IAP, but international subscribers only see IAP?

Due to a recent U.S. court ruling (Epic Games v. Apple), apps in the U.S. can display a link to an external web-based payment option alongside IAP. Apple does not allow this outside the U.S., so international subscribers only see IAP.

Apple does have an alternative payment program in the EU/U.K., but it comes with additional fees and complex requirements. We’re evaluating whether it would meaningfully benefit publishers, and will update you if we decide to support it in the future.

For users in the U.S., this is what the subscribe screen in the app now looks like:

Is in-app purchase (IAP) available everywhere?

In-app purchases (IAP) in the Substack iOS app are currently available for publications whose Stripe accounts are based in the following countries:

• United States
• United Kingdom
• Canada
• Most of the European Union

We’re working to expand this to all Stripe-supported regions by mid-2026, so more publications can accept paid subscriptions directly in the iOS app.

In the meantime, subscribers everywhere can still pay via web or mobile checkout—these payment flows are unchanged.

What about Android users?

This change only affects the iOS app. Android users cannot currently purchase subscriptions in the app.

Pricing and controls

How will my prices be set for Apple’s IAP option?

To protect your earnings, Substack will automatically set your price in the iOS app higher for subscriptions purchased through Apple’s in-app purchase (IAP) system. This increase offsets Apple’s fee, so you receive approximately the same payout you would for a web-based subscription.

What happens to my IAP price if I change my web subscription price?

If you have automatic price adjustment turned on, your Apple in-app purchase (IAP) price will automatically recalculate whenever you change your web subscription price. This ensures that the IAP price continues to offset Apple’s fee so you receive approximately the same net earnings from both payment flows.

How do I turn off the automatic price adjustment?

This feature is optional. You can disable it anytime in your billing settings under in-app pricing options.

What happens if I turn off the automatic price adjustment for Apple’s IAP?

If you disable automatic price adjustment in your settings, your Apple IAP price will approximately match your web price going forward, so you will earn less after Apple’s fees.

New IAP subscribers will see this updated price. Existing IAP subscribers will keep the price they originally paid through Apple unless they cancel and resubscribe.

Can I offer discounts or promotions through IAP?

No. Apple does not support discount codes, founding subscriptions, or custom promotions for IAP. These features remain available via web-based subscriptions.

Payouts and fees

How long does it take to get paid for IAP subscriptions?

Apple pays Substack monthly, typically up to 45 days after the end of the month. This means that for all IAP subscriptions purchased in January, you can expect to see earnings in your Stripe account by mid-March. Substack will always deposit your earnings as soon as we receive them from Apple.

Web-based subscriptions (including U.S. web checkout in the app) are paid out on our normal schedule.

Does Substack keep a larger share of IAP payments?

No. Substack will continue to take a 10% fee based on your original web price.

Our share does not increase with the adjusted pricing to account for Apple’s fees, and we’re not benefiting from Apple’s cut.

How are refunds handled for subscriptions purchased in the iOS app?

It depends on the payment method:

• In-app purchase (IAP): Refunds are handled by Apple. Subscribers can request a refund directly through the App Store.
• Web checkout (U.S. web payment link in the app): Refunds are processed through Stripe and can be managed from your Substack dashboard.

What currencies does Apple support for IAP?

Apple supports in-app purchases in all currencies available in the App Store for the subscriber’s country. Pricing is automatically converted from your set IAP price using Apple’s currency conversion rates. You cannot set different IAP prices by currency; adjustments must be made to your base price, which Apple then converts for all supported markets.

Data and subscriber relationships

Will I still get the email addresses of IAP subscribers?

Yes. You’ll receive the subscriber’s email address regardless of whether they paid via the web-based flow or IAP.

Will I have full billing info for IAP subscribers?

No. Apple handles IAP billing, so details like payment method aren’t shared. For web-based subscriptions (including U.S. web checkout in the app), you retain full billing info.

What happens if I leave Substack?

For IAP subscribers, Apple does not transfer billing relationships between platforms. You will still have access to their email addresses, so you can reach out and invite them to re-subscribe elsewhere.

We’ve also built a process to make this outreach easier for creators who decide to move their business off Substack. Our support team can work with you directly to guide you through your options.

Web-based subscriptions (including those from U.S. web checkout in the app) transfer normally with full billing information.

Why this change is happening

Why is Substack adding IAP now?

Apple requires it for any app selling digital content. We previously offered IAP as an opt-in feature, but Apple is now enforcing full compliance, so we must make IAP available for all paid publications.

How is this different from other platforms?

The underlying Apple rules are the same, but our timing works to your advantage. Thanks to a recent court ruling, U.S. subscribers will still see web-based checkout as the default. Many other platforms were required to implement IAP before this option existed, giving their users no alternative to Apple’s in-app payment flow.

Will this hurt my growth?

No, we expect it to help by making it faster and easier for subscribers to pay without leaving the app. In-app payments remove extra steps, potentially leading to more conversions, especially from casual readers or those on mobile.

If you have any questions or feedback, leave a comment below or contact Support.

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Title testing

Title testing helps you find the headline most likely to lead subscribers to open your post. The feature allows you to test multiple title options for a set of your subscribers and then automatically send the top-performing title to the rest of your audience. (Title testing is currently available only to publishers with at least 200 subscribers, as smaller audiences are less likely to generate reliable results. It’s also not yet available when publishing through the app.)

We’ve been testing this feature with a group of Substack bestsellers and have been encouraged by the results and feedback. Publishers have told us that it reduces the pressure on finding the perfect headline, increasing the chances that their best work gets seen by their subscribers. Those who have used the tool have tried to test out a range of approaches to titles, from bold and punchy to soft and subtle. In nearly 60% of tests, a title other than the original came out on top.

