Quick Info
  • You can create links to specific timestamps of a YouTube video both on the web and on mobile.
  • YouTube has a built-in feature to create links with timestamps.
  • You can also manually add the timestamp to a YouTube link.
  • Such links can not only be handy in saving time, but are quite versatile and can be added to emails, social media posts, and more.

On the web

There are multiple methods by which you can link to a specific timestamp of a YouTube video when accessing the platform on a desktop computer.

Using YouTube's linking feature

YouTube's built-in linking feature lets you create your own timestamps when sharing a video.

  1. Go to the YouTube video that you want to share.
  2. Drag the playback slider to the point where you want to create a timestamp and pause the video.
  1. Now, click on the 'Share' button below the video to share the video and you will get a pop-up.
  1. In the pop-up, click on the 'Start at' checkbox that displays the time at which you have paused the video, and then click on the 'Share' button. You can also edit the time at which the video starts by clicking on it.
  1. Alternatively, right-click on the video while it is paused and then click on the 'Copy video URL at current time' option in the drop-down menu. On Mac, hold down the Command key and then click on the video. If the video has annotations, right-click on an area without any annotations or disable them first.
  1. Now you can share the copied link easily by pasting it anywhere. For the person viewing the video through the link, the video will start from the point at which you created a timestamp.
Note: If you want to share a link to a specific timestamp of an age-restricted YouTube video, you will need to sign in to your YouTube account.

Adding a timestamp manually

You can also add a timestamp manually to the link. This is especially handy when you don't have the video open but you have the link at hand and also remember the timestamp.

  1. Go to the YouTube video you want to share and click at the end of its URL in the address bar.
  2. Type &t= followed by the time at which you want the video to start. For instance, if you want the video to start at 2 minutes 43 seconds, type &t=2m43s at the end of the URL.
  1. Copy the URL using Ctrl + C on Windows or Cmd + C on Mac and paste it where you want to share it using the Ctrl + V/Cmd + V shortcuts.

On mobile

Creating a link to a timestamp of a YouTube video when using a mobile device is very similar to the method you use on a desktop.

  1. Open the YouTube app and go to the video for which you want to create a timestamp.
  2. Tap on the 'Share' button below the video and then on the 'Copy Link' option in the pop-up that appears.
  1. Once the link is copied, paste it in a browser and add &t= followed by the time at which you want the video to start. For example, add &t=2m50s to add a timestamp at 2 minutes and 50 seconds.
  2. When you share this modified link, it will open the YouTube video from the timestamp.
Note: On iOS, you can also use the YouTube Link with Timestamp shortcut to create the link with timestamp.

Things to know:

  • Any link you create to a specific timestamp in a YouTube video will work even if the video title changes.
  • If you enter a timestamp exceeding the video length, the video will play from the start.
  • You can share timestamp links of YouTube videos almost anywhere, including social media platforms and emails.

By creating links to timestamps in YouTube videos, you can save your viewers a lot of time, especially when sharing videos that are quite long. And if someone wants to view the entire video, they can always do so by moving the slider around.