YouTube citation generator
Cite any YouTube video, or any other online video, in any citation style.
or fill in the details below
How to cite a YouTube video
A YouTube citation takes three steps. It works the same for Shorts, Vimeo and TikTok videos.
Step 1
Paste the video link
Any YouTube link works: a watch link, a youtu.be link, a Short or an embed. We fill in the title, the channel, the upload date and the length.
Step 2
Add a timestamp for a quote
Quoting the video? Add the time the words start, like 2:15. A link with a start time, like one ending in ?t=95, fills it in for you.
Step 3
Copy your citation
Add the reference entry to your list, and use the in-text citation with the timestamp in your paper.
How to cite a YouTube video in APA
An APA YouTube citation gives the channel as the author, the upload date, the title in italics, [Video], YouTube and the URL.
Format
Channel Name. (Year, Month Day). Title of video [Video]. YouTube. URL
A channel
TED. (2016, April 6). Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator | Tim Urban | TED [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arj7oStGLkU
In-text citation, with a timestamp
Parenthetical: (TED, 2016, 2:15)
Narrative: TED (2016, 2:15)
A person with a channel name
Sanderson, G. [3Blue1Brown]. (2017, October 5). But what is a neural network? | Deep learning chapter 1 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aircAruvnKk
When the channel belongs to one person with a different name, APA gives the real name and then the channel name in square brackets.
How to cite a YouTube video in MLA
An MLA YouTube citation gives the creator, the title in quotation marks, YouTube in italics, the uploader, the date and the URL.
Format
Creator. “Title of Video.” YouTube, uploaded by Channel, Day Month Year, URL.
Creator and uploader the same
TED. “Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator | Tim Urban | TED.” YouTube, 6 Apr. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=arj7oStGLkU.
When the creator is the uploader, MLA starts with the creator and leaves out uploaded by.
A creator with a different channel
Sanderson, Grant. “But What Is a Neural Network? | Deep Learning Chapter 1.” YouTube, uploaded by 3Blue1Brown, 5 Oct. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=aircAruvnKk.
In-text citation, with a timestamp
Parenthetical: (TED 2:15)
How to cite a YouTube video in Chicago
Chicago gives the channel, the title in quotation marks, the date, YouTube video and the video’s length, then the URL.
Bibliography
TED. “Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator | Tim Urban | TED.” April 6, 2016. YouTube video, 14:04. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arj7oStGLkU.
Footnote
TED, “Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator | Tim Urban | TED,” April 6, 2016, YouTube video, 14:04, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arj7oStGLkU.
How to add a timestamp to your in-text citation
A video has no page numbers. When you quote it, the timestamp shows where the words start.
APA
Add the time after the year: (TED, 2016, 2:15).
MLA
Add the time after the name, with no comma: (TED 2:15). MLA also accepts a range, like 2:15 to 2:40.
From a link
Copy the link at the moment you want (right-click the video and choose Copy video URL at current time) and paste it above. The timestamp fills in automatically.
How to cite a YouTube Short, a TikTok video or a Vimeo video
Shorts are cited like any YouTube video. For TikTok and Vimeo, the platform takes YouTube’s place.
Vimeo (APA)
Blender. (2008, May 29). Big Buck Bunny [Video]. Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/1084537
Vimeo (MLA)
Blender. “Big Buck Bunny.” Vimeo, 29 May 2008, vimeo.com/1084537.
A TikTok has no title, so APA and MLA use its caption instead (APA takes the first 20 words). Paste the TikTok link and we fill the caption, the account and the upload date in for you.
Citing a video vs. citing a film, TED Talk or lecture
A feature film or documentary is cited as a film, with its director and production company, even if you watched it on YouTube. Use the movie citation generator.
A TED Talk posted on the TED YouTube channel is cited as a YouTube video, with TED as the author. A lecture you watched as a recording is cited the same way, with the channel that posted it.
Frequently asked questions
How do I cite a YouTube video in APA?
Give the channel name, the upload date, the title in italics, [Video], YouTube and the URL. In the text, cite the channel and year, and add a timestamp when you quote, for example (TED, 2016, 2:15).
How do I cite a YouTube video in MLA?
Give the creator, the title in quotation marks, YouTube in italics, uploaded by and the channel if it is different, the date and the URL. In the text, cite the creator and the time, for example (TED 2:15).
Who is the author of a YouTube video?
The channel that uploaded it. When the channel is one person with a different name, APA gives the person’s name and then the channel name in square brackets, and MLA starts with the person and says uploaded by the channel.
How do I cite a specific part of a video?
Add a timestamp for the moment you quote. Paste a link with a start time, or type the time in the Timestamp for your quote field, and it appears in the in-text citation.
What about a deleted or private video?
We can’t read a video that isn’t public, so fill in the details you know. If the video is gone, most instructors will prefer another source.
Can I cite a playlist?
Cite the video you watched. A playlist link doesn’t say which video you mean, so open the video and paste its own link.
Is this YouTube citation generator free?
Yes. It’s free with no signup, and the videos you cite here go into the same list as the main Citation Generator.