Wayan Vota, author of
Career Pivot
, was among the first to try title testing and said it has given him more publishing confidence:

“I’ve been sending email newsletters for 20 years across various platforms, and title testing is a game changer for open rates. Even when I think I’ve nailed the title, I can’t be sure—it’s incredibly valuable that Substack helps me see what actually resonates with readers.”

To run a title test, follow these steps:

1. Prepare your post as usual in the web editor.
2. Enable the setting “Run a title test” in the Publish dashboard.
3. Add alternative titles and/or subtitles to test.
4. Choose the test duration (it defaults to 1 hour) and select what percentage of your audience will see the test.
5. Publish your post.

What happens next:

• The test runs on the selected audience segment, sending each title variant to an equal-sized cohort.
• After the test ends, Substack automatically selects the best-performing title and sends the post with that title to the rest of your audience.
• Your post’s title (and subtitle, if part of the test) will automatically update to reflect the winning version.
• You’ll receive an email with the results, and you can track everything in the Testing tab within post stats.
• Prefer to manually pick the winner? You can end the test at any time and choose the title yourself.

Learn more:
How to run a title test

Profile themes

Your profile is one of the most prominent pieces of real estate you own on Substack. It’s where people learn who you are, what you publish, and who you subscribe to. We’re making it easier to customize your profile’s design and brighten up the place.

Substack profiles now support accent colors, background tints, and cover photos, giving you more tools to express your style and brand your work.

Check out the examples below from
Samah Dada
and
Olivia Adriance
.

Currently:

• All publishers can now update their cover photo.
• Bestsellers get access to new accent color and background tint options.

As a default, the new designs may automatically reflect your current publication branding—so we recommend taking a quick look and customizing as you see fit.

To edit your profile:

• On web, click “Edit Profile” and look below your name and bio.
• In the app, tap “Branding.” (Make sure you’ve got the latest version installed.)

Learn more:
How to edit your profile theme

We’ll continue to work on design customizations and aesthetic improvements you can make to the surfaces you own on Substack, making it feel like your ideal creative home.

Improved guest-management tools for Substack Live Video

Hosting a livestream with a guest? We’ve added a few upgrades to help things run more smoothly behind the scenes—making sure everyone’s in the right place at the right time before you broadcast to your audience.

Now, when you schedule a stream:

• You’ll get a push and email reminder 3 hours before the event to warn you if your guest still needs to install the app.
• You can also check co-host status anytime on the scheduled livestream event page, with a “Remind” button to nudge them if needed.
• You can now manage your scheduled livestreams from the Activity Center, which also flags any co-host readiness issues before you go live.

These improvements are designed to give you more visibility and peace of mind before you go live—so you can focus on the conversation, not the logistics.

Learn more:
Schedule a live video

Try them out today

From fine-tuning your titles to customizing your profile and running smoother livestreams, we’re continuing to build tools that help you publish with confidence and connect meaningfully with your audience.

We hope you’ll give these new features a try, and let us know what you think in the comments.

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Learn more: How to go live

Improvements from start to finish

Substack’s livestreaming tools are now easier to use and more flexible, with features designed to help you reach new audiences on and off the platform.

When you schedule a livestream, Substack now creates promotional assets you can share on Notes and your social channels. You can also invite guests via email or SMS—even if they don’t have a Substack account. This short setup guide walks first-time guests through everything they need to know before the stream starts: setting up an account, what to expect, and how to feel camera-ready when it’s time to go live. For creators who prefer not to be on video, an audio-only mode is now available.

After the stream ends, Substack automatically generates short clips likely to resonate with your audience. These are shared on Notes to help you reach more people and get a sense of what’s working. If a clip performs well, you’ll be notified in real time so you can share it more widely. On iOS, you’ll also see how clips are performing in your video post stats (coming to Android next week).

This feature is enabled by default, but you can turn it off at any time under Settings > Growth features > Enable auto clips in feed.

If you’ve linked your YouTube account in your settings, your top two clips will also be uploaded to your Shorts channel. It’s an easy way to reach new audiences off-platform and bring more people back to your Substack.

Learn more: How to connect your YouTube account to Substack

What creators are saying

Chris Cillizza, the author of So What, told us how live video updates are helping him reach new subscribers:

“Live video has been a powerful growth engine for me. The clips Substack creates and shares after each stream do a great job of highlighting the best moments from the discussion and leading people back to the full video, where they often convert into new subscribers. It’s been one of the most effective ways to get my work in front of more people, wherever they are.”

What this unlocks

These updates are designed to help your livestreams keep working even after they’re over. You can invite your dream guest—even if they aren’t on Substack yet. Your audience can add your event to their calendar ahead of time. A clip might take off on Notes or YouTube Shorts. And the replay can continue to bring in new subscribers long after the stream has ended. It all starts with one stream.

Check out a few of our favorite clips below.

• Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who writes Joe's Journal, went live with Max Read, author of Read Max, to share their favorite films of the 21st century, including a hot take pick from the Coen Brothers.
• Brandon Kyle Goodman, author of Messy Mondays, hosted Hunter Harris of Hung Up for a thoughtful conversation about when she first felt confident calling herself a professional writer.
• Lastly, Ally Jane Ayers, author of Money Changes Everything, spoke with Lindsey Stanberry of The Purse about the importance of naming the right beneficiaries on your financial accounts.

Try it out

Whether you’re hosting a quick Q&A or running a recurring show, now’s a good time to get the app and go live. Substack helps you highlight the strongest moments, so you can get the most from every stream.

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