The fastest way to copy a YouTube link

Right-click the video title or anywhere on the video player itself, then select Copy video URL from the menu that appears. This copies the link to your clipboard in seconds. On mobile, tap the Share button below the video, then tap Copy link.

That's the method that works everywhere. The rest of this guide covers variations depending on what device you're using, what part of the link you need, and where you want to send it.

Key Takeaways

  • Right-click the video player or title on desktop and select Copy video URL; on mobile, use the Share button and tap Copy link.
  • YouTube generates a short link (youtu.be format) and a full link (youtube.com format) — both work identically when you paste them.
  • If you need just the video ID or want to set a specific start time, you can edit the link after copying it.
  • The Share button also lets you copy links that start at a particular second, useful for directing someone to a specific moment in a long video.

Copying on Windows and Mac

On a desktop computer, the simplest method is to right-click anywhere on the video player. A context menu appears with several options. Look for Copy video URL — this is the standard choice and copies the full link. If you don't see this option, you may have right-clicked on an ad or a different element; try clicking directly on the video itself.

Alternatively, click the Share button below the video title. A panel opens showing sharing options. The first option is usually Copy link, which does the same thing as the right-click method. Both approaches copy the link to your clipboard, ready to paste into an email, message, or document.

If you're using Firefox, Safari, or Edge instead of Chrome, the right-click menu works the same way. The exact wording might vary slightly, but YouTube always includes a copy option in the context menu.

Copying on iPhone and Android

On a mobile phone, tap the Share button, which appears as an arrow pointing outward, usually below the video title. A menu slides up from the bottom showing different sharing options. Tap Copy link — this is normally the first or second option in the list.

The link is now in your phone's clipboard. You can paste it into a text message, email, or any other app by opening that app and using the paste function (usually a long press on the text field, then selecting Paste from the menu that appears).

Some phones also show a Share to section with apps like Messages, Mail, or WhatsApp listed directly. If you want to send the link to a specific person or group right away, you can tap one of those apps instead of copying first.

Understanding YouTube's two link formats

YouTube generates two different formats for the same video. The full link looks like youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ, while the short link looks like youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ. Both point to the exact same video and work identically when you paste them into a browser or share them with someone.

When you copy a link using the right-click method or the Share button, YouTube usually gives you the short format by default. If you need the full format for some reason — perhaps a form or system requires it — you can manually edit the link after copying. Replace youtu.be/ with youtube.com/watch?v= and keep the video ID (the letters and numbers at the end) the same.

The video ID is the unique code that identifies each video. In both formats above, dQw4w9WgXcQ is the video ID. If you ever need just the ID by itself, you can copy it from either link format.

Copying a link that starts at a specific time

If you want to share a link that begins playing at a particular moment in the video — say, 2 minutes and 30 seconds in — use the Share button instead of right-clicking. Click Share, then look for an option that says Start at or Current time. Check the box next to it, and YouTube will add a timestamp to the link.

The timestamp appears as &t=150s at the end of the link (where 150 is the number of seconds). When someone clicks this link, the video starts playing at that exact moment instead of from the beginning. This is useful when you want to direct someone to a specific part of a long video without making them watch the whole thing first.

You can also manually add a timestamp to any link you've already copied. At the end of the link, add &t= followed by the number of seconds. For example, to start at 5 minutes, add &t=300s (5 minutes × 60 seconds = 300 seconds).

What to do if the copy option doesn't appear

If you right-click and don't see a copy option, you may have clicked on an advertisement, a comment, or another element overlaid on the video. Try right-clicking directly on the video itself, away from any text or buttons. If the Share button is missing or grayed out, the video owner may have disabled sharing — in this case, you can still copy the URL directly from the address bar at the top of your browser.

Click the address bar, select all the text (Ctrl+A on Windows, Command+A on Mac), copy it (Ctrl+C or Command+C), and paste it wherever you need it. This method works on any website, not just YouTube, and bypasses any sharing restrictions the video owner may have set.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I copy a link to a specific part of a YouTube video?

Yes. Use the Share button, check the box for Start at or Current time, and YouTube adds a timestamp to the link. When someone clicks it, the video starts at that moment. You can also manually add &t= followed by seconds to any link — for example, &t=120s starts at 2 minutes.

What's the difference between youtu.be and youtube.com links?

Both formats point to the same video and work identically. The youtu.be format is shorter and easier to share in messages or on social media. The youtube.com format is the full address. YouTube usually generates the short format by default, but you can manually convert between them by swapping the domain.

Why doesn't the copy option appear when I right-click?

You may have clicked on an ad, comment, or other element instead of the video itself. Try right-clicking directly on the video player. If sharing is still disabled, copy the link from your browser's address bar instead — click the address bar, select all, copy, and paste it where you need it.

Can I copy a link to a private or unlisted video?

Yes, the copy function works the same way. However, only people with access to the video can watch it when they click the link. If the video is private, only people the owner invited can view it. If it's unlisted, anyone with the link can watch it, but it won't appear in searches.

Does copying a YouTube link count as a view?

No. Copying a link does nothing to the video's view count. Views are counted only when someone actually clicks the link and watches the video in their browser or the YouTube app.