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• By etching Cu stabilizer, the joint resistance (R j) can be reduced by removing the cupric oxide of the surface layer and shortening the current path between the two YBCO layers. • Preferable electrical properties under applying bending deformation are achieved and proved by the bending tests and finite element simulations. The evidently enhanced I c retention is found by bending tests. The stress and strain of the YBCO layer can be reduced due to employ thinner etching joints. • The employment of spot welding can further enhance the strength at the edges of the joint and thereby alleviate the I c degradation. The YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 − x coated conductor (YBCO CC) is one of the most promising superconducting materials for magnet applications because of its high critical current (I c) and low dependency of the I c on the external magnetic field. For magnet applications, plenty of joints are required to meet the connection of relatively short YBCO CC tapes. The bending properties of the joints inevitably become one of the critical factors that determine the performance of the superconducting magnet. In this paper, we fabricated the joints of YBCO CC tapes by etching Cu stabilizer and studied their bending properties under various bending diameter at 77 K and self-field. Compared with the soldering joint, lower joint resistance (R j) and preferable electrical properties under applying various bending deformation were achieved and proved by the bending strain tests and finite element simulations. This fabrication technique is a unique practicable solution to reduce the R j and improve the bending properties for the joints of YBCO CC tapes with thicker metal stabilizing layers in second generation high temperature superconductor (2G HTS) applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]