How to Cite a YouTube Video

How to cite a youtube video means recording the uploader, the video title, the upload date, the site name YouTube, and the full URL in your citation style. This free tool builds APA, MLA, and Chicago references for any YouTube video in seconds.

What information do I need to cite a YouTube video?

Citing a YouTube video requires five pieces of information: the uploader or channel name, the exact video title, the upload date shown under the video, the site name YouTube, and the complete watch URL. Copy each element directly from the video page to avoid errors.

You can paste the video URL into the generator above and it will pull these details automatically, or you can enter them by hand. The table below shows where each element lives on the YouTube page.

How do you cite a YouTube video in APA 7?

In APA 7, cite a YouTube video as: Uploader. (Year, Month Day). Title of video [Video]. YouTube. URL. Use the account that posted the video as the author, write the title in sentence case and italics, and add the bracketed label [Video].

The in-text citation names the author and the year: (Harvard University, 2019). To point readers to a specific moment, add a timestamp: (Harvard University, 2019, 1:14). APA italicizes only the title, never the site name.

APA 7Harvard University. (2019, August 28). Soft robotic gripper for jellyfish [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guRoWTYfxMs

How do you cite a YouTube video in MLA 9?

In MLA 9, list a YouTube video by its creator, then the title in quotation marks, the container YouTube, the upload date, and the URL. When the creator is unclear, begin with the title and credit the channel after the phrase “uploaded by.”

MLA uses title case for the video title and italicizes the container name YouTube. The in-text citation uses the first element of your works-cited entry and can add a timestamp instead of a page number: (Harvard University 00:01:14).

MLA 9 — creator clearHarvard University. “Soft Robotic Gripper for Jellyfish.” YouTube, 28 Aug. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=guRoWTYfxMs.

MLA 9 — creator differs from uploader“Capybara Eats a Huge Pumpkin.” YouTube, uploaded by Alex Smith, 12 Jan. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YNwxZnABzA.

How do you cite a YouTube video in Chicago 18?

In Chicago 18 notes-bibliography style, cite a YouTube video in a footnote and, if it is central to your argument, a bibliography entry. Give the uploader, the title in quotation marks, the label “YouTube video,” the upload date, and the URL. The running time is optional.

Chicago capitalizes the title in title case and places it in quotation marks rather than italics. In author-date style, an in-text citation reads (Harvard University 2019). The examples below show the note and bibliography forms.

Chicago — footnote1. Harvard University, “Soft Robotic Gripper for Jellyfish,” YouTube video, August 28, 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guRoWTYfxMs.

Chicago — bibliographyHarvard University. “Soft Robotic Gripper for Jellyfish.” YouTube video. August 28, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guRoWTYfxMs.

Who counts as the author of a YouTube video?

The author of a YouTube video is the person or organization that uploaded it, not necessarily whoever filmed or appears in it. Every style treats the channel that posted the content as responsible for it, because that account controls the public record of the video.

APA has a specific rule for individuals: when a real name and a channel handle both appear, list the real name first and put the handle in square brackets, as in Cutts, S. [Steve Cutts]. If only a username or brand name is available, use it exactly as shown, without brackets. MLA and Chicago simply use the name as it appears on the channel.

When the person who created the content clearly differs from the account that uploaded it, MLA lets you begin with the creator and record the uploader as a contributor. APA and Chicago keep the uploading account in the author position for consistency.

How do in-text citations and timestamps work?

In-text citations for a YouTube video follow the same rule as any source: they point to the first element of the full reference. Because videos have no page numbers, all three styles let you cite a timestamp to mark the exact moment you are quoting or describing.

Use a timestamp only when you refer to a specific claim, quotation, or scene, not for a general reference to the whole video. Format the timestamp as it appears on the YouTube progress bar (minutes and seconds, or hours where relevant).

• APA: add the time after the year — (Harvard University, 2019, 1:14).
• MLA: add the time in place of a page number — (Harvard University 00:01:14).
• Chicago: include the timestamp in the footnote — …YouTube video, at 1:14, August 28, 2019….

How accurate is this YouTube citation generator?

This generator produces correctly structured APA 7, MLA 9, and Chicago 18 references, but it cannot guarantee that every field is accurate, because YouTube’s metadata is often incomplete or inconsistent. You remain responsible for checking the final citation against the video page.

Three limitations deserve attention. First, YouTube titles frequently use all-caps, emoji, or promotional tags that you should normalize to the correct case for your style. Second, channel names may be handles rather than real names, so decide whether a personal author applies. Third, the automatically detected upload date can reflect a re-upload; confirm it in the description panel. Always verify capitalization, the author element, and the date before submitting your work.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the author of a YouTube video in a citation?

The account that uploaded the video is treated as the author in APA, MLA, and Chicago. This is usually the channel name. Use it even if the channel did not personally create the footage, because it is the responsible source of record.

Do I use the channel name or the person’s real name?

In APA, if a real name and a handle both appear, list the real name followed by the handle in square brackets. If only a username or brand name is shown, use that exactly. MLA and Chicago use the name as displayed on the channel.

How do I cite a YouTube video with no upload date?

If no upload date is visible, APA uses “(n.d.)” for no date, MLA omits the date element, and Chicago uses “n.d.” in the note. Because YouTube always shows an upload date in the description panel, this is rare; check there before assuming it is missing.

Should I include a timestamp in my citation?

Include a timestamp only when you quote or refer to a specific moment in the video. Add it to the in-text citation, not the reference-list entry. For a general reference to the whole video, no timestamp is needed.

Do I italicize a YouTube video title?

APA italicizes the video title and writes it in sentence case. MLA and Chicago place the title in quotation marks using title case and instead italicize (MLA) or plainly name (Chicago) the site YouTube.

How do I cite a YouTube Short or a live stream?

Cite a Short exactly like a standard video, using its watch URL. For a live stream in Chicago, add “streamed live on” before the date; APA and MLA treat the archived recording like any other uploaded video with its posted date.

Related tools & guides

Once you have your video reference, build the rest of your bibliography with the matching engine: the APA citation generator handles the sentence-case and [Video] label automatically, while the MLA citation generator manages the “uploaded by” contributor and hanging indent. For notes-bibliography papers, the Chicago citation generator formats both the footnote and bibliography forms. New to referencing? Start with our plain-English explainer on what is a citation to understand how in-text citations and reference lists work together.