The simplest way to copy a YouTube link
Open the video you want to share. Look at the address bar at the top of your browser — it shows a long web address starting with youtube.com. Right-click on that address bar and select "Copy". You now have the full link copied to your clipboard, ready to paste anywhere: email, text message, a document, or a chat app.
On a phone or tablet, tap the address bar, then hold your finger on it until a menu appears. Select "Copy" from that menu. The link is now ready to paste.
That is the fastest method for most people. YouTube also offers a built-in share button if you want other options — but the address bar method works everywhere and requires no extra steps.
Key Takeaways
- Copy the link directly from your browser's address bar by right-clicking it and selecting "Copy", or by tapping and holding on a phone.
- YouTube's built-in share button (the arrow icon below the video) offers preset options like email and messaging apps, but the address bar method works with any platform.
- A YouTube link starting with youtube.com/watch?v= works on any device and does not require a YouTube account to open.
- Shortened links (youtube.com/watch?v=CODE) and youtu.be links both work the same way and point to the same video.
- If you want to share a link that starts at a specific moment in the video, YouTube's share button has a "Start at" option that builds that into the link.
Using YouTube's built-in share button
Below the video title, you will see a row of buttons. One of them looks like an arrow pointing outward — that is the share button. Click it and a menu appears with preset options: Email, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, and others depending on what apps you have installed.
If you click "Copy link" in that menu, YouTube copies the link to your clipboard the same way the address bar method does. If you select an app like Email or WhatsApp, YouTube opens that app with the link already filled in, ready for you to add a message and send.
The share button is useful if you want to send the link directly through an app without copying and pasting by hand. For most other purposes — pasting into a document, a spreadsheet, a forum post, or anywhere else — the address bar method is faster.
Sharing a link that starts at a specific time
If you want someone to watch starting at a particular moment — say, 3 minutes and 45 seconds into a 20-minute video — use the share button. Click it, then check the box that says "Start at" and enter the time. YouTube builds that timestamp into the link.
When someone opens that link, the video will start playing at exactly the moment you chose. This works whether you send the link through the share button or copy it from the address bar after checking "Start at".
You can also build a timestamp link by hand. If the normal link is youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ, add &t=225s to the end (225 seconds = 3 minutes 45 seconds). The video will start at that point.
Different types of YouTube links and how they work
YouTube links come in a few formats, and they all work the same way. A standard link looks like youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ. A shortened version looks like youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ. Both point to the exact same video and work on any device.
Some links include extra information after the video code — like &t=225s for a timestamp, or &list=PLxxxxxx if the video is part of a playlist. These additions do not break the link; they just tell YouTube what to do when someone opens it.
All YouTube links work without a YouTube account. Someone does not need to log in or have a Google account to watch a video you share. The link itself is all they need.
Copying links on different devices
On a desktop computer or laptop, right-click the address bar and select "Copy". On a Mac, the process is the same — right-click (or control-click) and choose "Copy".
On an iPhone or iPad, tap the address bar at the top, then hold your finger on it until a menu appears. Tap "Copy". On an Android phone or tablet, tap the address bar and hold your finger on it until the same menu appears, then tap "Copy".
After you copy, you can paste the link anywhere: into a text message by holding your finger and selecting "Paste", into an email by right-clicking and selecting "Paste", or into a document the same way. The method is the same across all devices.
What to do if the link does not work
If someone tells you a YouTube link is not working, the most common reason is that the video has been removed or made private. The person who uploaded it may have deleted it, or changed the privacy settings so only certain people can watch.
If you copied the link correctly and it still does not work, ask the person who shared it whether the video is still available. If it is, they can copy the link again and send you a fresh one.
A link that worked yesterday may stop working if the video owner deletes it or changes who can watch. This is not a problem with how you copied the link — it is just how YouTube works.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I copy a YouTube link without opening the video?
Yes. Right-click on the video thumbnail in a search result or playlist, and a menu will appear. Select "Copy video URL" and the link is copied without opening the video. This works on desktop browsers but not on phones.
Does a YouTube link expire or stop working?
A YouTube link itself does not expire. It stops working only if the video owner deletes the video, makes it private, or restricts who can watch it. The link format stays the same forever.
What is the difference between a youtube.com link and a youtu.be link?
They point to the same video and work identically. youtu.be is a shortened version that YouTube created. Both formats are official and equally reliable. Use whichever one you copied.
Can I copy a link to a specific comment on a YouTube video?
YouTube does not have a built-in way to link directly to a comment. You can copy the video link and tell someone the timestamp or describe which comment to look for, but the link itself will always start the video from the beginning.
Is it legal to share a YouTube link?
Yes. Sharing a link to a publicly available YouTube video is legal. You are not copying the video itself — you are just sending someone the address where it lives. The video owner has already made it public by uploading it.